America's Ports Ar Risk!!!
WASHINGTON - America's seaports are vulnerable targets
that have attracted
interest from terrorists, an FBI counterterrorism
official told senators Tuesday.
"The intelligence we have certainly points to ports as
a key vulnerability,"
said Gary M. Bald, inspector-deputy assistant director
of the FBI's
counterterrorism division. "I can't be more specific
as to the threats of
attacks. We have received information that indicates
there is an interest."
Bald and officials from the Coast Guard and Customs
Service said they've
made progress in securing the nation's 361 ports,
which receive about 6
million cargo containers from overseas each year.
Robert Jacksta, executive director of border security
and facilitation for
the Customs Service, said 5.4 percent of cargo
containers entering the
nation's ports in the 2003 fiscal year were inspected.
He said that was
nearly double the percentage from 2002 and "it's
important to note we think
this is the right 5.4 percent."
Jacksta said the inspections are getting results and
have found contraband
goods and evidence of inaccurate ship manifests.
Sens. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., and Dianne Feinstein,
D-Calif., who convened the
hearing of the Senate Judiciary subcommittee on
terrorism, technology and
homeland security, said more must be done. Measures to
protect seaports and
waterways have lagged behind efforts aimed at airports
and airplanes since
the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
"The ports are the soft underbelly of our nation's
security," Feinstein
said.
The Coast Guard still is assessing how many ships,
http://www.homelandsecurityus.net/Americas%20Ports%20At%20Risk.htmIt would seem to me if the Port Authorities at our country's shipping ports levied large fines on false or inaccurate ship manifests, it would more than pay for additional cargo inspection personnel. Non-payment of fines could result in banning future shipments. Do we presently just accept it when shippers attempt to fraudulently ship goods?