The TSA has removed a headline regarding ‘Hajj Sensitivity Training’ from its government website. This move comes shortly after The Aviation Nation and others reported on the appalling revelation that 45,000 federal screeners were trained by representatives of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) — a civilian organization founded by seed money from terrorist groups.

A search of the TSA’s website today, using the keyword ‘Hajj’, delivers several entries. However, if you try accessing any of the pages about ‘Hajj Sensitivity Training,’ you are told, “Sorry, the page you requested was not found.” The removal of the information from its website by TSA officials underscores earlier writings about the federal agency’s hazardous approach to aviation security. All too often, TSA works from the premise, if the public doesn’t know about it, they might not know it happened. But this did happen.

You can access the information at another US Government website, USINFO.STATE.GOV, where a lengthy article on the subject was published 26 December 2006. Here’s the beginning:

U.S. Airport Security Officers Briefed on Hajj Traditions

Officers learn about cultural sensitivities of Muslim travelers

By David Shelby
USINFO Staff Writer

Washington — The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has provided special training to sensitize the 45,000 security officers working in the nation’s airports to the cultural traditions of American Muslims traveling to Saudi Arabia to participate in the hajj.

The St. Petersberg Times was one of the first papers to report that CAIR officials had provided that training to federal agents.

CAIR officials gave airport police and FBI, Transportation Security Administration, Homeland Security Department and customs officials a lesson about the pilgrimage and what they can expect from returning Muslims.

The meeting was part of CAIR’s nationwide initiative following the removal of six imams from a US Airways flight in Minneapolis in November after their prayer, conversation and behavior worried flight attendants and passengers. Federal officials questioned the men and released them without charges.

Any argument that the Hajj is over, and therefore the information about it is no longer necessary on the TSA website, is not accurate — at least not according to official TSA documents reviewed by The Aviation Nation. Here’s an excerpt:

Approximately 13,000 – 15,000 people travel from the U.S. to the city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia for the annual “Hajj” (pilgrimage). The travel period this year for the Hajj will likely commence several days before the 21 December onset of the pilgrimage (approximately 16 December 2006) and end several days after its 30 December conclusion (approximately 6 January 2007). The conclusion of the pilgrimage is celebrated as a religious holiday called the “Eid Al-Adha” which traditionally lasts four days.

The contents of these TSA documents raises troubling questions about why the United States government would allow an organization such as CAIR — working under the auspices of civil rights — to assist in matters involving aviation security and national security. These troubling questions need to be answered, not ignored, by the TSA. The TSA did not return calls.

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