Hmmm. CNN reported this a little differently.
http://www.cnn.com/2002/TRAVEL/NEWS/...urity/?related
Shock, horror, law enforcement officers do not take the assertions of suspects at face value! In other news, water is wet and the sky is blue!
The headline suggests that US airport security is "a laughing stock". I suggest that incidents like this show that it is far from a laughing stock, but is taken very seriously indeed.
I just got back from a multi-leg trip across the US and back. I found airport security to be rigorous, but courteous and with what seemed like reasonable accomodations for the security and privacy concerns of passengers. The staff are obviously much better trained and coordinated in their work than they were immediately post-911. And even at prime time in a major airport, it took only about 15 minutes, including a hand-search of carry-ons. Plus - the exclusion of non-passengers from the departure areas has made them much more tolerable. Not quite BOAC First Class, you understand, but I was actually able to get some work done while waiting.
llater,
llamas