Nigerian Terror Suspect a Good Example of the Importance of Security in this Country
Though 23-year old Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab’s terrorist plot was foiled by brave airline passengers, the fact that he nearly carried out his deadly plan is the most distressing part of this story. Just when our government, our airlines and airports begin to think that they have a good anti-terrorism plan in place, something like this happens. From warning signs to red flags, officials from our government thought they would have been able to stop something like this before Umar ever boarded that plane on Christmas Day. Further, the fact that this type of terrorism can rear its ugly head at any moment is reason enough for every employer to perform criminal background searches on its employees.
The President spoke on the matter and commented in a CNN-reported story that the system that is supposed to work has blatantly failed us. He further stated that the bits and pieces of information were never shared that would have led to the suspect not being allowed to board the plane. He ordered an immediate investigation of the sequence of events that led to this gross breakdown in our country’s security. The main question that he will demand answers to is: “Why wasn’t the suspect’s visa revoked?”
Though a criminal background searches could not have prevented this foiled attack on one of our airlines, the question about homeland security closer to home is definitely worth looking into. For companies who hire employees in the aerospace sector, those that require handling of money and sensitive information, as well as government jobs, criminal background searches is essential.
Catching more than past work history, an employment background screening provides employers the data they need to make an accurate and informed hiring decision. That’s why companies like Accu-Screen are here. From providing drug screening test results, salary history and job title information to degree verification, checking DMV driving records and criminal past; Accu-Screen is a necessary part of the hiring process.
One of the main reasons for this latest terrorist attack being so difficult to accept is that our American citizens are traveling our airlines, employed by the airlines and staffed at the airports; we believe we are safe when we travel and come to work each day. We depend upon our government to do their jobs to see that terrorist risks are minimized and prevented. Though this particular attack exposed our government’s gaps in communication and procedures, it has definitely opened the eyes of our President and the American people. What once was a safe and secure feeling has now shaken us to our very core.
It will be interesting to see what the investigative team comes up with as far as places where they failed and what can be done to prevent this same sequence of failed events from happening again. Like our government’s security departments that will fully investigate this terrorist attempt, so does Accu-Screen fully investigate prospective employees for its clients. It’s their job to make your workplace safer, more efficient, and seeing to it that every employee is fully qualified…and they are simply the best at what they do!
