PUBLISHED 4-2-07

Are you a terrorist or drug trafficker? Maybe not, but your name could be on a “blacklist” and you could be blocked from conducting ordinary business.

Changes must be made to the Office of Foreign Asset Control’s Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List, which identifies suspected terrorists and drug traffickers.

It is more than an embarrassment to be denied the ability to do business simply because a person’s name or part of a name is similar to one on a security list. People with similar first, last and even middle names can be prevented from doing such things as taking out home and car loans.

The United States and its citizens must be protected from terrorists. But greater care must be taken in the way this protection is given. More specific information, such as birth dates, should accompany names on the “suspected” list to avoid snagging innocent people.

Prior to Sept. 11, the list was only used by banks and other financial institutions. After the attacks, President Bush ordered use expanded.

Businesses can face a fine of up to $10 million and 10 to 20 years in prison if they do business with someone on the list. But if individuals are wrongly singled out, their credit reports are tainted with the word OFAC — an indelible black mark.