Sabotage and the Airlines

USRead ^ | 9/25/02 | Victor Trombettas

[JohnFiorentino]

September 25, 2002, 12:00 PM

Illegals, Sabotage, and Security by Victor Trombettas

You've heard the reports since September 11th, 2001. Hundreds of arrests at airports all over the United States of workers who provided false information with their employment applications, had engaged in identity theft/fraud, many of them were illegal immigrants, some with criminal records. Most of those arrested seemed to be ramp workers, security screeners, etc., many with access to restricted areas. Just this month, 28 workers were arrested at Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. With the exception of some arrests that were made at the Salt Lake City Airport in December 2001, rarely have the words "mechanics" or "maintenance personnel" been used to describe those arrested.

The most notable exception to this occurred on June 29, 2002 when the Star Telegram of Dallas/Fort Worth reported that on June 28, 2002 dozens of federal agents raided a Spirit Airlines repair facility at Fort Worth Meacham Airport in Texas and arrested 28 workers. On July 25, 2002 the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that 15 of the 28 workers were "aviation mechanics" and had been indicted on 36 counts including the possession and use of false and fraudulent resident alien registration cards; the alteration of social security cards; falsely representing that a social security number was assigned to them; providing false information to obtain a social security account number; and falsely claiming to be a citizen or national of the United States". The DOJ press release states: "Of the fourteen persons charged today, the complaints allege that nine held passports from the Philippines, three held passports from Mexico, and two held passports from Peru."

[JohnFiorentino]

What did cause TWA Flight 800 to crash?

[Cicero]

Very troubling. The domestic effort to tighten up security has been a failure from almost every conceivable angle. What's the point of winning battles abroad if the U.S. itself becomes the world's biggest shelter for terrorists and illegals?

[eno_]

A SAM. But AA587 was a shoe bomber or a baggage bomb - or, possibly, sabotage by a ramp worker.