Biometric system failed to detect terror suspect

Biometric data encompass a range of identifying information excluding name and demographics. This information is important for governments so they can verify people migrating to their country and provide security measures to existing citizens, among other things. But what happens when this information fails? Candice Malcolm writes in her Toronto Sun column about a Somali national who was able to gain access into Canada where he then committed a serious of crimes. Malcolm points out that it is not the actual biometric data itself that fails, but the way in which it is (or is not) collected. She writes, “this case shows a major failure in the way that both countries deal with illegal migrants who arrive from terrorist hotspots. It particularly reveals our inability to properly screen and vet migrants who show up at our border, even with our sophisticated new system. When an individual arrives from a failed state like Somalia, we have no way to verify their identity or any criminal history.” Read the full article, here, to find out more.