Box cutter case suspect charged, released

AP | 10/21/03

[EGPWS]

A college student who allegedly hid box cutters and other banned items on four airliners to expose weaknesses in U.S. security was charged with a federal crime Monday, and a prosecutor said he committed a "very serious and foolish action."

Yea, sooo serious that they forced a release upon him!

[SerpentDove]

Now they can go back to doing cavity searches on Grandma.

[ambrose]

This is the "suspect"... Looks real scary, huh? He'd last about two seconds in prison.

[SerpentDove]

Hey! I was in high school band with that guy twenty years ago!

[sourcery]

"Amateur testing of our systems do not show us in any way our flaws," McHale said. "We know where the vulnerabilities are and we are testing them. ... This does not help."

Of course it doesn't help. The bureacrats want the public to think that it's now extremely difficult to smuggle weapons/bombs onto an airliner, thanks to their new police powers and federal airport SS. Heatwole has publicly exposed the lie--and for that, they will never forgive him.

[ambrose]

prosecutor said he committed a "very serious and foolish action."

Yup - he embarassed the federales.

[EGPWS]

This is the "suspect"... Looks real scary, huh? He'd last about two seconds in prison.

Perhaps HE should have given THAT scenario more thought before performing such a "selfish" and "stupid" act?

I would wager a guess that this act of stupidity on his part didn't come from his parents or friends...if he has any friends.

[ex-Texan]

I believe this young man did something good for the U.S., out of a real concern for public safety. He did not have any evil or criminal intentions. He did not even try to hide his identity. But his methods were wrong. This is a sad case, really.

And ambrose is right. This young man would not last in prison.

In the law, there is a doctrine known as "Mens Rea." The idea is that some "criminal intention" must be found in an act for the act to be considered criminal conduct. The doctrine has a long history in the English common law. But now we have strict liability statutes and you may violate a statute even though you have no actual criminal intent. Federal law is all strict liability and if you step over the line you will reap a very hard penalty.

The prosecution of this young man is all about protecting and saving the airlines. 'Nuff said about that issue.

Hope the Feds decide to give him a break. Otherwise he will spend very hard time in prison.

[gunnedah]

Yes, we pardon real criminals and put those in jail who are harmless. The Criminal Just-Us System. What a damn laugh.

[anka]

but if we actually have to find out the real cause of the problem instead of scapegoating someone who is pointing out the flaws, well then, the terrorists have won!


/sarcasm

[Ichneumon]

"Amateur testing of our systems do not show us in any way our flaws," McHale said.

Funny, it sure looks that way to me.

[laredo44]

In the law, there is a doctrine known as "Mens Rea."

Thanks for the explanation, but do you not, like, think we didn't see, like, "Legally Blond?" ;)

[bert]

......It was not a test. It was not a civil action. It was a very serious and foolish action." ................


It was a very serious test that is pointing out the foolishness of a US Attorney.

[jwin]

If he had hidden a bag of finger nail clippers, he would really be in trouble.

[Rifleman]

This young man is unquestionably guilty a very serious crime. He has held our rulers up to public ridicule and displayed their incompetence. For this he will almost certainly be imprisoned for several years in an institution where he will be raped repeatedly. Serves him right.

[suijuris]

However, DiBiagio said Heatwole's conduct "was not a prank. This was not poor judgment. ... It was not a test. It was not a civil action. It was a very serious and foolish action." Deputy TSA Administrator Stephen McHale said Monday's court action "makes clear that renegade acts to probe airport security for whatever reason will not be tolerated, pure and simple." "Amateur testing of our systems do not show us in any way our flaws," McHale said. "We know where the vulnerabilities are and we are testing them. ... This does not help."

Unbelievable! What a--holes!

[from occupied ga]

and a prosecutor said he committed a "very serious and foolish action."

Yep he sure did. He showed TSA and the government as a flock of fools. Being pompous self-important fools, they are naturally very sensitive about this.

[Cboldt]

"Amateur testing of our systems do not show us in any way our flaws," McHale said. "We know where the vulnerabilities are and we are testing them. ... This does not help."

A quick timeline -- kid puts items on plane on day 1, kid e-mails TSA on day 1 and tells them which flights were compromised, and in what way -- SWA employees find items on day 40 (more or less) -- TSA forwards e-mails to FBI on day 41.

Now, tell me about the bureaucratic vulnerability. The test isn't only that something got by the screener. The test is also how the TSA reacts to information. Bureaucratic behavior is predictable, inefficient, and defensive in nature.

[Modernman]

"Amateur testing of our systems do not show us in any way our flaws," McHale said.

Hmmm... if an amateur can do this, imagine what a pro could do.

Meanwhile, my fiance's 80 year-old Danish grandmother gets pulled aside for a secondary inspection. I feel so much safer.