| Author | Message | ||
     Newfie_buell  |
This was on the Canadian Version of MSN. WASHINGTON (AP) - Many air travellers in the United States apparently still haven't understood the word about leaving their handguns and knives behind when they go to the airport - not to mention chainsaws, landmines and gunpowder, too. More than three years after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, air travellers still are trying to carry thousands of potentially deadly items on planes every month. The U.S. Transportation Security Administration, which took over security screening at 450 airports in February 2002, said Tuesday it had confiscated 15.6 million prohibited items, including 2,150 guns, 75,241 boxcutters and 4.7 million knives through the end of October. A 79-year-old woman was arrested Tuesday at Fort Lauderdale International Airport in Florida after screeners found a single-shot Colt Derringer and seven bullets in her tote bag. She said she forgot it was in the bag, which she tried to carry on the plane, the Broward County sheriff's office said. Billie Vincent, former security chief for the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, blames stupidity and forgetfulness in most cases. "How do you deal with people who have to know about 9/11 and, even inadvertently, are still trying to get knives onto planes?" he asked. Vincent said a prominent Washington lawyer once failed to realize he had his set of compact, mechanical tools in the briefcase he was trying to bring on board. "It isn't restricted to the farmer or the doofus," Vincent said. In October alone, screeners seized ammunition 2,000 times, along with 170,940 knives and 73 guns. TSA spokeswoman Amy von Walter said local law-enforcement officials have arrested people caught with prohibited items in some cases. It's up to local prosecutors to decide on criminal charges, she said. A college student who hid bags of boxcutters and fake bombs in the lavatories of four Southwest Airlines jets last year pleaded guilty to a misdemeanour as part of a plea bargain with prosecutors. The student, Nathaniel Heatwole, said he was trying to expose what he called gaps in aviation security. By taking a dangerous weapon aboard an aircraft, he could have been charged with a federal felony that carries a possible 10-year prison sentence. Government officials believe the 19 Sept. 11 hijackers used boxcutters to commandeer the four jets that crashed that day. U.S. Representative Peter DeFazio, ranking Democrat on the House of Representatives aviation subcommittee, said most of the seized items are trivial. "Primarily nail files and small knives and scissors - mostly innocent things," said DeFazio, who has lost several pairs of mustache scissors to the TSA. Some have not been so innocent. The TSA has found knives disguised as lipstick, a radio with a handgun inside, a loaded gun stuffed into a teddy bear. Several people have tried to bring chainsaws onto planes. A U.S. army sergeant was kicked off a flight after an inert landmine was found in his checked luggage. One man packed gunpowder and a fuse for his hobby of shooting golf balls out of cannons. "You name it, we've seen it," said the TSA's von Walter. They haven't found everything, though. DeFazio, who has reviewed classified reports on the screeners' performance, said they have trouble finding artfully concealed objects. "They're crippled with machines that only look at items in one dimension and are very primitive," he said. "They have 1970s technology to find 21st-century threats." Better X-ray machines are on the market, DeFazio said but Congress hasn't given the TSA enough money to buy new ones. | ||
| Philip |
it is easy to forget! one time i was walking my mom to the gate when i saw the metal detectors. then i remembered the gun in my pocket. told mom i could'nt go through and why. then the screener said you can go through but mom was cool and said i needed to be somewhere. then there was the time my mother in law was dropping the wife and i at the airport when i remembered i forgot to leave the pistol at home. had to unload it and give it to her to keep. sure did a lot to boost my ratings with her!! glad i don't fly much! | ||
| Crusty |
Liberty MUST take a back seat to Safety! We will make you safe at any cost! You WILL obey the rules! And the noose tightens ... | ||
| 1313  |
And then there was last year when I flew home to East Troy for Christmas. I forgot to pack my multi-tool (with just over a 3" blade on it) in my checked baggage. I realized this just as I was removing all metal items from my person to put on the conveyor to be scanned. I put the multi-tool underneath my wallet and the bin went under the conveyor. It made it through without even being noticed and I boarded the plane with this 'dangerous weapon'. This happened at RDU (Raleigh-Durham). 1313 | ||
| Blublak  |
Hmmm.. Interesting story.. Of course, you know that transporting firearms by air was never made illegal in the US. The same rules set by the FAA are still in place. I wonder, how many of these so called gun violations were for legally transported firearms? I mean, since TSA and FAA regs are counter to each other. FAA says firearms must be secured and locked within a case, insides a secured bag / TSA says, you can't lock anything or we'll break it open.. Now, if you follow FAA regs, and TSA breaks it open, your now in violation of the rules and they can confiscate/charge you.. damn, nice Catch 22 they have there, huh? Just a thought.. Later, | ||
| Buells Rule! (Dyna in disguise)  |
I have a friend who works in the assets seizure department of the IRS. He is allowed to carry his gun on any airplane. Just has to announce himself to the pilot, show credentials & thats it. | ||
| Along4theride |
There won't be any 'trouble' finding anything once these babies are in place- LONDON, England (Reuters) -- A new X-ray machine at London's Heathrow airport, which sees through passengers' clothes  Source- http://www.cnn.com/2004/TRAVEL/11/09/xray.reut/ | ||
| Philip |
what about cavities? that x-ray might have to be amped up a bit to catch everything! | ||
| Dasbuell  |
It is a little more complicated than that for a federal agent to carry a gun on board an aircraft. All the identification, notification and paperwork is done at the ticket counter. After being escorted into the gate... then you deal with the security screeners... then you might be pre-boarded, and are identified to the crew... sometimes introduced to the Captain... and made aware of other armed agents on the plane. You are not allowed to drink during the flight, but otherwise are treated like any other passenger. AND... During the screening process you might be prohibited from carrying a pocket knife... even though you are allowed to carry a gun!! ?? (Message edited by dasbuell on November 26, 2004) | ||
| Lovematt  |
well yeah...knives are dangerous...you might hurt someone! |
