Bomb parts pass checkpoints at 21 US airports

[Phlegm]

From ABC news:

March 17, 2006 -- Government investigators conducting undercover tests at 21 U.S. airports were able to get bomb materials through screening machines at all of them, ABC News has learned.

The investigators sent through components of an improvised explosive device and common household chemicals, according to a report by the Government Accountability Office, the watchdog arm of Congress. Undercover agents carried a small amount of material that would need to be properly combined on the other side of the checkpoint to create a bomb. The material got past screeners and X-ray machines in every one of the 21 airports tested.

"I think security is still not where it needs to be," said Jerry Hauer, an ABC News consultant and terrorism expert. "At the end of the day, you can still get all the components through security that you need to assemble a bomb on the other side."

The report was ordered by Rep. John Mica, R-Fla., who said he wanted to see "how penetrable the passenger screening system is to explosive devices." He called the results "very disappointing."

Mica would not comment on any of the specifics of the report because it is classified.

Covert tests are a key part of testing the security system and are conducted by the Department of Homeland Security, which admitted it worried about explosive devices slipping through. It recently cut back on the list of banned items so screeners could concentrate on finding bomb-making material.

Since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, hidden weapons and simulated bombs have made it through checkpoints in hundreds of tests.


'Highly Implausible'

The Transportation Security Administration, the government agency that handles security at American airports, issued a statement in response to the report.

"While random items commonly found under a kitchen sink could conceivably be concocted into an IED [improvised explosive device], there are so many things that could go wrong with this hypothetical scenario that we find it highly implausible," it said.

A spokesman from the Department of Homeland Security said the study involved several investigators bringing different components through security screening checkpoints.

[Spazz]

Guess we should give up more rights so that it is easier to detect bombs and terrorists and such

[Captain Insano]

hahah



how much money again did they spend to upgrade the TSA and to form Dept of Homoerotik Security?

Like in the billions?

I would have just paid the billions to a bunch of mercs to kills anyone that worships Allah... would have been faster and easier.

[Martrae]

You surprised? It's a government entity.

[Captain Insano]

Not surprised one bit. The people that think the government should provide anything more than the most rudimentary services is out of their fucking mind.

[Diekan]

hey! it looks the all surrendering of our personal privacy and freedoms is really paying off!!! maybe if we installed chips under our skin so the government can know our exact location 24/7 things like this wouldnt happen? or better yet why dont we just give the government full and complete power to invade our homes and privacy... errr wait never mind they already can.

[Spazz]

What are are ya gonna do bout it diek ??

[Tuggan]

he'll blame the evil liberals that are in control right now, and have been for the last several years.. OH WAIT.

[Lueyen]

Guess we should give up more rights so that it is easier to detect bombs and terrorists and such

hey! it looks the all surrendering of our personal privacy and freedoms is really paying off!!!

I'm curious if both of you made these statements in the context of air travel and luggage (since that is what the thread pertains to), and exactly what rights you feel have been given up in that context?

[Gargamellow]

hilarious

[Spazz]

Have you been in this country since9/11 ? I wasnt just talkin bout the airport i was talkin about the country in general. If you still arent sure what im talkin bout look into things like the patriot act and illegal wire taps and such. With the anti terror ideas in place peeps can still get bombjunk into the airport wich to me shows we need to give up even more freedom. Get what im saying dude.

[Lueyen]

Okay first, I haven't been absent from the country since 9/11, I am aware of the issues surrounding the patriot act ect. My confusion was where you made a correlation to these and baggage security issues. I fly quite often, since 9/11 I have not given up any rights, beyond what I can no longer take in my carry on luggage (items that now must be in checked luggage) and calling that a loss of rights or liberties is in my mind quite a stretch. At the most I have been inconvenienced in some aspects. So references to giving up more rights in regard to airport travel I was questioning.

I also question what rights it is that you are alluding that we should give up? I kind of figure this is a tongue in cheek knee jerk response to security issues, perhaps maybe you think the big bad evil conservatives are going to use this as a basis to violate your rights and freedoms. Obviously I myself am not very concerned with that. It's not that I don't see ways that this could come to pass, things that could be proposed that indeed would violate civil liberties, rights and freedoms in the name of security, but I just don't see it happening due to tests such as this one. That is part of the reason for my confusion with what you are getting at, I do not see where anything close to an appropriate reaction to the problem would necessitate anything beyond working to improve baggage screeners capabilities, be it through equipment, staffing and or training.

The true fact of the matter though is that there has not been a major terrorist incident even in the same realm as that of 9/11 since then... obviously it has either not been planned or attempted (not likely) or thwarted due to security measures. That we are finding holes in the system in place is a good thing... it means we are remaining vigilant and not getting lackadaisical with security... or if we are we are catching the fact. As of this moment and time what is in place appears to be very effective

What I do fear is another 9/11 type incident, not only because of the devastation but because I do see something similar as a very realistic jumping board for being asked to give up rights, liberties and freedoms.