Enjoy your flight...Mister bin Laden
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Enjoy your flight...Mister bin Laden
Ok, I know it's not The Times but still.... Comments?
NEWS OF THE WORLD INVESTIGATES: We expose airport security scandal with fake boarding pass in name of terror chief
Enjoy your flight...
Mister bin Laden
By Graham McKendry
AN executive breezed through security at three British airports with a fake boarding pass in the name of terror chief Osama bin Laden.
He mingled with passengers in the departure lounge —and could easily have planted a bomb in unattended hand baggage.
Each time, the ex-security boss proffered a forged British Airways card clearly showing the name of the world's most wanted man as he sailed through checks.
He was even told by one airport security worker who had the pass waved under his nose: "Have a nice flight, sir."
Once "airside" at Heathrow, Edinburgh and Glasgow, he was free to roam among thousands of passengers cleared to get on flights.
The executive proved any terrorist could fake such a pass in a European name, attempt to smuggle through explosives and have his pick of hand luggage to plant his bomb in.
Then he could melt away while a packed airliner takes off—and is blown out of the sky.
And authorities would have NO record of the killer's name because his pass was forged.
The ease of the 42-year-old businessman's operation to expose the appalling security was chilling.
Failed
He got flight numbers for the passes from the BA website. Then he created cards on his home computer and printed them on £4.99 paper from W H Smith.
He said: "It is truly frightening. The passes I produced are good copies, but the name Bin Laden is clear for all to see. I was not challenged at any of the airports.
"Staff had my passport in one hand and the ticket in the other. But they still failed to see it did not add up. Passes are not checked thoroughly enough. This gives terrorists the ability to move in and out of supposedly secure areas in airports at will.
"Why get on a plane when you can plant a device on someone else? It only has to work once."
The News of the World witnessed the executive make a mockery of British airport security.
At HEATHROW Terminal One he had a home-made boarding card showing the passenger name of BIN/LADEN OSAMA MR.
The pass was for flight BA730 to the Swiss city of Geneva and due to depart at 15.50 on Friday.
The executive, who cannot be named, said: "I was amazed how easy it was to get past security at Heathrow. There was just one man inspecting the cards for the airside departures area.
"When I approached I held it in front of him. After a brief glance he waved me through. I offered to show him my passport but he said there was no need.
"It was a shambles. I was standing just yards from the British Airways check-in desk with a forged BA pass in the name of Bin Laden and he totally missed it. After that I breezed through the X-ray area and into the departure lounge.
"For an hour I sat and watched as bags were left unattended while people went to the loo or the shops.
"If I had been a terrorist, it would have been easy."
The undercover passenger had arrived in London that day from GLASGOW airport, where he had ignored the check-in desks and made straight for the departure gates.
He showed his dodgy pass for BA flight BA 1485 to London, which got a brief glance from the security man.
"Mr Bin Laden", booked into seat 19F, then spent 40 minutes by the departure gate before slipping out.
Shambolic
He went through security again with his real documents for another London flight.
The businessman said: "The security man who inspected my pass seemed more interested in the flight time than the name." The previous day in EDINBURGH, security was just as shambolic. The executive bypassed check-in and joined the departures queue.
Security failed to spot a Mr Bin Laden was booked into seat 19F on the 1.15pm flight BA1445 to London.
Our man next moved through the X-ray process and straight into the departure lounge, where he spent an hour watching passengers become separated from hand luggage.
Then he spirited himself away. He said: "It was shockingly easy. Despite the card clearly having a terrorist's name, no one twigged." Aviation security expert Chris Yates yesterday said the boarding card fiasco was a "dangerous loophole".
Mr Yates, of specialist publisher Jane's, said terrorists could definitely use it to get bomb parts into a departure lounge.
Squad
He said: "The News of the World has exposed a breach of security. Explosive devices could certainly be smuggled through existing checks."
Ex-Commander John O'Connor, former head of Scotland Yard's Flying Squad, said terrorists could get plastic explosive past airport security. He said: "X-ray machines and metal detectors will not pick up plastic explosive. If it was disguised, say in a Mars Bar packet, it would get through.
"It is a terrible flaw in our airports that people are not properly checked. We are in the middle of a security scare and yet these guards are complacent."
An airport security insider said: "It is appalling that a ticket with the name of Osama bin Laden cannot be spotted.
"The bottom line is that someone could have walked through, put a bomb in some hand luggage and left without anyone knowing he had ever been there.
"These mistakes could have planes literally dropping out of the sky. It is that serious."
Ironically, the executive spotted the loophole as a way of getting access to duty-free SHOPPING.
He said: "It seemed that if I could get into the lounges and get out the other side I would be able to buy duty-free goods.
"The first time that I tried it worked. I then realised if I could do it so could a terrorist — and he would not be after fags."
NEWS OF THE WORLD INVESTIGATES: We expose airport security scandal with fake boarding pass in name of terror chief
Enjoy your flight...
Mister bin Laden
By Graham McKendry
AN executive breezed through security at three British airports with a fake boarding pass in the name of terror chief Osama bin Laden.
He mingled with passengers in the departure lounge —and could easily have planted a bomb in unattended hand baggage.
Each time, the ex-security boss proffered a forged British Airways card clearly showing the name of the world's most wanted man as he sailed through checks.
He was even told by one airport security worker who had the pass waved under his nose: "Have a nice flight, sir."
Once "airside" at Heathrow, Edinburgh and Glasgow, he was free to roam among thousands of passengers cleared to get on flights.
The executive proved any terrorist could fake such a pass in a European name, attempt to smuggle through explosives and have his pick of hand luggage to plant his bomb in.
Then he could melt away while a packed airliner takes off—and is blown out of the sky.
And authorities would have NO record of the killer's name because his pass was forged.
The ease of the 42-year-old businessman's operation to expose the appalling security was chilling.
Failed
He got flight numbers for the passes from the BA website. Then he created cards on his home computer and printed them on £4.99 paper from W H Smith.
He said: "It is truly frightening. The passes I produced are good copies, but the name Bin Laden is clear for all to see. I was not challenged at any of the airports.
"Staff had my passport in one hand and the ticket in the other. But they still failed to see it did not add up. Passes are not checked thoroughly enough. This gives terrorists the ability to move in and out of supposedly secure areas in airports at will.
"Why get on a plane when you can plant a device on someone else? It only has to work once."
The News of the World witnessed the executive make a mockery of British airport security.
At HEATHROW Terminal One he had a home-made boarding card showing the passenger name of BIN/LADEN OSAMA MR.
The pass was for flight BA730 to the Swiss city of Geneva and due to depart at 15.50 on Friday.
The executive, who cannot be named, said: "I was amazed how easy it was to get past security at Heathrow. There was just one man inspecting the cards for the airside departures area.
"When I approached I held it in front of him. After a brief glance he waved me through. I offered to show him my passport but he said there was no need.
"It was a shambles. I was standing just yards from the British Airways check-in desk with a forged BA pass in the name of Bin Laden and he totally missed it. After that I breezed through the X-ray area and into the departure lounge.
"For an hour I sat and watched as bags were left unattended while people went to the loo or the shops.
"If I had been a terrorist, it would have been easy."
The undercover passenger had arrived in London that day from GLASGOW airport, where he had ignored the check-in desks and made straight for the departure gates.
He showed his dodgy pass for BA flight BA 1485 to London, which got a brief glance from the security man.
"Mr Bin Laden", booked into seat 19F, then spent 40 minutes by the departure gate before slipping out.
Shambolic
He went through security again with his real documents for another London flight.
The businessman said: "The security man who inspected my pass seemed more interested in the flight time than the name." The previous day in EDINBURGH, security was just as shambolic. The executive bypassed check-in and joined the departures queue.
Security failed to spot a Mr Bin Laden was booked into seat 19F on the 1.15pm flight BA1445 to London.
Our man next moved through the X-ray process and straight into the departure lounge, where he spent an hour watching passengers become separated from hand luggage.
Then he spirited himself away. He said: "It was shockingly easy. Despite the card clearly having a terrorist's name, no one twigged." Aviation security expert Chris Yates yesterday said the boarding card fiasco was a "dangerous loophole".
Mr Yates, of specialist publisher Jane's, said terrorists could definitely use it to get bomb parts into a departure lounge.
Squad
He said: "The News of the World has exposed a breach of security. Explosive devices could certainly be smuggled through existing checks."
Ex-Commander John O'Connor, former head of Scotland Yard's Flying Squad, said terrorists could get plastic explosive past airport security. He said: "X-ray machines and metal detectors will not pick up plastic explosive. If it was disguised, say in a Mars Bar packet, it would get through.
"It is a terrible flaw in our airports that people are not properly checked. We are in the middle of a security scare and yet these guards are complacent."
An airport security insider said: "It is appalling that a ticket with the name of Osama bin Laden cannot be spotted.
"The bottom line is that someone could have walked through, put a bomb in some hand luggage and left without anyone knowing he had ever been there.
"These mistakes could have planes literally dropping out of the sky. It is that serious."
Ironically, the executive spotted the loophole as a way of getting access to duty-free SHOPPING.
He said: "It seemed that if I could get into the lounges and get out the other side I would be able to buy duty-free goods.
"The first time that I tried it worked. I then realised if I could do it so could a terrorist — and he would not be after fags."
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Does his magic fake boarding pass entitle him to use the secret passageway past the metal detectors, x-ray machines and sniffer dogs?
Piss poor security not to spot the name alright, but I fail to see how it helps a terrorist to actually do anything.
Piss poor security not to spot the name alright, but I fail to see how it helps a terrorist to actually do anything.
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People in the aviation industry may not like things like this being highlighted but lets face it after events in recent years issues like this shouldnt-well shouldnt be an issue but looks like they still are.
I dont read the News of the World so didnt get a look at the article but if it just encourages a few people in the industry to try that bit harder then it has to be a good thing.
But thats just my view.
I dont read the News of the World so didnt get a look at the article but if it just encourages a few people in the industry to try that bit harder then it has to be a good thing.
But thats just my view.
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You can fake a passport, you can fake money, you can fake a security badge, so What's new ?
Sensationalism at his worst.. Only gives ideas to more idiots...
Sensationalism at his worst.. Only gives ideas to more idiots...
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I fail to see what the "security breach" is?
Why bother to forge a boarding card? Its cheap enough to buy a genuine one! A planned terrorist attack will be funded well enough to buy real tickets...
As far as I can see, all jobsworth before security is doing when he checks your boarding card is ensuring you are entitled to go into the duty free area, and/or preventing unnecessary numbers thronging airside.
The aspect about plastic explosives not showing up on Xrays might be important, but I cannot see why it is tied to this boarding card issue.
Maybe someone can explain here what the "security issue" is? In fact, is the person checking the boarding passes actually "security"?? And it was the Government who did away with passport checks as you leave the UK...
NoD
Why bother to forge a boarding card? Its cheap enough to buy a genuine one! A planned terrorist attack will be funded well enough to buy real tickets...
As far as I can see, all jobsworth before security is doing when he checks your boarding card is ensuring you are entitled to go into the duty free area, and/or preventing unnecessary numbers thronging airside.
The aspect about plastic explosives not showing up on Xrays might be important, but I cannot see why it is tied to this boarding card issue.
Maybe someone can explain here what the "security issue" is? In fact, is the person checking the boarding passes actually "security"?? And it was the Government who did away with passport checks as you leave the UK...
NoD
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Look a bit silly when the bar code reader at the gate spits out his fake boarding pass, wouldn't he? Or when the headcount on board is incorrect? as was said earlier..terrorism is well funded so they'll buy the seats they want to blow up. Must've been a slack news week for them.
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If all this effort was directed in the proper
direction then we would all have nothing to worry about.
Sounds like a waste of time here.
Sorry guy, no merit badge awards or bronze stars for this.
Had he made it onto the aircraft then it would have been a problem.
direction then we would all have nothing to worry about.
Sounds like a waste of time here.
Sorry guy, no merit badge awards or bronze stars for this.
Had he made it onto the aircraft then it would have been a problem.
Moderate, Modest & Mild.
"Look a bit silly when the bar code reader at the gate spits out his fake boarding pass, wouldn't he? Or when the headcount on board is incorrect?"...and
"Had he made it onto the aircraft then it would have been a problem."
That was the whole point, guys - that he didn't WANT to get on to the aircraft.
He wanted to prove that he could get through security and THEN stash an explosive device into another passenger's carry on baggage that had cleared security.
The guy has made a valid point, imo.
While the security people are obsessed with looking for 2" nail files, this guy slips through (presumably with non-detectable explosives) concealed on his body - and with a (fake) boarding pass in the name of Bin Laden, the world's most Wanted man.
As has been stated on this forum before, airposrt security is nothing more than a pacifier for the non-terrorist travelling public - an inconvenient, inefficient, expensive placebo.
"Had he made it onto the aircraft then it would have been a problem."
That was the whole point, guys - that he didn't WANT to get on to the aircraft.
He wanted to prove that he could get through security and THEN stash an explosive device into another passenger's carry on baggage that had cleared security.
The guy has made a valid point, imo.
While the security people are obsessed with looking for 2" nail files, this guy slips through (presumably with non-detectable explosives) concealed on his body - and with a (fake) boarding pass in the name of Bin Laden, the world's most Wanted man.
As has been stated on this forum before, airposrt security is nothing more than a pacifier for the non-terrorist travelling public - an inconvenient, inefficient, expensive placebo.
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Having recently passed through LHR and JFK surely the security checks should be done just before anyone boards an aircraft.
I sat around in the duty free area where anybody could have done anything, no different than waiting for a bus. What matters is what actually gets on to an aircraft.
Checks should be done just before boarding then held in a secure area.
This would create time to investigate why someone checked in baggage, but hasn,t cleared security at the gate, rather than wait until everyone else is on board.
I sat around in the duty free area where anybody could have done anything, no different than waiting for a bus. What matters is what actually gets on to an aircraft.
Checks should be done just before boarding then held in a secure area.
This would create time to investigate why someone checked in baggage, but hasn,t cleared security at the gate, rather than wait until everyone else is on board.
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Still probably people out there who remember when this paper "Investigated " houses of ill repute. Then they used to finish the piece with the announcement that when faced with any real action their reporter "make their excuses and left". But at least the story then was somewhat entertaining. Somebody gets to departure gates with a dummy boarding card. So what:- they still had to pass through the security systems that they would have had to pass through with a genuine card.The bit of paper is a non story and is simply a cynical attempt to sell a hyped up non story to a gullible public
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Kaptin, so he got through security..which anyone can do for about £25 these days on a Lowco ticket. I didn't read anywhere that he managed to bring an explosive device with him. If he wants to palm it off on somebody else then he'll need something to trigger it too. Didn't read anything about him managing to get a detonator through or a barometric trigger?
Now I'm not saying it can't be done these days but the nature of this article is typical tabloid sensationalism.
Now I'm not saying it can't be done these days but the nature of this article is typical tabloid sensationalism.
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I fail to see why you dwell on the words and not the bigger picture.
Kaptin; spot on.
Carlos; slow down and read to understand. You clearly have no idea what you are taking about.
Cools; The point is, they got passed security. That’s it, plain and simple. Now that he is aware how to do it, all he needs do is add plastics explosives into the lining of his carry on bag; the fuse wire replaces the stitching. The detonator replaces the metal buckle, which holds on the strap or its placed into the handle, which works on cabin pressure. Is this sinking in yet??????
BigEnd; checks are done and one does enter a security area. Trouble is this area can be breached.
Nigel; He got into an area where he was not permitted. He could easily have place something in there. That’s the security breach.
All to often the bomber got through high-level security checks because security got complacent. It’s a boring job, trying job but very necessary. So the bomber will wait, test the fence and when he sees the gap he will jump across and the rest will be history.
At the end of the day we still have no idea who the guy was. So in effect he got away with a bombing. He slipped in and out through some of the highest security areas and nobody has any idea who he is. Not even a recording of him in the duty free area would help. (Unless he is recorded placing a device.)
Kaptin; spot on.
Carlos; slow down and read to understand. You clearly have no idea what you are taking about.
Cools; The point is, they got passed security. That’s it, plain and simple. Now that he is aware how to do it, all he needs do is add plastics explosives into the lining of his carry on bag; the fuse wire replaces the stitching. The detonator replaces the metal buckle, which holds on the strap or its placed into the handle, which works on cabin pressure. Is this sinking in yet??????
BigEnd; checks are done and one does enter a security area. Trouble is this area can be breached.
Nigel; He got into an area where he was not permitted. He could easily have place something in there. That’s the security breach.
All to often the bomber got through high-level security checks because security got complacent. It’s a boring job, trying job but very necessary. So the bomber will wait, test the fence and when he sees the gap he will jump across and the rest will be history.
At the end of the day we still have no idea who the guy was. So in effect he got away with a bombing. He slipped in and out through some of the highest security areas and nobody has any idea who he is. Not even a recording of him in the duty free area would help. (Unless he is recorded placing a device.)
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I remember a similar article over a year ago when a journalist managed to get on board a Ryanair 737 with a fake pass; he used the name of one of the 9/11 hijackers. Funny thing is a man was arrested around a week later for attempting to hijack a Ryanair plane.
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When I first read this I was thinking big deal. He did not actually get anything he should not into the secure area, so although this should never happen it should not be a major worry.
Then I started thinking it through.
Terrorism is about fear not about body count.
This sort of access could simplify the placing of fake devices which could bring airports to a stop. Obvioulsy if planting a fake device you would want no trace, not even a stolen credit card number or record of internet access from booking a low cost ticket. Hence the possible desirability of taking this approach and the need to stop it.
No need to take anything in. Enter, shop for duty free electricals, visit toilets. Leave your partially disassembeld purchase behind. Exit airport. Wait for the news reports.
Well at least in Europe.
Having seen a TSA inspector leave his bag on the counter by the sink when he went into the toilet at Orlando left me wondering if there is any hope at all! I came within an ace of saying something to him but wanted to be able to leave the country that day!!! I did stay paranoid enough to check the bag left with him though.
Then I started thinking it through.
Terrorism is about fear not about body count.
This sort of access could simplify the placing of fake devices which could bring airports to a stop. Obvioulsy if planting a fake device you would want no trace, not even a stolen credit card number or record of internet access from booking a low cost ticket. Hence the possible desirability of taking this approach and the need to stop it.
No need to take anything in. Enter, shop for duty free electricals, visit toilets. Leave your partially disassembeld purchase behind. Exit airport. Wait for the news reports.
Well at least in Europe.
Having seen a TSA inspector leave his bag on the counter by the sink when he went into the toilet at Orlando left me wondering if there is any hope at all! I came within an ace of saying something to him but wanted to be able to leave the country that day!!! I did stay paranoid enough to check the bag left with him though.
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I can't wait to hear about a journalist trying to breach airport security and get caught and then being given a damn good kickin' while SO19 are pointing their shiny weapons at the journalists head!
That's just my opinion !
That's just my opinion !
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yes St Elmo, very good. So you can make a bomb and get it through security. I'm pleased for you. I would prefer to nip over the perimeter fence at any one of dozens of European airports and save all that bother.
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Carlos Vandango wrote
Which ,in fact,"they" managed to do at Belfast City Airport a few years back...managing to blow up an old (in the sense of non flying ) Shorts ..don't recall the exact model.
nip over the perimeter fence
Last edited by eastern wiseguy; 21st Jan 2004 at 02:01.
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Personally, I'm rather grateful to the news media for finding and reporting on the flaws of our security system! I just feel sorry for the airport security people who, often through no fault of their own, are made to look stupid!
Every time they find a flaw, airport security take steps to plug the hole and our airports become that little bit safer!
However, the really weak links in the chain are on-line check-in and self-service kiosks until bio-metric passports and iris scanning technology is introduced! Of course, the other massive weak-spot is the obsession with staff-cutting that is a current epidemic within the aviation industry as a whole!
Every time they find a flaw, airport security take steps to plug the hole and our airports become that little bit safer!
However, the really weak links in the chain are on-line check-in and self-service kiosks until bio-metric passports and iris scanning technology is introduced! Of course, the other massive weak-spot is the obsession with staff-cutting that is a current epidemic within the aviation industry as a whole!
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Cyclic et al,
Just keep sticking your heads in the sand. It is easier and cheaper until someone dies.
As sensationalist as these “journalists” are, the fact that they continue to gain access to restricted areas illegally shows that far from having a go at the Yanks we should be spending more time on our home security.
As far as it seems here in the UK the main job of the security personnel at airports is to pester and annoy those of us law-abiding citizens.
I have experienced more professional and complete security at the ferry terminals in Portsmouth than any of the UK airports.
Cheers
BHR
Just keep sticking your heads in the sand. It is easier and cheaper until someone dies.
As sensationalist as these “journalists” are, the fact that they continue to gain access to restricted areas illegally shows that far from having a go at the Yanks we should be spending more time on our home security.
As far as it seems here in the UK the main job of the security personnel at airports is to pester and annoy those of us law-abiding citizens.
I have experienced more professional and complete security at the ferry terminals in Portsmouth than any of the UK airports.
Cheers
BHR