Troopers training to carry submachine guns at Logan (MP-5's)

boston.com (old story, cached on Yahoo) ^ | 5/1/2003 | AP

[Teacher317]

Troopers training to carry submachine guns at Logan
By Associated Press, 5/1/2003 10:04

BOSTON (AP) A specially trained state police unit will begin patrolling Logan International Airport with submachine guns next month, making the airport the first in the country to use such heavy weaponry.

The Massachusetts Port Authority, which oversees Logan, has purchased 30 of the guns for $2,500 each. The MP-5's have 30-round clips and a two-round burst capacity, which allows two shots to be fired automatically with one push of the trigger.

Massport Chief Executive Officer Craig Coy said the new weaponry, which will be deployed in June, will act as a deterrent to terrorism.

''It's part of an overall system, an overall approach, to make sure that we have the resources in place, that we have the training in place, that we have the right people in place, and that we have the right equipment in place,'' Coy said.

Since the Sept. 11 attacks, which were carried out with the help of two planes hijacked from Logan, the airport has prided itself on its aggressive pursuit of security improvements. It was the first in the country to have an in-line baggage screen plan approved by the Transportation Security Administration and the first to use several forms of high-tech security technology.

National Guard officers deployed to American airports after the attacks were armed with submachine guns, but this will be the first time they are used as a permanent part of an airport's security force.

Coy predicted that the presence of the guns, which have long been used at European airports, would bring peace of mind to the traveling public.

''I think there's going to be the sense of comfort knowing that we have well-trained people there with the right equipment,'' Coy said.

Members of the special Anti-Terrorism Unit, which is made up of members of the state police troop stationed at Logan, will receive intensive training to become certified on use of the MP-5's. Training includes live-fire drills, night firing and special tactics.

The MP-5's are outfitted with a noise suppressor units so they'll create less alarm among travelers if they're used. The guns are also designed for accuracy in indoor environments.

[archy]

Good pick...galil...I should have noticed that....I just didn't think Galil in Latin America as readily.

They're getting more common. And they dont as easily or as quickly wear out into unservacibility like the M16s do- some of the old Nicaraguan and Guat Galils are still in service, though with very little finish remaining. But there are new replacements easily enough available, for a price.

Your PIC above is I assume somewhere in Colombia(Dept. of Putumayo) sort of a no man's land (unless yer FARC) these days.

I have not spent time in Colombia since 1992 and it had gotten pretty bad by then. Even then the Choco near the Darien Penn. and the Lllanos and of course the SW were all very bad areas.

The Darien Gap is a very busy place lately. And particularly inhospitable to rotary-wing aircraft.

Now, I hear the both the Cauca and Magdalena valleys are rife with FARC and ELN.....back in my day...they were still out there but M-19 was the big boy. I was in Bogota(old Bogota near the Monserrate tram station) at a friend's apartment marooned when M-19 took over the Justice Ministry a few blockas away.

Spend much time down that way? That fellow in the pic....regular army?...elite battalions? or para?

Army, from one of the MP outfits, I believe. Most of my time was in Panama and Guatemala, but I got to visit in Colombia as a mailman a couple of times.

Some jobs down that war are opening up again...but the surrounding countryside can be sporty.

[wardaddy]

You know...I really liked Guat City....I used to rent a room at the old Guv's mansion in Zona 10(???...the nice one going from centro out towards the airport).

Nice altitude and friendly folks.....the best looking gals they often "imported" from Salvador ..lol

I had ship's business in San Jose on the Pacific and Santo Tomas on the Carib...bets way to Santo Tomas de Castillo was from San Pedro in Honduras....I used to enter for fun from Belize and Banque Veijo...over the river. Boy howdy...back then ....eastern Guat and northen Guat were pretty dicey in places.....I hate to say it as a hard right extremist but the gov't troops scared my ass almost as much as the bad guys....no to mention the local bandidios (extortionists).

Beautiful country...really..with all the lakes and volcanos...Antigua...hmmmmm...man you have really taken me down memory lane Archy.

Colombia and Brasil were my main CA/SA stomping grounds but I've always told folks I'd love a nice finca at say 5-6000 foot in Guat to hang out. Warm enuff for a piscena and cold enough at night for a fireplace.

You ever hit Sadler's bar?

Damned Guat generals seized one of my ships once and held it and the crew for ransom over some damaged fishmeal from Peru....bastards.

Travis,

You did some time in CA didn't ya?

[Travis McGee]

Me? CA? Not to speak of, not in your league. One transit of Panama, and a few weeks in La Ceiba Honduras. That's it!

[Travis McGee]

the surrounding countryside can be sporty.

You know that it's "sporty" when the "good guys" are called the Macheteros!

[wardaddy]

Never went to La Cieba....got close...what's the other town on the coast there...Tula??

Just pulled up some info on land around there...damn cheap...less than 100/acre


I'd still prefer Guat highlands....would need some trustworthy attendants and nice armory...and dogs...in reality don't think I could expose my family to all that just so dad could live out the Padron thing...do you?...lol

I had some Mississippi buddies from the Delta who bought a 35,0000 acre farm in Paraguay about 100 clicks NW of Asuncion heading towards the Chaco for 400K. The place had a hacienda, ice plant (a necessity), lumber mill, beaucoup cattle, and self sustaing grasslands, water and plenty of outbuildings. They ship the beef to Germany freshly slaughtered in slightly refrigerated cargo jets that are not pressurized except in the cockpit....or so they say...I have never heard of such.

I also had friends who ran 707 cargo planes from Miami to Asuncion (duty free zone) with electronics bound for the Brasilian black market. They crashed and were killed over Brasil about 8 years ago. They were doubling their investment per trip.

[Blue Collar Christian]

"I'm so sick of ignorant reporting."

Jeff Cooper and I are also finding that very tiring.