I went through Amsterdam's Schiphol airport in December 2005, and I thought the security was very thorough. In January 2006 I went through Frankfurt, Tel Aviv, and Munich. I would have said Amsterdam was second only to Tel Aviv.
In 2005 at Amsterdam, you went through three distinct security checks. The regular one going into the concourse, and a second x-ray and metal detector at the gate. But before the second metal detector, you went through an interview with the airport security which was more thorough then the entry interview going into Israel.
These were not the "did you pack your own bags" kind of questions. These were questions designed to reveal if you were not who you said you were. What hotel did you stay in Holland, where did you travel within Holland, where did you arrive from, etc.
For me, the pre-boarding interview was a challenge when I had to explain I had transited six countries and nine airports in the previous week and a half.
There was a family in front of me and they interviewed the man and woman separately and simultaneously while another airport policeman watched their kids.
It was pretty confidence inspiring compared to our TSA.
But how then did he get through?