TSA might sue IU grad student

The Transportation Security Administration is conducting a civil investigation into an IU Ph.D. student that could lead to substantial monetary penalties, according to a letter from the TSA posted on the student's blog. \nIU doctoral student Chris Soghoian found himself under FBI investigation for developing a Web site that was capable of generating false Northwest Airlines boarding passes last October. Soghoian said his intent was not criminal, but instead to expose a serious national security flaw. The FBI was unable to find evidence of criminal intent and dismissed the investigation with no charges filed on Nov. 14. \nLast month Soghoian revealed on his blog that he received a letter from the TSA on Nov. 28 informing him of the investigation, which could lead to civil charges filed against him and up to $11,000 per violation. He said he doesn't know how many violations could be made against him. \nAccording to the TSA letter of investigation Soghoian posted on his blog, the investigation was stirred by "the allegation that (Soghoian) attempted to circumvent an established civil aviation security program established in the Transportation Security Regulations."\nSoghoian said he did not attempt to use a fake boarding pass to board an airplane, but instead tried to point out an acknowledged flaw in airline security -- one that Senator Charles Schumer (NY) made public in Feb. 2005. \n "The Web site was created to highlight a loophole in airline security," Soghoian said. "They've known about this stuff for years and nothing has been done yet. And now I'm being judged by the people who failed the most."\nAnother Web site with a boarding pass generator similar to the one Soghoian was forced to take down is linked from Soghoian's blog.\nSoghoian said the TSA would not provide him with a written form of the regulations that he allegedly violated. \n"The TSA is arbitrary, vindictive and they won't show you the rules," he said. "This incident has made them look foolish and they are the most embarrassed in this situation."\nA spokesperson for the TSA did not return repeated phone calls by press time.\nSoghoian, who is now working on a research paper on improving airline security, said improving airport security has been his intent throughout. He said passengers are allowed to board a plane without providing any proof of identity. The passenger is subjected to a more thorough search, in exchange for not providing an ID. \nSoghoian said he has been able to fly out of both Indianapolis and Washington, D.C., without ever showing any ID. \n"After 9/11, the airlines started checking the ID's," he said. "That was the fix. But it costs money for someone to stand at the gate and check every passenger's ID, so they got rid of it. I'm working on finding a creative solution to this problem, something other than a human being manually checking ID's."\nSoghoian said he is disappointed with IU for its lack of support in this situation. \n"Any research that I'm doing is going to be in a different state," he said. "IU won't cover me and this is a dangerous state to be (in) doing this kind of research"