. >> reporter: ben wizner is the litigation director of the aclu's national security project.presents george. >> we've seen abusive and intrusive searches that go far beyond any legitimate security rationale. we've seen extreme individual cases where travelers have been arrested for things that have nothing to do with legitimate security. >> reporter: wizner is particularly troubled about another post-9/11 aviation security measure-- the government's "no fly" list. the list is a subset of the terrorist screening database maintained by the fbi. its purpose is to keep terrorists off commercial aircraft. >> american citizens can find themselves on a no-fly list with no meaningful opportunity to get off, without being told the reason why they can't be able to fly, without having a chance to have a hearing to get themselves removed. i think what we've seen, over the last ten years, is a massive overreaction to the last threat in a way that has violated rights without making us much more secure. >> reporter: abe mashal is apparently on that list. masal is muslim, a marine corps vete

. >> reporter: the aclu's ben wizner. >> americans have a lot of experience, in times of threat, educingger, this time, is that we've defined a war against terrorism which literally takes place everywhere and may last forever. >> reporter: tsa management frequently points to several public opinion polls that indicate an overwhelming percentage of americans don't object to the scanners, although a fairly large percentage do object to the pat-downs. >> woodruff: and reports emerged this evening of a possible new threat tied to the 9/11 anniversary. the homeland security department said the information was specific and credible but unconfirmed.ç ews said it could involve three people and a car bomb plot aimed at washington, d.c., or new york city. white house officials said the president was briefed this morning and had ordered counter-terrorism efforts redoubled. tomorrow night our 9/11 series continues from cairo. margaret warner traces the egyptian roots of the radical islamic movement. >> brown: and finally tonight, another 9/11 story, but this one is fiction. what if a jury selected a