Airport screeners fail to see most test bombs

[Rose Siding]

NEWARK, N.J. — Screeners at Newark Liberty International Airport, one of the starting points for the Sept. 11 hijackers, failed 20 of 22 security tests conducted by undercover U.S. agents last week, missing concealed bombs and guns at checkpoints throughout the major air hub's three terminals, according to federal security officials.

The tests, conducted Oct. 19 by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents, also revealed failures by screeners to follow standard operating procedures while checking passengers and their baggage for prohibited items, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
...
One of the security officials familiar with last week's tests said Newark screeners missed fake explosive devices hidden under bottles of water in carry-on luggage, taped beneath an agent's clothing and concealed under a leg bandage another tester wore.

The official said screeners also failed to use handheld metal-detector wands when required, missed an explosive device during a pat-down and failed to properly hand-check suspicious carry-on bags. Supervisors also were cited for failing to properly monitor checkpoint screeners, the official said. "We just totally missed everything," the official said.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/20033...

[DoYouEverWonder]

1. What a waste of time and money

and we are less safe then we were before.

[MercutioATC]

2. Well, at least they're keeping the world safe from nail clippers...

[uppityperson]

3. Having boarded 6 planes in last week, must say people are disgruntled

Everywhere from Paris to small midwest town, people in screening lines were disgruntled. OK, not in Paris, but the other 5 USA airports they were. Mutterings of stupidity, window dressing, etc were heard in all 5 places. Of course I contributed by remarking loudly that I'd be happier when they actually screened all cargo rather than confiscating mascara.

1 woman debated herself: hide her mascara in something in her carry-on, or throw it away while being a good role model for her young daughter. Another passed her hand lotion through the line to use it up before discarding it.

1 TSA person scolded a passenger for using a 1 gallon plastic ziplock bag for her makeup "it is supposed to be a 1 quart sized bag. Next time use a 1 quart sized bag or I won't let you through."

I was glad to hear the mutterings as people are catching on and becoming very annoyed.

[Up2Late]

4. Well, at least they are keeping large tubes of Tooth paste off the Jets...

...thanks to our corrupt "leaders."

[Ravy]

10. Probably some Dentists big money lobby is behind all of this (n/t)

[keopeli]

5. Such insane behavior. Will we riot when the election is stolen again?

[rsmith6621]

6. There is Also Inconsistencys as well

I fly through up to 3 airports a week and go through security.....at 2 of those airport if you don't have your 3oz liquid bottles in a 1 quart zip lock they tell you its ok, but!!!...at the third airport if you want to keep it your going to have to go back to the ticket counter and bag check it....wanna know who is doing it right!!!!!

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

7. LAX

The TSA at LAX and John Wayne are FUCKING DROOLING IDIOTS, I am really left at a loss as to where the feds found these people. Did they goto a state hospital and ask for the people to stupid to work licking envelopes? Are these the people who were fired for eating the envelopes?

I flew out of Terminal 5 at LAX recently and while there were atleast 30 TSA thugs in the immediate area, only 5 of them were actually doing anything! Atleast a dozen of them were just lined up along the window doing nothing. People were lined up all the way back to the parkade but there was only one line open. A United Airlines manager was having a fit at one of the TSA gestapo commanders in their nice red sweater because they had to delay a flight because half the passangers were still waiting to go through security. And while the redneck thug was berating the United manager for telling him how to do his job a crowd of the other idle TSA screeners began to gather with one especially loud and screachy black screener (who was also doing nothing) shouting 'didn't y'all learn nuthing from "niney leven"'

As far as I am concerned when a country will submit themselves to this bullshit in the name of fighting terrorism - the terrorists have fucking won!

I am trying to transfer within the firm I work for to another position that doesn't require as much travel - because I just can't take this abuse several times a month anymore.

[saigon68]

11. Some would say TSA thugs are pigs with their snouts in the public trough

Sitting around doing nothing

Once, I saw some of them holding up an 85 year old Nun's underwear drawers for all to see, and I felt I was in Hitler's Germany

Its "ALL FOR THE CHILDREN" don't cha know.

LOL

[LynnTheDem]

8. And 7 times undercover ops got into the US carrying dirty bomb material

And no one stopped them. No one noticed them.

THANKS bUSH! I feel ever so much safer now! You stupid MFer!

[Ravy]

9. Bet they would have caught ketchup packets inside of a McDonalds

bag though. At least the last screeners I saw did.

[TankLV]

12. Of course they don't pick up FARTS!!!

I've let go of a few "test bombs" myself when I was sure nobody was looking...