Clumsy Attempt to Bypass Airport Security Or Pinging the System? (analysis)

STRATFOR ^ | 9.11.06

[gopwinsin04]

Yemeni-born U.S. citizen Mohammed Ghanem was arraigned in a Wayne County, Mich., court Sept. 9 after he allegedly tried to pass through a security checkpoint at Detroit Metro Airport with a knife concealed in a hollowed-out book.

Although the incident probably was not a militant hijacking attempt, it does raise red flags because militants have been known to use similar tactics to gauge security at airports.

Ghanem, a busboy from the Detroit suburb of Hamtramck, which has a large Yemeni immigrant population, was arrested Sept. 7 after he tried to pass through an airport metal detector with the knife. The fact that Ghanem was holding a one-way ticket to Yemen via Jordan on Royal Jordanian Airlines probably first attracted the attention of screeners.

Ghanem's reasons for having the knife are unclear, though his lawyer said Ghanem was traveling to Yemen to get married and "didn't know where the knife came from." He was jailed on a $500,000 bond for possessing a weapon in the sterile area of an airport.

Although it is possible Ghanem is a mentally disturbed individual who was seeking to carry out a lone-wolf attack as the fifth anniversary of 9/11 approached, it seems more possible that he was pinging the system to test security response.

In other words, what would seem like a clumsy attempt to smuggle a knife into a secure area in reality could have been intended to get him caught.

The 9/11 hijackers carried out dry runs during the summer of 2001, and Abdel Basit (aka Ramzi Yousef), one of the masterminds of the failed Operation Bojinka plot to blow up multiple airliners over the Pacific Ocean, carried out a dry run aboard Philippine Airlines Flight 434 in December 1994.

In that case, the device detonated but did not destroy the aircraft.

[xcamel]

Send him straight to GitMo.

[kempster]

"a knife concealed in a hollowed-out book.

Although the incident probably was not a militant hijacking attempt"

Most people cut a hole in their books to store things in. I feel like I must be in The Twilight Zone"

[gopwinsin04]

'Ghanem's reasons for having the knife are unclear, though his lawyer said Ghanem was traveling to Yemen to get married and "didn't know where the knife came from."

[Ouderkirk]

Send him straight to GitMo Hell.

fixed

[Vigilanteman]

Ghanem, a busboy from the Detroit suburb of Hamtramck, which has a large Yemeni immigrant population . . .

Why? What is the purpose of letting a large Yemeni immigrant population settle here?

[xcamel]

"Ghanem is a mentally disturbed individual who was seeking to carry out a lone-wolf attack.."

There's the ping for you...

Seattle Jewish center shooter - "mentally disturbed..."

SF "drive over" killer - "mentally disturbed..."

Carolina mow down killer - "mentally disturbed..."

DC Snipers - "mentally disturbed..."

I guess being a muslim killer in the US makes you immediately "mentally disturbed..."

[LiberalBassTurds]

Although it is possible Ghanem is a mentally disturbed individual who was seeking to carry out a lone-wolf attack as the fifth anniversary of 9/11 approached, it seems more possible that he was pinging the system to test security response.

Of course he is. All the Muslim killers here are mentally disturbed. The Seattle Jewish community center shooter, the San Francisco bumper care driver, the North Carolina student in his rental car, etc., etc., etc.

LBT
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[Alouette]

Don't all copies of the Koran come with a knife inside the cover?

[LiberalBassTurds]

LMAO, great minds. You obviously type faster. :-)

LBT
-=-=-

[the Real fifi]

Or--the buggers might have determined than they can economically destroy the airlines by pulling one of these stunts everyday.

[gopwinsin04]

Add the LAX terminal shooter to yout list...

[xcamel]

geeez.... great minds think alike....

[Ouderkirk]

though his lawyer said Ghanem was traveling to ......know where the knife came from."

Oh BS you know exactly where it came from and you were testing to see if you would get caught. Now that you are busted you're on your way to Gitmo, where you will be tried as a terrorist and executed by drowning in pigs blood

[Alouette]

Ghanem, a busboy from the Detroit suburb of Hamtramck

He could afford to buy a ticket to Jordan on a busboy's pay? Must take in a whole lot of tips.

[ScreamingFist]

Why? What is the purpose of letting a large Yemeni immigrant population settle here?

Diversity my FRiend....we need Yemeni retards in America for diversity....and to make sure we pay no mind to the man behind the curtain.....;)

[ExSES]

Send him straight to GitMo.

Send him HALFWAY to Gitmo and let him swim the rest of the way!

[talleyman]

"pinging"...

[LiberalBassTurds]

Hehe, no doubt. :-) See #10.

All the best!

LBT
-=-=-

[demkicker]

Although the incident probably was not a militant hijacking attempt, it does raise red flags because militants have been known to use similar tactics to gauge security at airports.

Who is stupid enough to believe that b.s.? What moron would make such a ridiculous conclusion based on the FACT that he was trying to smuggle a knife onboard the plane?