Passengers can expect double screening (Sticking it to everyone equally in the name of security)

AP on Yahoo ^ | 8/10/06 | Leslie Miller - ap

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON - Beginning Friday, airline passengers will go through double screening to make sure they're not carrying liquids onto planes, the head of the airline industry's largest trade group said.

Passengers and their carry-on luggage will be checked not only at the main security checkpoint, but also a second time at the boarding gate. The stepped-up screening in response to a new terrorist threat began Thursday at 25 airports where planes leave for Britain.

"It's going to spread across the whole system tomorrow," James May, president of the Air Transport Association, said Thursday.

The response to the terrorist threat produced long lines at airports Thursday as security officials scrambled to put new measures in place and passengers faced perplexing new restrictions — including the ban on carrying liquids onto aircraft.

Intelligence had indicated the terror plot unfolding in Britain involved using benign liquids that could be mixed inside an airplane cabin to make an explosive.

While plots to blow up airliners using liquid explosives are nothing new — such an attempt was foiled more than a decade ago — the government has been slow to upgrade its security equipment at airport checkpoints so that it can detect explosives on passengers.

Transportation Security Administration chief Kip Hawley said the need to tighten security came as a surprise and the changes were difficult to implement.

"It normally takes us about four weeks to roll out a change at a security checkpoint, and this one came about in a little bit more than four hours in the middle of last night," Hawley said.

Duane Woerth, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, said the government was overreacting. "They paralyzed the system with the hassle factor again," Woerth said.

During the first few hours of the alert, the TSA was taking toiletries away from flight crews, he said. "Then they said, 'This is stupid. We're taking toothpaste away from the guy who's going to fly the plane.' It didn't take them long to back down."

But Frank Cilluffo, director of the Homeland Security Policy Institute at George Washington University, said it makes sense to insert "uncertainty and randomness into the system so we can't let the adversary game the system."

Still, he said, coordination among agencies and the industry remains a problem.

Denis Breslin, spokesman for the American Airlines pilots union, faulted nagging communication shortcomings among intelligence, law enforcement and homeland security agencies.

"There's a whole lot of people making rules up right now, and until they get it all sorted out, every passenger is going to have to go through the nightmarish procedures that they're putting together right now," said Breslin.

David Mackett, a pilot who heads the Airline Pilots Security Alliance, said flight crews are treated as part of the problem.

"We're not happy that every time there's a threat we find out from the media, and that there's almost a complete vacuum of information when it comes to the air crews," Mackett said.

It was after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks that box cutters and other sharp objects were banned, bulletproof cockpit doors installed and air marshals rushed into service.

And it was after Richard Reid, the confessed shoe bomber, tried to blow up a trans-Atlantic flight in December 2001 that security officials made passengers remove their shoes. Lighters were later banned from passenger cabins.

Members of Congress have for several years criticized the TSA for using 1970s-era X-ray technology to screen carry-on bags at security checkpoints.

Rafi Ron, former head of security at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport and now a security consultant in Washington, said part of the problem is that terrorists always try to exploit new vulnerabilities.

"Weapons and explosives are various and you can expect new types of weapons as well as tactics," Ron said.

Douglas Laird, an aviation security expert and former security chief for Northwest Airlines, said the plot described Thursday resembled a 1994-1995 attempt, codenamed "Bojinka," to blow up a dozen airliners simultaneously over the Pacific Ocean using liquid explosives smuggled onto planes in bottles of contact lens solution.

___

On the Net:

Transportation Security Administration: http://www.tsa.gov

[NormsRevenge]

What's the word that comes to mind?

Oh Yeah.

Profiling.

DUhhh. Your gubamint putting its head back in the sand. Again.

[george76]

Multiple Choice Test

1. In 1968, Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated in Los Angeles by
(a) Superman,
(b) Jay Leno,
(c) Tiger Woods,
(d) a man from Palestine between 17 and 40 years old.

2. In 1972, 11 Israeli athletes were kidnapped and killed at the Munich Olympics by
(a) the kid who cuts your grass,
(b) Sitting Bull,
(c) Arnold Schwarzenegger,
(d) Muslims between 17 and 40.

3. In 1979, the US Embassy in Tehran was over-ran & 90 Americans were held for 444 days by
(a) Bruce Lee,
(b) Elvis Presley's deceased twin brother,
(c) a tour group of Minnesota grandmothers,
(d) Muslims between 17 and 40.

4. During the 1980s, several Americans were kidnapped in Beirut by
(a) O J Simpson,
(b) the king of Sweden,
(c) the pope and a gang of Cardinals,
(d) Muslims between 17 and 40.

5. In 1983, the U.S. Marine barracks in Lebanon was blown up, killing 220 Marines, by
(a) a Domino's Pizza delivery man,
(b) the president of the Southern Baptist Convention,
(c) Catherine Zeta-Jones,
(d) Muslims between 17 and 40.

6. In 1985, the cruise ship Achille Lauro was hijacked and a 70-year-old American passenger thrown overboard in his wheelchair by
(a) Sugar Ray Leonard,
(b) your next door neighbor,
(c) the Little Mermaid,
(d) Muslims between 17 and 40.

7. In 1985, TWA flight 847 was hijacked at Athens and a U.S. Navy diver trying to rescue passengers was murdered by
(a) Captain Kangaroo,
(b)Walt Disney,
(c) Mother Teresa,
(d) Muslims between 17 and 40.

8. In 1988, Pan American Flight 103 was destroyed by a bomb in midair by
(a) Butch Cassidy,
(b) the Sundance Kid,
(c) the Tooth Fairy,
(d) Muslims between 17 and 40.

9. The World Trade Center was bombed the first time in 1993 by
(a) Stonewall Jackson,
(b) Michael Jordan,
(c) Winston Churchill,
(d) Muslims between 17 and 40.

10. In 1998, U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania were bombed by
(a) Santa Claus,
(b) your sister's cat's grandmother's first owner's son's basketball coach's ex-wife,
(c) the World Wrestling Federation,
(d) Muslims between 17 and 40.

11. On September 11, 2001, airliners were hijacked to crash into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon by
(a) Bugs Bunny,
(b) Bob the Tomato,
(c) Ricky Martin,
(d) Muslims between 17 and 40.

12. In 2002, Daniel Pearl of the Wall Street Journal was kidnapped and beheaded by
(a) Bonnie and Clyde,
(b) the Michelin man,
(c) Barney Fife,
(d) Muslims between 17 and 40.

13. In July of 2005, several targets were attacked in central London, killing 52 persons, by
(a) the Orkin Man,
(b) Margaret Thatcher,
(c) Mr. Goodwrench,
(d) Muslims between 17 and 40.

add the USS Cole, Nick Berg's beheading and the Barcelona bombings

[Dead Corpse]

Damn. I guess I won't be able to bring my Jello Collection on the plane then...

[Czar]

"(Sticking it to everyone equally in the name of security political correctness)"

Hope this helps...

[kaktuskid]

Don't forget there are many blue-eyed/blond-haired muslims, along with blacks and Asians.

[My2Cents]

Or my urine sample collection.

[GeorgiaDawg32]

Ok, someone answer me this..what happens..what happens IF the next time they try to sneak something onto a plane and have it hidden in a body cavity?? it's not out of the realm of possibility considering these guys will go through any lengths to blow stuff up and need ways to get it onboard..

what happens to the travelling public then?

Jump on this for being dumb, but I'd bet some imam somewhere would find something in the koran that says it's ok..

[colorado tanker]

I sure hope they crack down on the grandmothers, as usual. You wouldn't believe the power of the chemicals that make their hair blue. They're a really dangerous bunch.

[Dilbert San Diego]

Let's just all fly nude. Let's carry this to its logical conclusion and strip. And then we'll have to all submit to pat downs and searches of any orifice.

[ladyinred]

They are not going to profile here. Get used to it. So they must do something.

[DesiCoderExtreme]

As a Hindu American I look pretty similar to Pakistanis (brown with black hair) but I'd put up with profiling and the occasional wand if it could keep these bastards from blowing up planes. How long is this going to be tolerated?

[Dilbert San Diego]

Maybe not far fetched. Imagine a woman smuggling something in her .........


I think there are cases where women have smuggled drugs in their.......

Anything for Allah.

[NormsRevenge]

fine, a weak point, imo,

re: Those of pakistani origin detained ib England or of the wandering egyptian yutes, how many are blonde and blue eyed?

How many of the 9/11 hijackers were blonde haired and blue-eyed?

[savedbygrace]

More insanity at TSA and DHS. They're doing this to us because they refuse to profile.

And President Bush refuses to countermand them.

I'm driving everywhere, not flying.

[Dilbert San Diego]

makes sense to just drive at least for shorter trips.

[reformedliberal]

All day I have watched calm, uncomplaining people, both Brit and Yank, patiently go through the chaos at the airports. I heard interviews on many shows with passengers and everyone was cheerful and undertanding.

Must have bothered AP, so they made sure to make this the sort of article that elicits groans. Maybe Schumer was the stringer on this story!

I am glad they don't give the crews special treatment. I do not trust that crews are not infiltrated by Muslims.

After 9/11, I was dreading flying, from all the negative stories. In reality, it was not much worse than before, except for the shoe part.

[jla]

I sure hope they crack down on the grandmothers, as usual. You wouldn't believe the power of the chemicals that make their hair blue. They're a really dangerous bunch

And bingo daubers, don't forget their bingo daubers.

[NormsRevenge]

I had heard a report that the intended explosive was peroxide based which would be ignited by a flash bulb or electronic device that would provide a spark to ignite it.

I guess any woman or man that has had their hair dyed using peroxide or such deserves special attention as well, not to mention folks who utilize and carry camera equipment.

Lets just keep tightening the noose ,, on all the wrong folks, why don't we?.

[saganite]

Gives a whole new meaning to "blow it out your @$$".

[NormsRevenge]

I have any number of acquaintances in the same boat as you, as a rule I don't proposed singling them out based on that alone, but when it comes to those travelling, to ignore them as things sit today as a result of even more events of late, I am glad you understand, it is nothing personal, it is only prudent.

[vox humana]

More insanity at TSA and DHS. They're doing this to us because they refuse to profile.

True.

If everyone stopped flying in protest, the airline industry would quickly put pressure on Bush to change these insane rules and start profiling.

[savedbygrace]

Next month I'm driving 750 miles each way on a business trip. Financially, it costs less to drive, without considering the travel hassles.

[colorado tanker]

Peroxide is pretty powerful stuff in the right concentrations.

My wife has wondered for years about sports bottles and how easy it would be to do something like this. Turns out she was spot on.

I guess from now on when I haul my meal on board, since the airline won't feed me, I won't be able to bring on my own drink.

[Soccer-Dad777]

GerogiaDawg32 said:
"Ok, someone answer me this..what happens..what happens IF the next time they try to sneak something onto a plane and have it hidden in a body cavity?? it's not out of the realm of possibility considering these guys will go through any lengths to blow stuff up and need ways to get it onboard..

what happens to the travelling public then?"

I'be been wondering all day about the same thing. Even cavity searchs won't reveal anything if the a$$holes figure out how to insert the explosive surgically somewhere in the body. Surely, there is a passage in the "Koran" that justifies this. Maybe they'll get 73 virgins when they get to heaven, instead of the customary allotment for martyrs of 72.

[Tinian]

Multiple Choice Test

Terry Nichols was:

1: A totally innocent 40 year-old white American.
2: A 40 year-old white American tool of Bill Clinton.
3: A 40 year-old white American tool of Karl Rove.
4: A 40 year-old white American wrongly linked to Abu Sayyaf and Operation Bojinka.

[Darnright]

>I'm driving everywhere, not flying.<

Here's a way to get around all this uproar about flying.

[NormsRevenge]

I used to travel a lot , I don't anymore. I am glad you have become as accustomed as the rest of those doing it daily.

If having double the delays involved is OK with you and others, great.

I think it's just a damn shame that our gubamint is so clueless or unwilling to go after the real high percentage potential perps and instead just nets the whole damn lot and spoil journies and inflame folks unnecessarily.

[VOA]

Passengers can expect double screening (Sticking it to everyone equally in the name of security)

just speaking for myself...I'd rephrase it this way:

Passengers can expect double screening (Just to avoid the insane whining
of ACLU and CAIR)

or

Passengers can expect double screening (So that American Infidels will
evenually "come to Allah" to avoid all this Bravo Sierra)

Any ideology that forces me to spend 3 hours in preparation
for a domestic flight...is the one I won't miss if it's erased from
the planet.

[Bella_Bru]

Oh good. Now the airlines will have an excuse to charge you for a glass of water. How perfect for them.

[Peter W. Kessler]

A keeper. Thanks

[Smartaleck]

Do "black" American-Muslims fit the same profile as those from the Middle East?

[Soccer-Dad777]

I'm half Italian and half Irish, but am olive-skinned and dark-eyed. I say, profile away! (And, in fact, I always seem to get yanked out of security checkpoints in airport terminals. Maybe the screeners are "profiling" in their own, random, subconscious way. I'm all for it...

[Dead Corpse]

Or my urine sample collection.

In my case, I'd rather prove mines Jello by sampling some of it personally. You are on your own with your "collection" there Howard Hughes... ;-)

[Alberta's Child]

There's a good reason why profiling Middle Eastern-looking men is a bad idea. Here's the leading sentence in an article just posted on FR from The London Times . . .

A young white Muslim convert and a teenager were among 24 terrorist suspects being questioned last night about an alleged plot to detonate suicide bombs on five US-bound aircraft, The Times has learnt.

[My2Cents]

LOL

[NormsRevenge]

Your name matches your question well.

Is there a perfect system short of what we see being applied today and again?
No.

Is there a reasonable approach that could be taken rather than lumping everyone into one mass group of suspects until cleared?
We have had 5 years to come up with one.

[ClearBlueSky]

I can't watch any more of the news. It makes my brain boil!
You wanna stop planes blowing up?
You START by not allowing Muslims on them. At all. Ever. For any reason Age 1-100 years- Muslims don't fly, period.If they can't get there by camel, they can't get there at all.

THEN you do widespread searches like this IF there is reason to believe that non-Muslims are being recruited.
Its Bass-Ackwards.
Hello....George? World??
Countries without Muslims are not worried about internal terrorism. They can't hit you if they aren't here/aboard planes/working near planes.
Worldwide Islam should be punished until it stops producing barbarians. Maybe if enough 'good' Muslims( lol ) can't travel they'll get mad enough at the 'bad' Muslims to deal with those giving their sweet, innocent 'religion' a bad name.
Gotta stop - can't laugh hysterically and type.

[Dead Corpse]

Seriously though, I am one of those poor clods that has to fly tomorrow. I've got a family reunion to go to on Saturday and the tickets are already paid for.

I was nervous before, because of the 8-22 speculations, now this...

It sucks, as I normally LOVE flying. If I ever meet one of these idiot Jihadi's in person I'm gonna kick 'em right in the nuts.

[Inspectorette]

Next month I'm driving 750 miles each way on a business trip. Financially, it costs less to drive, without considering the travel hassles.

Same here - later this month we're driving from Oregon to Southern California to visit the grandkids. If we were flying, it'd cost us about $300 each for RT tix, plus renting a car in SoCal, PLUS parking our vehicle at PDX for 10 days.

Even with the price of gas, it still works out cheaper, even if we stop halfway (Stockton, CA) for the night. Not to mention, we love the drive through the Siskiyou Mountains.

[ErnBatavia]

I guess from now on when I haul my meal on board, since the airline won't feed me, I won't be able to bring on my own drink.

Ya think you'll still want to eat that tuna sammwich after 3 or 4 TSA folks have stuck their noses into it?

I'm going to guess that - if for no other reason than the economy of the airport concessions - passengers will be able to purchase "cleared" sodas, waters, toiletries, etc. once past the first tier of security.

[NormsRevenge]

Nice try but I'm not sold. That only speaks to another deeper side of this whole terror thing, the recruitment of infidels to the "faith" and subsequent use as fodder in the war to derail and destroy westen civilization.


Besides, is it likely 1 or 2 could do as much damage as a group or be as energized to go thru with such activities, not to diminish the fact that any damage is too much?

[Integrityrocks]

"Then they said, 'This is stupid. We're taking toothpaste away from the guy who's going to fly the plane..."

Something odd here. I'm thinking the guy who flies the plane should be the MOST screened. Am I missing something?

[dawn53]

You might want to read this...one of those arrested in UK was a "white" guy...a convert to Islam.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1681508/posts

[My2Cents]

Mrs. My2Cents and I are flying on Saturday morning. Southwest advises to get to the airport two hours early, which means a very early wake-up Saturday morning.

[NormsRevenge]

Thanks, that speaks to a deeper issue in general of allowing a "religion" of hate and intolerance to even be allowed to exist, imo. (Of course I will be accused of being intolerant by saying that, but , what else is new?)

[taildragger]

Saved,

Take Two Aspirin and one of these....

Dire Straights forgive me "I want my, I want my VLJ"

www.eclipseaviation.com

[dawn53]

My husband and son are flying to Canada next Wednesday. Hopefully, by then, the word will have gotten out about leaving toiletries out of carry-ons.

My "guys" usually only take carry-ons, so I told them they'll just have to buy their shampoo and toothpaste when they get to their destination.

Today, part of the madness was people being totally caught off guard about the new regulations.

[Alberta's Child]

Don't just take my word for it . . .

But Frank Cilluffo, director of the Homeland Security Policy Institute at George Washington University, said it makes sense to insert "uncertainty and randomness into the system so we can't let the adversary game the system."

Anyone with an understanding of security measures related to personal safety and protection of infrastructure will tell you that establishing predictable patterns in a security operation is one of the worst things you can do.

[Argus]

I appreciate your attitude. If fat Irish Catholics with white beards were blowing up airplanes, I wouldn't object to being strip-searched myself since I fit that profile. And I wouldn't demand that old Black women get the same treatment just to make it "fair".

PC will be the end of us.

[NormsRevenge]

We either adapt to our times or we perish, is that factored in as well?

You cnan drag experts into this all you want, I am not sold. Thanks.

PS .. I do have a bit of experience in the security arena as well, of which I am not free to divulge.