and you thought the tsa was bad

[Dave]

http://www.nydailynews.com/travel/20...er_botche.html


Slovakian man unknowingly carries explosives on flight to Ireland after botched security test


Surprise, there’s a bomb in your bag!

A Slovakian electrician unknowingly carried plastic explosives on a flight from Bratislava to Dublin after a major snafu in a Slovak airport-security test, Irish officials told the Times of London yesterday.

To make matters worse, the man unwittingly had the explosives in his posession for three days before Irish security officials were contacted.

Slovak Interior Minister Robert Kalinak expressed “profound regret” to the Irish government for the oversight and the delay in alerting Irish authorities. Dublin security chiefs said it was foolish for the Slovaks to hide bomb parts in the luggage of unwitting passengers under any circumstances.

Slovak authorities placed real bomb parts in nine passengers’ bags Saturday. Eight were detected. But the electrician, returning to Ireland where he has lived for four years, boarded his flight at Poprad-Tatry Airport in Slovakia unaware that he was in possession of 3 ounces of RDX plastic explosive - enough to blow up the plane mid-air, according to the Times of London.

The man didn’t find out he was carrying a bomb until Irish police, acting on a Slovak tip, raided his flat Tuesday. Police said they were led to believe the man might be a terrorist, until Slovak authorities told them of the security screwup.

A major Dublin intersection was closed and neighbors were evacuated while Irish Army experts inspected the explosive. The man was released without charge after several hours’ detention.

Irish Army spokesman, Commandant Gavin Young, said the explosive posed no threat to passengers because it was stable and wasn’t connected to other bomb parts

[z06boy]

Yeah that's pretty screwed up. I mean it makes for a good way to test your screeners but letting the guy actually board the aircraft and not notifying the authorities on the other end... etc....not too smart.

[karl_1052]

Show me a Mick that knows less about bombs than a slovak, and I will show you a leprechaun.

[shmike]

Originally Posted by z06boy

Yeah that's pretty screwed up. I mean it makes for a good way to test your screeners but letting the guy actually board the aircraft and not notifying the authorities on the other end... etc....not too smart.

Right?

Who was the genius that called in the "tip?"

The only people that knew about it would have been those that were administering the test, right?

[z06boy]

Originally Posted by shmike

Right?

Who was the genius that called in the "tip?"

The only people that knew about it would have been those that were administering the test, right?

No kidding but they should have called before actually letting the guy complete the trip.

[derf]

I have a surgical grade titanium knife. I bet it wont set off any metal detectors and I could get through TSA security if I wanted to with it. I havnt tried because I might actually get in trouble, but its not a stretch to see me get through security with it. And how long will it be before someone makes an all titanium gun? Don't know how well titanium would work in a gun, but I'm sure you can get a few rounds off before it breaks itself, and you can surely take over a plane with one. And how long before the next undie bomber shows up? maybe the next one will be a bra bomber? I bet teh TSA isnt prepared for that.

[Homeslice]

Originally Posted by derf

I have a surgical grade titanium knife. I bet it wont set off any metal detectors and I could get through TSA security if I wanted to with it. I havnt tried because I might actually get in trouble, but its not a stretch to see me get through security with it. And how long will it be before someone makes an all titanium gun? Don't know how well titanium would work in a gun, but I'm sure you can get a few rounds off before it breaks itself, and you can surely take over a plane with one. And how long before the next undie bomber shows up? maybe the next one will be a bra bomber? I bet teh TSA isnt prepared for that.

Baggage scanners would detect the shape of a gun regardless of what kind of material it's made of. As for knives, what are they going to accomplish? The pilot compartment is locked, and after 9/11 they aren't going to open the door just because someone threatens to slit a flight attendant's throat. As for underwear bombs, I couldn't care less. The possibility is so remote, and the people who would do such a thing are likely to be put on the watch lists from now on, so they'll receive secondary screening. I'm not willing to give up privacy and convenience for more security than I already have. I've probably flown almost 500 times in my life and have never experienced any terrorists, fights, unruly passengers, etc.

[derf]

Originally Posted by Homeslice

Baggage scanners would detect the shape of a gun regardless of what kind of material it's made of. As for knives, what are they going to accomplish? The pilot compartment is locked, and after 9/11 they aren't going to open the door just because someone threatens to slit a flight attendant's throat. As for underwear bombs, I couldn't care less. The possibility is so remote, and the people who would do such a thing are likely to be put on the watch lists from now on, so they'll receive secondary screening. I'm not willing to give up privacy and convenience for more security than I already have. I've probably flown almost 500 times in my life and have never experienced any terrorists, fights, unruly passengers, etc.

The job of terrorist is to instill terror in the mass publics eyes. Our fear of flying is a win for the bad guys. If i wanted to walk my medical grate titanium knife through metal detectors which are designed not to sense medical titanum I can. Then all I have to do is go on a stabbing spree on a plane to scare the shit out of the entire US population. The media would definately talk about a dozen stabbing spree on a plane for months and scare the fuck out of everyone.


I havnt flow quite as much as you, and havnt seen any terrorists, but I have seen unruly passengers that didnt know how to shut up and sit down and have threatened airline staff.

I totally agree that you shouldnt have to give up privacy for security, however there are other ways to ensure security without giving up privacy. Why are there not more air marshalls on planes? Why not let people who meet certain qualifications (police, military etc) carry weapons on flights. What it comes down to is that the TSA isn't capable of doing its job, and it never will be. Alquaida and other such organizations will also be a step ahead of the TSA because that is their job, the TSA's job on the other side of the spectrum is to protect the flying public, play politics to stay in bussiness, keep up with maitaining individuals personal freedoms, and a hundred other implied tasks. The TSA can only ever respond to a problem once they know about it, and unfortunately 99% of the time they only know about a threat when it truly is a threat.

[unknownroad]

Originally Posted by derf

The job of terrorist is to instill terror in the mass publics eyes. Our fear of flying is a win for the bad guys. If i wanted to walk my medical grate titanium knife through metal detectors which are designed not to sense medical titanum I can. Then all I have to do is go on a stabbing spree on a plane to scare the shit out of the entire US population. The media would definately talk about a dozen stabbing spree on a plane for months and scare the fuck out of everyone.

Medical-spec titanium is overkill. Ceramic composites, certain plastics, hell, even obsidian makes brutal weapons. For metal detectors. The full-body scanners that the crotch bomber is buying us will catch them.

However, the obsession with planes is idiocy. A two-man team with fanatical devotion (willing to martyr themselves), military/guerrilla training, and even a few grand in funding could wreak havoc over a portion of the country by interfering with trucking, highway travel, and commuter and commercial rail, and the odds of catching them would be slim. The country is just too damn big.

Back on topic, tho, the idea of a foreign security agency planting explosives on unwitting civilians is absolutely appalling

[Dave]

Originally Posted by unknownroad

Medical-spec titanium is overkill. Ceramic composites, certain plastics, hell, even obsidian makes brutal weapons. For metal detectors. The full-body scanners that the crotch bomber is buying us will catch them.

However, the obsession with planes is idiocy. A two-man team with fanatical devotion (willing to martyr themselves), military/guerrilla training, and even a few grand in funding could wreak havoc over a portion of the country by interfering with trucking, highway travel, and commuter and commercial rail, and the odds of catching them would be slim. The country is just too damn big.

Back on topic, tho, the idea of a foreign security agency planting explosives on unwitting civilians is absolutely appalling

exactly, i think with special low velocity ammo and a minimal sleeve a 90% ceramic repeater could be possible. Heck theres other vectors to think about as well, you could bury some real nasty shit in a prosthetic limb. Id be willing to bet you could get a stripped down p90 action and mag in there if the guys arm was fairly big. Only has to work once