Security Theatre
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Security Theatre
This has to be the authoritative article on the stupidity of security checks at airports, at least in America.
The Things He Carried - The Atlantic (November 2008)
Airport security in America is a sham—“security theater(sic)” designed to make travelers feel better and catch stupid terrorists. Smart ones can get through security with fake boarding passes and all manner of prohibited items—as our correspondent did with ease.
I’ve amassed an inspiring collection of al-Qaeda T-shirts, Islamic Jihad flags, Hezbollah videotapes, and inflatable Yasir Arafat dolls (really). All these things I’ve carried with me through airports across the country. I’ve also carried, at various times: pocketknives, matches from hotels in Beirut and Peshawar, dust masks, lengths of rope, cigarette lighters, nail clippers, eight-ounce tubes of toothpaste (in my front pocket), bottles of Fiji Water (which is foreign), and, of course, box cutters. I was selected for secondary screening four times—out of dozens of passages through security checkpoints—during this extended experiment. At one screening, I was relieved of a pair of nail clippers; during another, a can of shaving cream.
“Counterterrorism in the airport is a show designed to make people feel better,” he said. “Only two things have made flying safer: the reinforcement of cockpit doors, and the fact that passengers know now to resist hijackers.” This assumes, of course, that al-Qaeda will target airplanes for hijacking, or target aviation at all. “We defend against what the terrorists did last week,” Schneier said. He believes that the country would be just as safe as it is today if airport security were rolled back to pre-9/11 levels. “Spend the rest of your money on intelligence, investigations, and emergency response.”
Pilots—or people dressed as pilots—are screened, as the public knows, but that’s because they enter the airport through the front door. The employees who drive fuel trucks, and make french fries at McDonald’s, and clean airplane bathrooms (to the extent that they’re cleaned anymore) do not pass through magnetometers when they enter the airport, and their possessions are not searched. To me this always seemed to be, well, another “vulnerability.”
“Do you know what you have on the inside of an airport?” Hawley asked me. “You have all the military traveling, you have guns, chemicals, jet fuel. So the idea that we would spend a whole lot of resources putting a perimeter around that, running every worker, 50,000 people, every day, through security—why in the heck would you do that? Because all they have to do is walk through clean and then have someone throw something over a fence.”
“Do you know what you have on the inside of an airport?” Hawley asked me. “You have all the military traveling, you have guns, chemicals, jet fuel. So the idea that we would spend a whole lot of resources putting a perimeter around that, running every worker, 50,000 people, every day, through security—why in the heck would you do that? Because all they have to do is walk through clean and then have someone throw something over a fence.”
The Things He Carried - The Atlantic (November 2008)
Last edited by Sunfish; 18th Oct 2008 at 20:08.
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At GVA 2 wks ago.Pulled and hand luggage rifled through as suspicious.
Gate change.
Another xray machine. Straight through...but passenger behind got pulled(went through original check!!)
Also, please note Raclette cheese is no problem, but Camembert is subject to 100ml/100g limit.
When is this surreal ****e going to stop????!!!!
You folks who are regularly tormented by having airports as your place of work have my sympathy.The article above hits the nail on the head.
A.Passenger.
Gate change.
Another xray machine. Straight through...but passenger behind got pulled(went through original check!!)
Also, please note Raclette cheese is no problem, but Camembert is subject to 100ml/100g limit.
When is this surreal ****e going to stop????!!!!
You folks who are regularly tormented by having airports as your place of work have my sympathy.The article above hits the nail on the head.
A.Passenger.
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maybe better to stay silent . . . . . .
Says it all - if anyone cares to listen, that's the problem
I have described on here previously how I have watched as the contents of my hand baggage goes through the X-ray machine at my local airport (Manchester) TOTALLY UNSEEN because the operative is too busy gossiping with her mate. I made a fuss and spoke my mind on one occasion - - - and ended up being taken to the security supervisor and being threatened with prosecution as a "trouble-maker".
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trains next . . . . . . . ?
This assumes, of course, that al-Qaeda will target aeroplanes for hijacking, or target aviation at all. “We defend against what the terrorists did last week,” Schneier said
And how many of the suitcases (or other luggage) is "security-checked" ?
Answer = NONE
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Let´s hope that Mr Obama ends all this sh.t and have someone really look at the real problems. A fuel truck driver told me that he is not allowed to enter a bottle of water trough security, what the hell !!!!! I drive a truck with 35 tons of fuel!!!! that´s fireworks!!!!
A fuel truck driver told me that he is not allowed to enter a bottle of water trough security, what the hell !!!!! I drive a truck with 35 tons of fuel!!!! that´s fireworks!!!!
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the whole thing is purile
Day 1 told bag had liquids in was not suitable, fair enough. given new bag, liquids tested, passed through
Day 2 told new bag had liquids in not suitable. given new bag (was original bag), liquids tested, passed through
Day 4 told bag had liquids in was not suitable. given new bag (same as 2nd bag), liquids tested and passed through.
I totally understand that security officers have their (difficult) task to do. However, this is bloody stupid!
Day 1 told bag had liquids in was not suitable, fair enough. given new bag, liquids tested, passed through
Day 2 told new bag had liquids in not suitable. given new bag (was original bag), liquids tested, passed through
Day 4 told bag had liquids in was not suitable. given new bag (same as 2nd bag), liquids tested and passed through.
I totally understand that security officers have their (difficult) task to do. However, this is bloody stupid!
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Things I've seen passing thru x-ray
- a ladder
- engineer's toolbox
- a guy with a cart filled with soft drink cans had to offload everything, put it on the belt, and reload his cart.
Sometimes I'm afraid they will put on plastic gloves and ask to bent over ....
- a ladder
- engineer's toolbox
- a guy with a cart filled with soft drink cans had to offload everything, put it on the belt, and reload his cart.
Sometimes I'm afraid they will put on plastic gloves and ask to bent over ....
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To all my chums WHO ARE involved in Aviation
Now we all know who are they Numpty Feckwits who know absolutely nothing about Airport/Airfield/Terminal/Airplane/Peripheral/Cordon Sanitaire security applications.
Crews & Airport Staffers are your 1st and #1 line of defence, and not the Prime Suspects
This is one of the reasons I've said at my advanced years, "Shag Off" and enjoy the watching with interest/concern the way this ****e is going. Yup I pax only now, but have developed a 'thumb up bum & shut the **** up' mode! I'm not known for that, so I must be growing up @ 60+?
This could be a real rant, but that waits till after a few ales to celebrate LH's win
Crews & Airport Staffers are your 1st and #1 line of defence, and not the Prime Suspects
This is one of the reasons I've said at my advanced years, "Shag Off" and enjoy the watching with interest/concern the way this ****e is going. Yup I pax only now, but have developed a 'thumb up bum & shut the **** up' mode! I'm not known for that, so I must be growing up @ 60+?
This could be a real rant, but that waits till after a few ales to celebrate LH's win
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Scaring security
Yes it is so true! Last week in IND, I came to deadhead and was the selected one..... got stripped to the bones in front of all the PAX, some of them asked me if I am not upset? No was my answer, they just show off that is all. Two day´s earlier in ORD it was diffrent, same two pieces of luggage, same appearence, easy handling.
In every Theatre is a saying that the show must go on, I hope in this one it will end, the sooner the better. For me it is over in 8 years and 362 days, then I retire from a position what I used to love. I still like to go go to work but the way thru security is the big hassle in most of UK and many of US places. There is a diffrent proceedure at every Airport and the amount of liquids are diffrent everywhere. Who in regulation is powerfull enough to end that farce and come back to reality? WHO is the enemy and the threat? Focus on them and not the ones who do the job 24/7.
Fly safe and land happy
NG
In every Theatre is a saying that the show must go on, I hope in this one it will end, the sooner the better. For me it is over in 8 years and 362 days, then I retire from a position what I used to love. I still like to go go to work but the way thru security is the big hassle in most of UK and many of US places. There is a diffrent proceedure at every Airport and the amount of liquids are diffrent everywhere. Who in regulation is powerfull enough to end that farce and come back to reality? WHO is the enemy and the threat? Focus on them and not the ones who do the job 24/7.
Fly safe and land happy
NG
Trash du Blanc
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It was, admittedly, pre-9/11, but my uncle swears he saw a Korean soldier in Kimpo screening once, getting wanded.
As the proper Korean guard ran the wand over his body the soldier was spread-eagled with his hands in the air - and an Uzi in one hand.....
As the proper Korean guard ran the wand over his body the soldier was spread-eagled with his hands in the air - and an Uzi in one hand.....
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Farce is theater, isn't it?
Newark Airport screener accused of stealing electronics from luggage
by Jeff Whelan/The Star-Ledger
Tuesday October 07, 2008, 6:17 PM
As a screener at Newark Liberty International Airport, Pythias Brown was supposed to keep deadly objects off airplanes. But for the past year, authorities allege, Brown has been swiping electronic equipment from luggage of the passengers he was supposed to protect.
A laptop here, a cell phone there. Within months, he had snatched more than 100 items, authorities say.
But this summer, Brown got too ambitious for his own good, allegedly stealing a $47,900 camera from an HBO crew and a camcorder from a CNN employee, authorities said.
Brown attracted the attention of one of his victims -- and eventually investigators -- when he tried to sell the equipment on eBay, the online auction site, authorities said.
Federal investigators charged the 48-year-old Maplewood resident this week with theft. He is scheduled to appear Wednesday in federal court in Newark. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny Kramer said.
Officials at the Transportation Security Administration, which employees the airport screeners, said Brown has been placed on administrative leave and, based on their own findings, will soon be fired. Brown has worked as a screener at Newark Liberty since 2002.
"The TSA takes these matters of theft and any wrongdoing very seriously, and takes a hard line against those offenders," spokeswoman Lara Uselding said.
When investigators raided Brown's home last week, they seized a trove of contraband, according to an affidavit signed by Thomas Adams, an agent with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General and the lead investigator on the case.
Among the items seized were 66 cameras, 31 laptop computers, 20 cell phones, 17 sets of electronic games, 13 pieces of jewelry, 12 GPS devices, 11 MP3 players, eight camera lenses, six video cameras and two DVD players, the affidavit said.
According to the affidavit, Brown confessed that he began stealing two to three items per week from the airport beginning in September 2007. He told authorities he put most of the stolen items up for sale on eBay, it said.
One of the items was a Sony camcorder that was swiped from the bag of a CNN employee who was a passenger on flight from Newark to Houston in July 2008, authorities said.
In August, the CNN employee contacted police to report that the stolen camera was listed for sale on eBay. Authorities said the camera was posted by a person with the user ID "alirla."
Investigators then used their own eBay account to place the winning bid on the camera, and arranged to pay Brown through a PayPal account, the affidavit said.
Authorities said they gave Brown an address in Marlton where he sent the camera. On the package, Brown listed his Maplewood home as the return address, authorities said. The serial numbers on the camera matched those of the stolen CNN equipment, authorities said.
Video images from security cameras at the Newark post office from where the shipment was mailed linked Brown to the package, authorities said. Brown's credit card was used to pay for the postage, they said.
As investigators built their case against Brown, an HBO employee reported the theft of a $47,900 camera from a bag he had checked at Newark Liberty for a flight to London in September.
Again, authorities found the camera posted for sale on eBay by "alirla," according to the affidavit. They traced the eBay account to a Verizon Internet address listed to Brown's fiancee, authorities said. The couple, who had their wedding scheduled for Oct. 12, lived together at the Maplewood residence where the Verizon account was registered, authorities said.
Authorities raided the home on Oct. 1.
Uselding said the TSA worked closely with homeland security investigators to bring the charges against Brown. She also said that his crimes were rare and that less than 300 TSA employees have been terminated for theft.
"The actions of a few individuals in no way reflect on the outstanding job our more than 43,000 security officers do every day to ensure the security of the traveling public," she said.
by Jeff Whelan/The Star-Ledger
Tuesday October 07, 2008, 6:17 PM
As a screener at Newark Liberty International Airport, Pythias Brown was supposed to keep deadly objects off airplanes. But for the past year, authorities allege, Brown has been swiping electronic equipment from luggage of the passengers he was supposed to protect.
A laptop here, a cell phone there. Within months, he had snatched more than 100 items, authorities say.
But this summer, Brown got too ambitious for his own good, allegedly stealing a $47,900 camera from an HBO crew and a camcorder from a CNN employee, authorities said.
Brown attracted the attention of one of his victims -- and eventually investigators -- when he tried to sell the equipment on eBay, the online auction site, authorities said.
Federal investigators charged the 48-year-old Maplewood resident this week with theft. He is scheduled to appear Wednesday in federal court in Newark. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny Kramer said.
Officials at the Transportation Security Administration, which employees the airport screeners, said Brown has been placed on administrative leave and, based on their own findings, will soon be fired. Brown has worked as a screener at Newark Liberty since 2002.
"The TSA takes these matters of theft and any wrongdoing very seriously, and takes a hard line against those offenders," spokeswoman Lara Uselding said.
When investigators raided Brown's home last week, they seized a trove of contraband, according to an affidavit signed by Thomas Adams, an agent with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General and the lead investigator on the case.
Among the items seized were 66 cameras, 31 laptop computers, 20 cell phones, 17 sets of electronic games, 13 pieces of jewelry, 12 GPS devices, 11 MP3 players, eight camera lenses, six video cameras and two DVD players, the affidavit said.
According to the affidavit, Brown confessed that he began stealing two to three items per week from the airport beginning in September 2007. He told authorities he put most of the stolen items up for sale on eBay, it said.
One of the items was a Sony camcorder that was swiped from the bag of a CNN employee who was a passenger on flight from Newark to Houston in July 2008, authorities said.
In August, the CNN employee contacted police to report that the stolen camera was listed for sale on eBay. Authorities said the camera was posted by a person with the user ID "alirla."
Investigators then used their own eBay account to place the winning bid on the camera, and arranged to pay Brown through a PayPal account, the affidavit said.
Authorities said they gave Brown an address in Marlton where he sent the camera. On the package, Brown listed his Maplewood home as the return address, authorities said. The serial numbers on the camera matched those of the stolen CNN equipment, authorities said.
Video images from security cameras at the Newark post office from where the shipment was mailed linked Brown to the package, authorities said. Brown's credit card was used to pay for the postage, they said.
As investigators built their case against Brown, an HBO employee reported the theft of a $47,900 camera from a bag he had checked at Newark Liberty for a flight to London in September.
Again, authorities found the camera posted for sale on eBay by "alirla," according to the affidavit. They traced the eBay account to a Verizon Internet address listed to Brown's fiancee, authorities said. The couple, who had their wedding scheduled for Oct. 12, lived together at the Maplewood residence where the Verizon account was registered, authorities said.
Authorities raided the home on Oct. 1.
Uselding said the TSA worked closely with homeland security investigators to bring the charges against Brown. She also said that his crimes were rare and that less than 300 TSA employees have been terminated for theft.
"The actions of a few individuals in no way reflect on the outstanding job our more than 43,000 security officers do every day to ensure the security of the traveling public," she said.
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One of the best security acts I have to deal with is the "Airside Security" at Brisbane Airport Australia,having just come from another country and passed through all that Airports security....now you need to board another international flight so off you go as a transit passanger...but wait there is another screening point before you proceed to the boarding lounge....hope you don't have any Duty free grog.....the Contracting Secuirty guards will reduce the weight of your carryon.....each day they collect a large haul of booze...the best haul was a flight out of Sydney for Port Moresby.....for some technical requirement Aircraft diverts to Brisbane....pax told to leave Aircraft and take all carryon off the Aircraft...As most pax had some form of liquid duty free....they were about to have it taken from them...what a haul I tell you there was some very unhappy pax.....but the christmas party this year will be a good one for those uniformed robbers.....or the Collector of Customs auction just got better...why would you need another security check Airside...and its staffed upwards of at least 4 people sometimes more.
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I think it should be collective wisdom that alcohol and food should be disposed in the toilet rather than left at security.
Likely, a reasonable effort should be made so that any item left behind is made unusable.
Likely, a reasonable effort should be made so that any item left behind is made unusable.
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We had the joy of flying UK>>BKK>>OZ return just after 9/11 and grew weary(but not upset) at the never ending checks,after all we felt safer as a result? BUT when flying Sydney to Brisbane my wife forgot to stow tweezers(lethal weapon) in her hold baggage and had them confiscated.........fine we're safer? but on the flight we were given METAL knives and forks to eat a cold snack and GLASS glasses to quoff the local red!
From our local newspaper again, today.
A reader shares another "security" experience: "At Sydney Airport while my 11-year-old son was waiting for me outside the toilets he was given a bag to take on our flight. He said a man gave it to him because he didn't want to waste it by throwing it away. The man said he was a salesman from Pakistan and was carrying clothing samples. I told security, they x-rayed it, removed the shampoo and returned the bag, with clothing in it, to my son. They were barely interested."
A reader shares another "security" experience: "At Sydney Airport while my 11-year-old son was waiting for me outside the toilets he was given a bag to take on our flight. He said a man gave it to him because he didn't want to waste it by throwing it away. The man said he was a salesman from Pakistan and was carrying clothing samples. I told security, they x-rayed it, removed the shampoo and returned the bag, with clothing in it, to my son. They were barely interested."
As the proper Korean guard ran the wand over his body the soldier was spread-eagled with his hands in the air - and an Uzi in one hand.....
Total Madness, it's beyond theatre.
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Here's Bruce Schneier's* take on the subject of confiscation of liquids.
* "The closest thing the security industry has to a rock star" - The Register
* "The closest thing the security industry has to a rock star" - The Register