Posted on 11/29/2002 2:48:25 PM PST by Jean S
WASHINGTON (AP) — The government warned airports Friday that portable rocket launchers could be used against airliners in the United States, even though security officials believe the risk of another attempt like the one against an Israeli jet in Kenya is greater overseas.
The possibility of a missile attack is a major concern for commercial airlines operating abroad, especially in Asia and Africa, said Charlie LeBlanc, managing director of Air Security International Inc., a Houston-based aviation security firm that does government consulting work.
In the United States, he said, an attack is more likely to be thwarted by law enforcement and intelligence agencies.
Still, many terrorist groups have access to the shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles, with thousands circulating on the worldwide gray arms market. Their relatively small size and three-mile range could make such missiles ideal weapons for terrorists targeting U.S. airliners.
Two missiles that narrowly missed the Israeli aircraft were fired from a four-wheel drive vehicle one mile from the airport, witnesses told police. Investigators there discovered launch tubes from an SA-7, a heat-seeking missile designed 30 years ago that can hit low-flying aircraft within about three miles.
``We're talking about a weapon that doesn't need to be fired on the aircraft grounds to be effective,'' LeBlanc said.
In the spring, suspected al-Qaida operatives used an SA-7 to try to shoot an American plane taking off from Prince Sultan Air Base, south of the Saudi capital of Riyadh.
The discovery of the attempt prompted the FBI to issue a bulletin to U.S. police departments on May 22, urging them to be vigilant.
The message, though, said the FBI didn't have information indicating al-Qaida was planning to attack civilian aircraft in the United States.
Instead, the FBI said it believed al-Qaida may try to use such weapons against U.S.-led military forces in the Middle East.
Smaller surface-to-air missiles, like the American Stinger or Russian SA-7 Grail, can be carried by a single person and fired from bazooka-like tubes. Many of these track the heat of an aircraft, then fly close and explode.
But most of these only fly a few miles at most and cannot hit high-flying aircraft. Their aim is not precise. And because they have such small warheads, some aircraft can survive a single hit by one of these weapons.
Military aircraft carry flares that can be launched to serve as a decoy heat source to draw off a missile.
Robert Johnson, spokesman for the Transportation Security Administration, said that the agency made sure airport security officials were aware of the missile attack in Kenya and reminded them of the steps being taken to counter the threat of such an attack.
``We are engaged in responding to this issue and we have been since earlier this year,'' Johnson said.
He declined to describe what those steps were, citing security concerns.
The TSA held a classified meeting with airline officials and others in the industry several weeks ago to discuss the danger posed by the missiles, Johnson said.
The agency has jurisdiction over airports from the perimeter fences inward.
——
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The Transportation Security Administration: http://www.tsa.dot.gov
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The first two people detained said they were from Florida, Ben Wafula, manager of Le Soleil Beach Club, told Reuters.
He said the ''Italian or Spanish'' looking man and the blonde woman checked into his hotel Nov. 26 and had tried to check out Thursday morning, about two hours after the suicide bombing of the Paradise Hotel some three miles away.
Wafula said the pair were detained after his staff made a routine call to police, who had asked all hotels in the area to notify them of any people checking out following the blast. The couple had phoned Spain soon after the bomb blast, he added.
Remember the tin foil hats and the criticisms of Michael Riveiro when that hypothesis came up? One has to wonder how many crashes might possibly have been caused by missles.
Grassy Knoll!!
Not likely a shoulder fired missle. Aircraft was too high, just barely, an normally would have been much higher at that point in it's departure, save for holding low for another aircraft.
Of course that doesn't mean it wasn't some kind of a missle that brought down TWA 800, just not a shoulder fired one.
Its not foolproof, but stopping immigration from islamic countries and deporting non-citizen muslims already here would make us considerably safer.
Kill all the Islamists.
The pilot in the air behind TWA800 didn't report seeing ANYTHING resembling a missile destined for TWA800 ...
... but we ARE talking about product that has a shelf life beyond which it's usefullness and accuracy are not asssured ...
... through CAREFUL presentation of SELECTED DATA and EVIDENCE ...
From whom do they purchase such munitions? Do the 'vendors' of such product NOT monitor inventory or check then authenticity of the buyer (I'm sure NO legitimate defense contractor in the US wants his product used against civilian aircraft!)?
Since there is a modicum of technology involved (esp. with the active heat-seakers) the average back-yard or garage-shop operation isn't going to be able to put one together ... THEN you have the matter of a few SPECIALIZED COMPONENTS that are crucial to doing the 'heat seeking' and tracking trick ...
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