CNN walks us through a number of experimental programs being tested by Homeland Security’s Future Attribute Screening Technology, or FAST.

The different systems check a person’s heart rate, breathing, eye movement, body temperature and, yes, fidgeting.

There are a number of different devices and technology involved in all of this detection, from thermal imaging to cameras used for eye tracking. But the most interesting to many of you will likely be the improvised fidgeting monitor.

Researchers took a Wii balance board — a device people stand on to interact with certain Nintendo Wii video games — and altered it to show how someone’s weight shifts. Studies are now under way to determine whether there is a level of fidgeting that would suggest the need for secondary screening.

Fortunately, the screening wouldn’t rely strictly on a person’s Wii Fit Age to determine if they’re a terrorist or not. Instead, screeners would look at all of the body signs before unjustly labelling a nervous flier a possible suicide bomber.

Will airports screen for body signals? Researchers hope so [CNN, thanks mjarantilla]

The actor was dining at the Oberoi Hotel in Mumbai when militants opened fire. Rudder was hit by three bullets and rushed to hospital where he successfully underwent surgery and is expected to make a full recovery.

You may recognise Rudder’s voice from such games as Far Cry Instincts, Prince Of Persia: The Warrior Within (he played the Dark Prince), Jagged Alliance and – somewhat ironically – terrorist-slaying black ops game Splinter Cell.

Canadian actor recovering in Mumbai after being shot [CBC]

The tabloid press are predictably irate about this ‘game’ that casts you as a suicide bomber bent on claiming as many innocent lives as possible and indeed in more competent hands this might be worth getting all worked up about. The developer’s comments on flash portal Newgrounds are rather telling, though:

“IF YOU’VE SEEN OR READ ANYTHING ABOUT THIS GAME LATELY PLEASE E-MAIL ME ABOUT IT. MOST OF THE TIME I AM UNAWARE OF WHO’S BITCHING ABOUT IT.”

Let’s not. Instead, just hope that he never has to suffer the kind of loss that his game makes light of. You’ll feel better in the long run and he will go away that much faster.

The Suicide Bomber Game [Newgrounds via The Daily Star]

One detainee is said to have been schooled in making detonators out of SEGA game cartridges.

Nobody at Kotaku (especially those who frequently travel overseas) has any idea if that is even possible, or why SEGA specifically, but the story seems to originate from the case of Hassan Bin Attash – a seventeen year old (at time of capture) detainee that several human rights organisations claim was tortured in Jordan before being held in Gitmo. Possibly, after a few months of waterboarding a weaponised copy of Toe Jam & Earl: Panic on Funkotron might seem more credible.

Next President Will Face Test on Detainees[NYT via DasGamer]

The theory is fleshed out by evidence that things explode in GTA IV. Compelling stuff. You’ve given us a lot to think about this day, random internet moron.

Was Grand Theft Auto IV Inspired by Al-Qaida? [Spiegel via GamePolitics]

Wait a minute…

That’s no CG image! That’s concept art by Bethesda for Fallout 3. I tell you, those terrorist groups are getting sloppy. They should spend more on artists and less on AK-47s. Stop stealing stuff off Google Images! It’s bad!

[Thanks JamesC]

Wired’s David Thier contends that in-game plagues like Corrupted Blood provide real-world insight into terrorist tactics that traditional computer sims can’t. Why? Artificial intelligence is little match for genuine human intelligence, which may (or may not) be better at exploiting holes and vulnerabilities.

MMOs may also give better insight into “civilian” behaviour, but fails in the sense that real world death and in-game death don’t quite have the same impact.

Watch out, sexless griefers. Someone may be keeping an eye on you. Now back to less fear-mongering…

World of Warcraft Shines Light on Terror Tactics [Wired]

After the competition was announced in March, Zhang [Bin, one of the competition organizers] said, police officers were enthusiastic. Now almost half the total Tianjin force are regular players.

“Of course, they play, or should I say train, after work,” he added.

Officers reported noticeable improvement in self-protection on field missions after the play, Han said, stressing the game was only “a supplement to their traditional means of training.”

Now all they need is an outpost in Second Life to recruit officers, and they’ll be in business.

Counter-Strike, China police’s latest tool of anti-terrorism [People's Daily Online]

The fear stems from the discovery that all three devices contain software that “enables users to send or receive radio signals” and that they could be used to talk to fellow conspirators to “plot carnage.” The Playstation 2 also faces a possible ban, the paper reports.

A source said: “The technology in the new generation of computer games makes them a security risk.

“There is concern that top terror suspects have been using systems already in jails. Radio software is an integral part of the equipment.”

A secret security bulletin warns that planned advances in computer games technology could mean ALL systems being barred.

And here I always thought Osama was just a fan of BioShock.

Xbox banned in jail terror fear [The Sun]