Background checks on 2.7-million truck drivers licensed to haul hazardous materials have turned up 29 drivers with possible connections to terrorists, according to the Transportation Security Administration.
The name-based background check is the first wave of an intensive campaign to weed out potential terrorists as TSA readies states nationwide to begin mandatory fingerprint identification checks of licensed hazmat drivers on January 31, 2005.
One of the 29 drivers had previously been deported from the United States, while some other names listed may be the same person as a result of faulty data, Andrea Fuentes, spokeswoman for TSA, told Modern Bulk Transporter.
The database of hazmat drivers was cross-referenced with the databases of law enforcement agencies to flag individuals with possible connections with terrorist organizations. No clear connections have been determined yet, and the drivers are still under investigation, Fuentes said.
The name-based background check was completed as required by the Safe Explosives Act and Patriot Act.