NBC attempts helicopter hi-jacking
Maybe a little jail time would help the fervour of these "journalists"? I am hopeful (yeah, right) that this story will feature prominently in the National Press - unlikely somehow! Must all be graduates of the Mary Schiavo school of investigative money making - oops, sorry, journalism!
NBC staffers arrested in airport ploy
Caught with maps, lighter and box cutter
BY NICKLAUS LOVELADY
Belleville (Ill.) News Democrat
Two NBC News staffers were arrested Wednesday at St. Louis Downtown Airport when they attempted to demonstrate whether a terrorist could rent a helicopter.
The New York producer and cameraman portrayed themselves as tourists who wanted to rent a charter helicopter to visit sites such as the Arch, airport director Bob McDaniel said.
Arleane Thomas, vice president of Fostaire Helicopters at the airport, called the police after the two NBC staffers tried to rent a helicopter using driver's licenses from two different states, and then tried to pay cash for the sessions, which cost between $750-$875 per hour.
Sauget Police officers and FBI agents responded moments after Thomas made the call and the two NBC employees were taken into custody. Officers searched their belongings and discovered a box cutter, a butane lighter, maps and a white powder which turned out to be baby powder.
"They're trained so that when you see something you know who to call and (Thomas) was right on target," said Bill Switzer federal security director for the Department of Homeland Security at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport.
Switzer said his department has done extensive training for airport employees in the St. Louis region.
"Everything worked well. (Thomas) called the right people and they were able to respond in a timely manner. It was very, very effective," Switzer said.
Allison Gullust, a spokesman for NBC, said NBC wanted to see how employees at helicopter charter companies would respond to suspicious behavior.
The two NBC staffers were part of two teams performing tests on a helicopter charter companies in the St. Louis region and in New York.
"Helicopter security has been a focus of public attention this week, following the latest set of government warnings about potential terrorist targets," Gullust said. "In Illinois the employees did what they were trained to do."
St. Louis Downtown Airport is the region's second busiest general aviation terminal next Lambert Airport, with 175,000 takeoffs and landings each year.
McDaniel said he was elated that the airport personnel acted in such an effective and timely manner, but felt that NBC's actions were extreme.
"It's an absolute outrage that we have people in the media trying to create news instead of report it," McDaniel said.
More from the HAI.
The REST of the story...
The Helicopter Association International (HAI) congratulates member Fostaire Helicopters, whose vigilance helped foil an attempted security breach by a national media organization at their General Aviation (GA) facility at the St. Louis Downtown Airport. HAI thanks Fostaire and their employees, including Bob McDaniel, the Director at the St. Louis Downtown Airport, the FBI, Sauget Police Department, and Police Chief Pat Dulaney for their diligent efforts.
The event was reported by the department of Homeland Security and several other sources. The following synopsis, disseminated by the Transportation Security Policy Department, demonstrates how the Press attempted to charter a helicopter, and bring hidden, prohibited items onboard, so they could report on the ease of gaining access to aircraft to carry out terrorist plots.
The following occurred Wednesday, August 11 at the St. Louis Downtown Airport, a large GA facility. The affected facility, Fostaire reports:
Two Middle Eastern looking men attempted to penetrate our security. They telephoned one of my helicopter FBOs and asked about a charter flight. After discussion of price and directions to the business, they arrived an hour later. When the office agent asked how they were going to pay for the flight they produced cash. When asked for ID, they produced driver's licenses from two different states and they were driving a car licensed in a third state.
Things didn't smell right so the mechanic took them into the hangar to see the aircraft while the office person called the FBI and local police. The helicopter they were going to fly was blocked in by other aircraft so the mechanic was able to stall them by having to slowly shuffle the blocking planes. Meanwhile the two men got their backpacks and odd-shaped luggage out of their car. Soon the local police arrived and they were hauled off to jail in handcuffs.
After a little time behind bars, the FBI verified that the two men were employed by NBC New York and were on assignment to get a story of how easy it is to charter a helicopter for a terrorist attack. The men had stayed in a local hotel and purchased box cutters, leather-man knives, and other potential weapons at the local Wal-Mart using a credit card. The box cutters had been hidden in the lining at the bottom of the back- packs and the other weapons were hidden throughout their baggage. They had audio-taped the telephone conversation with Arlene and were going to use it as part of a national news story about how easy it is to get information and directions to the location of the helicopter and then hijack it to commit a terrorist attack.
Please note that this type of activity is a real possibility. HAI reminds its members to stay alert, remain vigilant, and contact the authorities if something does not seem correct.