08-05-2003, 08:22 AM
|
|
Pontificator
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,177
|
|
Electronic Devices Carrying Bombs
CNN's article "Airline alert over gadget threat" says "U.S. officials are preparing a warning to airlines alerting them to watch out for travelers carrying electronic devices that may be carrying small weapons or bombs". I travel quite frequently, both in Europe and the US. While trying to pack as little as possible, I most often bring my laptop, some Pocket PCs, a Smartphone and accessories. So far, I've been surprised how easy it's been to pass through security checks with all my equipment. I mean, all these devices must look like a total mess on the X-ray machine screens. The article suggests I should expect more attention when travelling.
"The hijackers may attempt to use common items carried by travelers, such as cameras, modified as weapons... One airport official, who did not want to be identified, said the new advisory could lead to more delays at checkpoints in the busiest time of the year for airlines. ... The measures under consideration, he said, include "subjecting these individuals and their baggage to far more rigorous screening than ever before."
Terrorism is scary so I don't mind more screening if they do to others what they do to me. But it is a nuisance to miss flights because of looooong lines to security checks.
|
| |
|
|
|
08-05-2003, 08:43 AM
|
|
Pupil
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 43
|
|
I fly regularly to Frankfurt and on departure they very often have me switch my laptop and ipaq on, presumably to confirm that it really is a laptop or pda. This assums though that any mods that a terrorist might make to a real laptop would interfere with the normal operation of the pc so it is not completely sound.
On the other hand, flying out of Sydney (my home port) the security there gets you to take the laptop out of their bags and sometimes even remove the battery and put them all through the xray scanners spearately.
|
| |
|
|
|
08-05-2003, 08:52 AM
|
|
Theorist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 298
|
|
Contrary to what this article suggests, I would not expect excessive delays because of this policy. I speak from experience, I've flown about 40 times in the past year alone, to and from JFK.
Whenever security finds a PocketPC or laptop in my bag now, they generally tend to pull the bag aside, and rather than search it, they simply run it through the bomb sniffer. A small strip is rubbed against the zippers and surfaces of a bag, put into a machine that detects explosive residue, and scanned for common explosive materials.
The whole process takes less time than it takes me to put my shoes back on and tie them, about 30-60 seconds. I've never experienced an excessive delay because of it, and would much rather be safe than dead, frankly.
|
| |
|
|
|
08-05-2003, 09:15 AM
|
|
Pontificator
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,177
|
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Newsboy
would much rather be safe than dead, frankly.
|
Frankly, I would to!
|
| |
|
|
|
08-05-2003, 09:41 AM
|
|
Pontificator
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,041
|
|
When I usually leave from San Francisco International, I usually have to take my laptop, cellphone and PDA out from my briefcase and put them in a separate plastic bin to be screened. That's it.
Do I mind the screening process? Not really. Do I mind usually being the one they pull from the crowd to be individually searched. Hell yes! I look more Italian than middle-eastern, though I'm neither. I'm not sure why they select me to be searched. Though I've seen them pull out 40'something blonde hair, blue eyed mother of 3 to be individually searched. I don't know what algorithm they are using to pull people out of the boarding line. But then again, those security people have never really impressed me.
Scared about terrorist? Nope. Totally, totally overblown. What happened on September 11th was completely horrible. But there are a ton of other things that can happen to you on a daily basis that get you closer to the death factor and have nothing to do with terrorist. Heck, walking across a busy street..... I'd rather deal with terrorist than walk through any one of the 1/2 dozen neighborhoods I can name in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Let's get real folks.
|
| |
|
|
|
08-05-2003, 10:01 AM
|
|
Philosopher
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 541
|
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by aviator
I fly regularly to Frankfurt and on departure they very often have me switch my laptop and ipaq on, presumably to confirm that it really is a laptop or pda. This assums though that any mods that a terrorist might make to a real laptop would interfere with the normal operation of the pc so it is not completely sound.
|
I fly frequently out of Frankfurt and find this check to be ridiculous. It might stop a mentally deranged passenger but certainly not a determined terrorist. They only wanted to see the DOS boot sequence and didn't wait for windows to boot. If I was a terrorist I would make a new laptop case out of plastic explosive plus the battery, CD-ROM and insides of the unit and only have a postage stamped sized DOS computer hooked up to the screen and keyboard. Anything other than the sniff/strip test method for determining if explosives are contained within the device are IMHO useless. It's like a locked door, it only keeps the honest people out - NOT a real professional thief.
|
| |
|
|
|
08-05-2003, 10:21 AM
|
|
Sage
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 734
|
|
I have to agree that extra checks, while certainly meant well, don't really mean anything in terms of increased safety. If you'd really want to, you could always find a way. And if not you.. who's to say the pilots, or cabin crew, or ground crew, or cleaners, or maintenance people aren't up to something. How difficult would it be to put a block C4 somewhere in the fuselage? Landing gear? Cargo? Not that hard, I can tell you. If you're a determined terrorist, you sure as hell would choose a better method then walk through security with a block of C4 strapped to your chest or shoved up a body cavity...
|
| |
|
|
|
08-05-2003, 12:27 PM
|
|
Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
|
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by bjornkeizers
I have to agree that extra checks, while certainly meant well, don't really mean anything in terms of increased safety. If you'd really want to, you could always find a way.
|
I agree, but the point of safety checks is not to guarantee no weapons make it on board. It is to reduce the chances, just like the locks on your house are there to reduce the chances of you getting robbed. You can add a security system and your chances go down, but not away. You can add a wall, moat and a few guard dogs and your chances go down even more, but not away.
It is good to see the airports adding these dogs, walls and moats. It doesn't mean nothing will happen, but it does mean that guy carrying a camera converted to a stun gun is more likely to be caught since security knows what to look for.
|
| |
|
|
|
08-05-2003, 12:44 PM
|
|
Pontificator
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,264
|
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by aviator
I fly regularly to Frankfurt and on departure they very often have me switch my laptop and ipaq on, presumably to confirm that it really is a laptop or pda. This assums though that any mods that a terrorist might make to a real laptop would interfere with the normal operation of the pc so it is not completely sound.
|
Wouldn't a terrorist just say that the laptop is broken, they are bringing it home to have it repaired. Or just say the battery is dead.
|
| |
|
|
|
08-05-2003, 12:49 PM
|
|
Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
|
|
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Goldkey
Wouldn't a terrorist just say that the laptop is broken, they are bringing it home to have it repaired. Or just say the battery is dead.
|
I had this happen to a friend when we were traveling. They made him get his electrical cord out of his bag and find an outlet to prove the battery was dead and the laptop did work. I suspect if he had been unable to do that, it would have escalated the situation to bomb sniffing dogs.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Linear Mode
