Under Suspicion Since Sept. 11, the federal government has been coordinating with private businesses at popular sites, from shopping malls to sports stadiums, to spot and interrogate "suspicious persons." But an investigation by NPR and the Center for Investigative Reporting raises questions about whether private security agents are harassing innocent people.

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Under Suspicion

A program aimed at finding terrorism threats is entangling ordinary citizens with police and FBI.

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The Mall of America, one of the nation's largest shopping and entertainment venues, is also home to its own counterterrorism unit. Dawn Villela/AP hide caption

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Dawn Villela/AP

Under Suspicion At The Mall Of America

September 7, 2011 • Since Sept. 11, the nation's leaders have warned that government can't protect the country on its own — private businesses and civilians have to do their part, too. Now NPR and the Center for Investigative Reporting have found that, at least in one community, these kinds of programs are entangling ordinary people with the police and FBI.

DATABASE: Mall Of America Suspicious Activity Reports

September 7, 2011 • NPR News Investigations and the Center for Investigative Reporting analyzed 125 reports of shoppers and incidents at Mall of America that mall security personnel and local police identified as suspicious persons or activities potentially related to terrorism.

Mall Counterterrorism Files ID Mostly Minorities

The Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., has implemented a security program aimed at aiding the government identify suspected terrorists. Jim Mone/AP hide caption

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Jim Mone/AP

Mall Counterterrorism Files ID Mostly Minorities

September 8, 2011 • Programs aimed at keeping a lookout for potential terrorists are not about profiling, government officials stress. But an analysis of suspicious activity reports of incidents at the Mall of America suggests that the mall may be questioning people based partly on their appearance.

The Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., has implemented a security program aimed at aiding the government identify suspected terrorists. Jim Mone/AP hide caption

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Jim Mone/AP

Shoppers Entangled In War On Terrorism

September 7, 2011 • Documents obtained by NPR and the Center for Investigative Reporting detail how the Mall of America shares information about possible threats.

Finding Meaning In Suspicious Activity Reports

At a fusion center in Las Vegas workers like Daniel Burns, a program coordinator, analyze suspicious activity reports. Monica Lam/Center for Investigative Reporting hide caption

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Monica Lam/Center for Investigative Reporting

Finding Meaning In Suspicious Activity Reports

September 7, 2011 • Discerning real tips from the merely suspicious or paranoid reports submitted to law enforcement is sometimes more of an art than a science.