Authorities have arrested a number of people in Australia for planned terrorist activities.

The reason why none have been caught at the airports might be because there is security there in the first place and they are unwilling to try.Instead they have tried other avenues.
I think the idea of airport security is to stop anyone from trying in the first place not to catch them.
To say that airport security is a failure because not one single terrorist has been caught is ridiculous.:rolleyes:

By definition, the ones who declare that they are carrying a bomb are not Jihadists (i.e. obviously don't want to die) So straight away you can say that they lack a certain dedication or conviction and are likely joking or just plain whimping out.

Either way, me thinks a swift and merciless public beating may be in order, delivered by none other than their fellow passengers, whom after years of dreary commuting, dealing with airport security and exhorbitant airport food prices are barely able to contain their pent up rage with the world. If t'was such an occurence on my flight the anarchist in me would love to p.a:

"Ladies & gentlemen t'is the cpt speaking the guy in seat XX has just threatened your lives with a bomb. The cabin crew are just now distributing handcuffs and rolled up newspapers so that you may conduct your own anger management thereapy. This free therapy session was brought to you by xxxxxx airlines." Followed by something apropriately creapy from the old testament "And you will Know my name is Joe when I lay my fingers upon thee."

Conversely:

Maybe rather than wait for someone to joke / admit they have a bomb; maybe security could just have guns levelled at all who enter the sacred "sterile area". The solution would be for security to ask everybody if they are carrying a bomb.

"Excuse me sir do you have any aerosols"

"no"

"Do you have laptop in your bag"

"Um No"

"Metal in your shoes"

"Uh..No"

"More than one lighter"

"Nope"

"Are you carrying a ticking time bomb"

"Yeh... ok you got me"

BANG BANG RAT-A-TAT TAT.

"Excuse me Madam, do you have any aerosols"......

I find it quite frightening that lot's of people have fallen for this security crap, a sign of the times I feel. At the end of the day Who gives a crap? (And I am talking to the real workers not some management idiots)

They don't seem to work for murder either but I don't think we should abandon the system.

I think the point here is that Aviation Security are to some degree reliant on a passengers verbal confirmation that they have nothing in their baggage that is dangerous or illegal to bring into a country, and so long as we have idiots who be sarcastic about the process, then its wasting AvSec time. But in all fairness, if some fool (like this guy) leaves his bags unattended, and then returns to the bags accompanied by AvSec stating that there is a bomb in them, you cant blame AvSec for arresting the guy.

Imagine if it was some loose nut who did actually have a bomb, and when the passenger makes a statement that he has a bomb security just shrug it off, and then the airport and all the passengers are blown to bits. Then AvSec are in the firing line.

You cant tell me that just by making a spot-assessment of the passenger that you should be able to tell whether they're a terrorist or not and then alter the security process based on your own judgement. Where other people's lives are involved, security must be taken pretty serious.

So you are an exponent of no security?

We need some Israelification: The 'Israelification' of airports: High security, little bother - thestar.com

Reminds me of the hilarious airport and aircraft boarding scene from the Ben Stiller and Robert DeNiro film "Meet The Parents".
By the way any news about the evacuation of 800 people from the Qantas buildings in Mascot due to a suspicious unidentified package?
I believe the Bomb squad may have been involved.
Am I allowed to use that word?

I remember Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson (under Prime Minister John Howard) being interviewed after 9/11 about security at Australia's larger regional airports and one in particular....

It was obvious to anyone who was capable of walking upright that there was no security at all at this airport.Even with all of the current controversy about aviation security in 2010 there is still no security at this airport....

The only problem you had was the verbal questioning you had from the check in staff and what you were capable of carrying....

Deputy Prime Minister Andersons' reply ........"You would be surprised what security there is at this airport"....

It is like owning a house with the front doors equipped with 15 deadlocks and other security devices but the back door is not only unlocked it is wide open....

I don't think that there is any real distinction between the different political parties in Australia....they seem to be only concerned about be re-elected.

When are we going to get someone who is interested in what is good for the country instead of what is good for themselves and their party.....

He was there for a short time, his name was Turnbull.

OK, time to lighten it up.

Surely ATO employees are members of a terrorist organisation???

OK, back to work now.