It might have been already covered, but just looking through these posts, I have a question about the crew actions. I flew the 744 freighter, and if I had been over Bahrain with smoke I would have pulled the throttles and speedbrakes and landed at Bahrain. Why go back to Dubai?
And xspeedbird is right. Passenger screening is a sick joke and perfect security is not obtainable. Cargo screening is even tougher to achieve, ie impossible.
I disagree with those who claim that security, whether for terrorists or criminals or in this case poorly packed packages, is best stopped at the airport. There is no such thing as airport security. No airport security has ever stopped an attack or an error. We should be prepared for whatever comes our way, and have procedures for every contingency. We should know that in the end it is the flight crew that will have to handle the problems, protect themselves and the passengers. Relying on $10 an hour fools and charlatans in the TSA (I know, they get more than that but that is all they are worth) to protect us is idiotic. And the problems faced by the workers at the distribution centres of the major freight companies are insurmountable.
Remember 9/11? how long did it take before the FAA changed their advice to cooperate with hijackers instead of fighting them and keeping the flight deck door shut no matter what? Yes, it took 2 years after 9/11 before they changed that advice. So much for the authorities.
We are on our own.