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http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,142867,00.html

"FBI Probing Laser Directed Into Jet's Cockpit"

Thursday, December 30, 2004

AP

WASHINGTON -

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "The Civil Aerospace Medical Institute has a database of several hundred reports in which civilian or military aircraft were illuminated by lasers. Though there have been no accidents reported, pilots in some cases were startled, temporarily blinded and disoriented.

The Food and Drug Administration, which regulates laser light shows, consults with the FAA when someone proposes operating a laser outdoors near an airport. The FAA recommends the maximum safe level of laser light exposure for pilots maneuvering near airports.

An FAA-commissioned study released in June concluded that "a laser attack could be quickly deployed and withdrawn, leaving no obvious collateral damage or projectile residue, and would be difficult to detect and defend against."

"A sufficiently powerful laser could cause permanent ocular damage, blinding crewmembers and make a successful landing virtually impossible," the report said.

More recently, some pilots have pushed to analyze the possible dangers posed by terrorists trying to cause an accident with the devices."

"The Civil Aerospace Medical Institute has a database of several hundred reports in which civilian or military aircraft were illuminated by lasers..."

Several HUNDRED? YIKES! I would like to see the geographic breakdown for these incidents.