"Russia needs Israeli-style airport security"

[The Straight Story]

Russia needs Israeli-style airport security in the wake of a suspected suicide bombing in Moscow, the country's president has said.

Dmitry Medvedev spoke out the day after a bomber detonated an estimated 7kg (15lb) of TNT at Domodedovo airport, killing 35 people and injuring 110.

He blamed airport officials for "clear security breaches", and called for sackings if negligence was proved.

Militant groups from the North Caucasus are suspected of planning the attack.

Speaking to security officers in televised remarks, Mr Medvedev said terrorism was the most serious threat facing Russia today.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-12273145

[Blue_Tires]

1. security breaches?

even in most 'high security' airports, any random person can walk into the baggage claim or main entrance...

with the olympics coming and the world cup on the horizon, people will be closely watching how Medvedev handles this...

[Statistical]

2. That is the reality.

From the article...

"More generally, security authorities internationally have been concerned that - while there is been a huge effort focused on airline passenger and airliner security - keeping airports and airport terminals themselves secure remains a major challenge."

In the US the next major terrorist attack will likely hit the cattle holding pens, er TSA security checkpoint. Thousands of people packed in like sardines with nowhere to go. The bomb to kill ratio would be huge. A well funded group could kill hundreds if not thousands if they hit multiple TSA lanes at the same time.

We have no security, only security theater.

[notesdev]

3. Yup

When you create a security perimeter you also create an extremely vulnerable target at its chokepoints.

A terrorist couldn't ask for a better setup, really - having potential victims regularly and predictably crowd up together tightly in a line.

[Statistical]

4. Sadly like clockwork.

Predictability is key in any attack. There is nothing more predictable than the TSA response and the huge backlogs at checkpoints.

I just love going through Atlanta. There are like 30 TSA lanes. They have maybe 8 open and a line of 200+ people in each one. Fun times.

Also there are no real barriers between lanes. Even putting some ballistic hardened walls between TSA lanes would contain (at least partially) the destruction to a single lane.

[Blue_Tires]

5. You'd think someone would explain that to them...

But the "security lapse" issue is just a sideshow to diffuse blame -- I haven't been keeping up with the issues or motives surrounding the militants, but IMO Russia should try to find some resolution sooner rather than later because the attacks will only get more frequent and brazen...

[LisaL]

6. Security theater, indeed. As terror attack in Russia clearly shows, a terrorist can kill a lot

of people at the airport without even trying to get a bomb on the plane. How will TSA procedures protect people from a terrorist who doesn't want to get the bomb onto the plane?