Ahhh, the joys of flying......

[marmar]

Man skirts security at NJ airport; flights stopped
AP

By KIM GAMEL, Associated Press Writer – 47 mins ago


NEWARK, N.J. – Authorities were searching for a man who walked through a screening checkpoint exit into the secure side of a terminal Sunday night at Newark Liberty International Airport, and flights were grounded and passengers being re-screened, an air safety official said.

A man was seen walking down an exit lane at Terminal C about 5:30 p.m., said Transportation Security Administration spokeswoman Ann Davis, and screening was halted in the Continental terminal while authorities looked at surveillance tapes to identify the man.

Passengers were then evacuated from the secure side of the terminal and moved to the open side to go through screening again to ensure that every passenger boarding a plane tonight out of the terminal was fully screened, Davis said in a statement. The security line was emptied, and passengers were waiting in check-in areas.

No announcements had been made over the airport's public-address system as of 9:45 p.m. Security officers were instructing passengers, who were expressing frustration over the situation. .....(more)

The complete piece is at: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_newark_airport_evacuation

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. My first thought was some guy needed to go to the bathroom and went the wrong way

Now I am wondering why the security is so lax he was able to get through the gates.

[petronius]

2. If they didn't completely search every square inch of the terminal then

the rescreening was just a pointless hassle, right? The guy could have hidden anything he wanted for another passenger to pick up tomorrow, but at least everyone 'feels safe.' :shrug:

[marmar]

3. Good point.....Security dog and pony show.

[lapfog_1]

4. Theorize with me here...

Let's suppose I was the head of a network of terrorists, with at least a dozen operatives. I want to bomb a plane in mid-flight, or secure the operation of that plane with a gun and use the plane in an attack like 9/11.

How to make this happen.

I send 4 of my operatives to the airport. all have tickets for different flights, one is wearing jeans and t-shirt, and is white with blond hair, 30 years old, has a passport and a drivers license. The other three I equip with either a bomb or a loaded gun. Their appearance is not important but should not be "memorable" but they should look vaguely "foreign" (but not Arabic or Muslim).

The first guy arrives early, checks in, passes through security and waits in the waiting area.

Each of the next three I send in to walk up the exit aisle of the security check point. They are told to wait until there are a few, but not a lot, of passengers headed out. They simply try to walk in. They have cell phones. If security spots them before they make past the check point, they mumble an apology, and head to the back of the line. If that should happen, another operative joins them in line, they shuffle around a bit while the bomb or gun is transferred, the new operative (who hasn't tried to pass the checkpoint) gets out of the line and goes out the front door and away from the airport. The original bomb carrier goes through security (where he will be searched but nothing will be found), moves into the terminal and, eventually, exits normally (a failure, but an undetected failure). Repeat with the next operative, hopefully at a different checkpoint.

Should one succeed in walking past security (even if detected and alerted), he drops his gun or bomb in one of a few predetermined locations, a trash can or under the bathroom sink (secured with tape), sends a encoded text message to the first operative, and breaks his cell phone before trashing it. He then makes for the exit (where he is either caught on the way out or not). Whatever. Planes are emptied, the terminal is emptied, everyone (including our original jean & t-shirt blond guy) is passed through security again. After he is cleared, he then goes to bathroom or throws away his drink in the the trash can and retrieves the bomb/gun and hides it in his baggy jeans or even his carry on bag.

Mission accomplished.

High probability of success, especially if practiced at some other airport in another city first (but without the bomb or gun, but a box of candy instead).