It will also be familiar to anyone who's flown out of Tel Aviv. There's a whole interview process there, involving at least two ostentatiously armed security professionals talking with you simultaneously. They ask about your stay, who you met, what you bought, etc etc, minding your body language at all times. It's rather interesting to watch their eyes watching yours. And the process is extraordinarily effective.
Of course, the Israelis back this up with some very rigorous training into the psychophysics of body language and subconscious behavior. TSA is mistaken if they feel any baggage checker can jump right into this. And they're doubly mistaken if this presages a resumption of those silly "Have your bags always been in your possession?" questions they used to ask, usually in a bored monotone.
Also, I hadn't previously heard the 20th-hijacker tale related herein.
I would agree that this was good news if not for the fact that the TSA has in its employ so many people who actually make me wish they were on welfare, they are so unprofessional, incompetent, and sloppy. Their boorish appearance and lack of mastery of even basic English will prohibit them from carrying this out effectively.
Reminds me of when I flew into Moscow in the early 80's. I had to stand in a sort of airlock type place with mirrors behind me. The soldier in the booth kept staring at me, at my passport and visa, back at me, picked up the phone made a call (probably to his wife or something!), stared me down some more. It made me pretty nervous even though I was there simpy to join a bicycle tour (the rest of whom were all on a different flight). By the time I was allowed in I was sweating bullets and needed a beer big time!
Well thank God the press is announcing more of our counter terrorism tactics. We wouldn't want the enemy to be caught off guard.
Well thank God the press is announcing more of our counter terrorism tactics. We wouldn't want the enemy to be caught off guard.
Yes, we might not have a Capitol if Atta hadn't made a rare tactical blunder and tried to bring in one of the musclemen through Orlando. What he hadn't counted on was that Orlando immigrations had plenty of experience with Saudis coming through on their way to Disney World.
As a result, they didn't buy the henchman's story, especially the part where he claimed to have no money.
Atta can be seen pacing arount the arrivals area, making phone calls (too bad the NSA didn't monitor...) and finally leaving when he realizes that his henchman isn't going to be allowed into the country.
It's in the 9/11 report.
The funny thing here is that this chatting business is going to lead a lot of disgruntled travellers into some extra searches. From the comments here on Free Republic on threads about the TSA, it seems that there are some definite chips on some folks shoulders when they get to the airport.
A little attitude will now get you wanded or patted down, I'm sure. Me? I'll just continue to smile at the TSA folks and breeze through the checkpoint like I've always done. I don't buzz in the metal detector. There's nothing in my carry-on that will bother anyone, and I've learned that the shoes I wear have metal stiffeners in the soles, so I just put them on the belt.
I discovered that I can buy a new Bic lighter at the first convenience store, that matches will light my cigarette just fine, and that I really don't HAVE to have my Oldtimer stockman's knife in my pocket until I get my luggage. I don't really need a bunch of coins in my pockets. I've never carried scissors, so that one never bothered me in the first place.
Yup, all you perpetually ticked-off folks...show that attitude in the airport. I'll watch while they wand you and pat you down.
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/CustomsToday/2004/JanFeb/
Interesting story about how an alert INS agent thwarted at least one small part of Mohammed Atta's hijacking team.