Civil liberties and business travel groups have pressed the Government to disclose its procedures as an increasing number of international travellers have reported that laptops, mobile phones or other digital devices have been taken and examined.

Three Hollywood producers have cut a film rights deal with a bank security guard who, armed with a phony badge, convinced officials he was empowered by the Patriot Act and the Homeland Security Dept. to spearhead an undercover crackdown on drug dealers in the town of Gerald, Missouri.

Shortly after airing a news report that embarrassed the Transport Safety Administration and the Federal Air Marshal Service, CNN’s investigative reporter Drew Griffin was suddenly placed on the TSA’s terrorist watch list.