Fatal flaws in airport security

[Zebson]

I was wondering if anyone else has considered this too?. But I know with the aftermath of the 9/11 at one time we had lots of security etc, at the airports. But with this recent shooting at LAX...I was reflecting on the ease of which in my recent trip to the Philippines (in May). when leaving LA, I was allowed to walk directly into the international Tom Bradley terminal (same one that this guy shot the people in) with my little back pack and bag. Where as in the Philippines, I was checked on my return flight even before I entered the main terminal area for both passport and ticket, exrayed body and my luggage? What gives? Why is security higher in the Philippines and less tight now in US Airports again? If you ask me the next terrorist scenerio would be an easy one, aka; Target Terminals. Have 2 to 4 people or heck even 1 person with timed bombs or remote bombs,  walk into various US airport terminals or international terminals where the people are dense and long lines are, drop one or two roll ons off/luggage, look as if they are just in line, but going to be right back and walk away. There are a lot of areas where damage could inflict major casualties. And then detonate the bombs. It's as easy as 1, 2, 3..Sure you have those announcements about don't leave luggage unattended...but I can recall many times when I could have easily walked off and left something...and it would at least be 5-10 minutes before anyone really did anything, ample enough time to have someone exit and get into a vehicle or walk away from the crime scene. This is a very very plausible scenerio for terrorist attacts and could disrupt the airport as well as take out many civilians. I personally think this latest incident should be a wake up call for US airports. They clearly need to rethink their security into the terminals first and then worry about exraying the ticketed personnel boarding planes next. Just wondered why this hasn't been more of an issue...

Zeb

[Ray]

... in response to Fatal flaws in airport security, posted by Zebson on Jul 5, 2002

..and how much are you willing to pay? I believe that the original purpose of the airport security checkpoints was to stop bombs and weapons from getting onto the planes, to prevent hijackings and in-flight bombings.

If you put security checkpoints at the terminal doors, then you should also put them at the vehicle entrances to the airport to prevent truck/car bombs from getting up to the terminals and into parking garages etc. How about shopping malls? Do you want the same security measures there? How about all public places? You can never prevent all possible attacks by every psychotic suicidal terrorist out there.

I saw a TV piece on Israeli airport security recently and it was very interesting. You have to go through at least 3 security checks before you ever get inside the terminal. Then there are plain-clothes roaming security guards all over the airport who can stop you anytime and search you again if they don’t like the looks of you. Then there are more security checks at the boarding areas and at least two armed guards assigned to each plane whether it’s on the ground for maintenance or in the air.

I guess their system works because they haven’t had any hijackings that I can remember. But do you think the public, and more so the ACLU ilk, would ever go for a system like that here? I doubt it. If there are a few more terrorist incidents here in the U.S. then maybe public opinion will behind something like that. But I think we can learn a lot from the Israelis.

I still think that our best defense is a strong offense. Kill them over there BEFORE they get here.

Interesting thoughts Zeb…

Ray

[Matthew]

... in response to How far are you willing to go…, posted by Ray on Jul 5, 2002

Ray,

I took a travel agent familiarization trip to Israel sponsored by El-Al in 98.In the line at the check in counter
they have guys standing there in front of music stands where they have papers.On there is passenger pre screened info.Then they start asking questions.Lots of questions.Who,what,where,why?They ask the same questions in a variety of ways.At one point this guy questioning me seems disturbed and goes to talk to another guy(a Mossaud agent?)and they start pointing at me.I'm thinking "man, you invite me on this trip and now you won't let me on."The guy comes back and after a few more questions I am allowed to check in!If I had anything to hide I would have wilted in front of these guys.They are good.Our plane was escorted by four police cars as we pushed back from the gate in Miami.I felt safe.Nice flight,though, the kosher food was kind of bland:)

tito Matt

[Zebson]

... in response to How far are you willing to go…, posted by Ray on Jul 5, 2002

Yes I agree Ray, it's a hard line to draw...it used to be the obvious check people and luggage before boarding the airplane idea, why? for the security and safety of the plane and passenger on it. But now it seems things have expanded exponentially, as the terminals themselves become targets along with sporting events..etc, etc, as you mentioned also. I don't quite know what all the answers are let alone the questions, either. It's a complex, quagmire of areas dealing with our personal freedoms, rights and yet our security. And me being a strong gun owner rights person, yet an exgovernment employee, I see two sides to the issue too. I would love to believe it's as easy as lets kill them before they get here, but the problem with that is, I think they're already here too, right in our midst and more coming in right under our noises all the time. Hense our favorite INS issues...Hahaha! At this point I think these are the same questions that many nations security agencies in the world are beginning to have to deal with...I guess it's an open forum.

Zeb

[Jimbo]

... in response to Re: How far are you willing to go…, posted by Zebson on Jul 5, 2002

Zeb,

That's right, they're here, and this is war so I would be in favor of a wartime policy - no non-citizen Arabs from certain Arab countries, period.  It's drastic but so is war.  The threat on our soil wouldn't be eliminated but I think it would be greatly reduced.

That aside, the point that Ray makes is valid; the level of security will end up being balanced by what the public will put up with.  And I agree with Matt, the questioning technique of the Israelis is really effective.  At the very least I think we should be doing that sort of screening/profiling just inside the terminals.

Jim

[Zebson]

... in response to Fatal flaws in airport security, posted by Zebson on Jul 5, 2002

I sent my thoughts above on this two hours earlier to both MSNBC and CNN imagine that...now they both have sideliners about airport security..you would have thought they should have made this an issue this before the shooting incident yesterday. Oh well..

zeb

[Matthew]

... in response to interesting..., posted by Zebson on Jul 5, 2002

I had read in USAToday(July 5th) about this issue and it has been debated before about where to place the checkpoints.Seems if you place them at the door to the terminal this might create opportunities for terrorist because so many people would be in one place.Long lines and easy targets for a drive by.The only real alternative is a perimeter around the airport.I'm sure the debate will heat up again.

tito Matt