I’ll make this comment...after traveling a fair bit around Europe after 9-11. You just don’t get patted down by any European security folks at any European airport. At the very most....they might wave the magic wand. At US airports...on the Atlantic side....I’d say I’m patted down at least fifty percent of the time now. Even on US city to US city flights....I’d take a guess that I get patted around thirty-percent of the time.
I think it’s mostly a pretend-to-be-secure effort. Pat down someone....make them think there’s high security....get a good feeling....walk away. Maybe I’m cynical about this...but I doubt if Egypt officials in Cairo patted down the Muslim Brotherhood folks or for that matter anyone...when they go through security to leave Egypt.
I have not been patted down. I did a ton of that myself, working. 25 years in a California prison, but 2 out of 3 times, in Manila, I was randomly picked (at least I think it was random) and they searched every square inch of my luggage. I have to say this as well, they were very polite and respectful, and they put everything back together so well, that it looked like they had never been there. That was my experience, I am sure others have had different experiences.