Perhaps this explains why Maryland was so sensitive to avoid any inquiry in the case of John Filippidis.    It certainly sounds like the Maryland Coordination and Analysis Hub is but a mere test venue for a larger federally linked data hub of the same information.

Were the feds using Maryland to establish the protocols ?   It sure seems that is a very strong possibility…… and, if so, the denial of the FOIA would make even more sense.

In Mr. Filippidis example the “hot list – target vehicles” appeared to be CCW holders.

WASHINGTON DC – The Department of Homeland Security is set to activate a national license plate tracking system that will be shared with law enforcement, allowing DHS officers to take photos of any license plate using their smartphone and upload it to a database which will include a “hot list” of “target vehicles”.

The details are included in a PDF attachment uploaded yesterday to the Federal Business Opportunities website under a solicitation entitled “National License Plate Recognition Database.”

The system will “track vehicle license plate numbers that pass through cameras or are voluntarily entered into the system from a variety of sources (access control systems, asset recovery specialists, etc.) and uploaded to share with law enforcement” in order to help locate “criminal aliens and absconders.”

In other countries that have activated license plate tracking networks, such as the United Kingdom, political activists have been targeted by having their vehicles added to a “hotlist” after attending protests. One example led to a man being questioned under anti-terror laws after he traveled to take part in an anti-war demonstration.  (READ MORE)

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