Posted on 12/20/2010 6:42:53 AM PST by FredJake
Listening to Homeland Security director Janet Napolitano and TSA administrator John Pistole, one gets the impression that the pat-downs and body scanners are just the thing to keep us safe in the air.
Not so fast - ABC News reported Thursday that a loaded gun made it through a security checkpoint in Houton, Texas last fall.
That's right - a loaded snub nose "baby" Glock pistol stuffed in a computer bag got all the way through security, even though the computer bag that held it got x-rayed. TSA agents at the checkpoint never noticed the pistol.
"It's just impossible to miss it, you know. I mean, this is not a small gun," Iranian-American businessman Farid Seif told ABC News. "How can you miss it? You cannot miss it."
Seif noticed the pistol still in the computer bag when he arrived at his hotel.
According to the report, incidents such as this are not all that uncommon.
Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 federal agencies have conducted random tests to determine just what can and cannot get through airport security. ABC News reported:
According to one report, undercover TSA agents testing security at a Newark airport terminal on one day in 2006 found that TSA screeners failed to detect concealed bombs and guns 20 out of 22 times. A 2007 government audit leaked to USA Today revealed that undercover agents were successful slipping simulated explosives and bomb parts through Los Angeles's LAX airport in 50 out of 70 attempts, and at Chicago's O'Hare airport agents made 75 attempts and succeeded in getting through undetected 45 times.
(Excerpt) Read more at examiner.com ...
That’s true.
A couple years ago I flew out of the Oakland, CA airport. When I got to my destination I discovered that I had inadvertently left in my carryon bag my Leatherman (multi-tool, with knife blade, etc.). TSA security never picked it up, go figure.
If they missed his pistol, I don’t see how that could be a picture of his weapon. I think it’s just a picture of an x-rayed weapon.
Yep, but it’s what people want to hear.
The good new is that those same TSA agents who let the gun through searched one Nun, 12 retirees and groped 46 people that day. Which as we know, is the real goal.
Agreed. I forgot the /sarcasm.
It drives me nuts when people link things to articles for ‘dressing’.
(’specially when they contradict the title)
“If it’s really impossible to miss, maybe it really wasn’t there in the first place? No one saw it except him, and that was after he got to his room and opened his bag. Sounds fishy to me.”
Then I wont tell you about the fixed blade Tanto knife that went through Intercontinental and Denver airports in the bottom of my computer briefcase...
I found it when I was going back home and went through DIA screening. The TSA agent xrayd my bag and and physically inspected it. Its one of the larger three vertical pocket briefcases. He handed my my laptop and briefcase and then the tray holding my keys, cell phone, wallet, watch and belt slid down the belt. Everyone was in a hurry so I tried to scoot down to the end of the conveyor while I gathered all of my cr*p. The TSA screener handed my my briefcase and I tried to put my laptop in but when I put it in the slot it was sticking up about 3 inches too high. I pushed on it and it wouldn’t go down. The interior is black and close fitting and I realized something was in there. Thankfully the entire knife and it’s sheath are also black. So I pulled my laptop out and swept my hand across the bottom of the briefcase. That’s when I felt me Tanto survival blade.
The TSA screener was standing about 2 feet from and looking right at me because I was obviously having problems. Needless to say the pucker factor went through the roof. Thankfully I have a calm disposition and I didn’t grab the knife and pull it out. I just wrinkled my face and mumbled “Stupid briefcase!” grabbed the laptop shoved it in and gathered the rest of my stuff and when to the gate and dealt with it.
This was 3 months post 9-11.
Now my pre-flight routine involves emptying out all of the contents of my bag and repacking. Especially since I use my briefcase as my range bag when I go shooting.
I walked thru the detector at Port Columbus Ohio, and was unintentionally carrying a set of car keys and a knife in my hoodie pouch. They were undetected.
I’m not saying it doesn’t happen.
Did you report yourself?
Did you turn yourself in and contact the media?
“Did you report yourself?”
I admit I was stupid for not checking my bag... but I am not that stupid... ;)
That’s why this sounds so fishy.
Hide it on a woman with 42-DD cups, and let her go thru the scanner. For sure we know none of the TSA clowns will be looking at the gun...
It may be common to see people taken aside, but is anything actually found?
I’ve not flown much lately, but when I was flying a lot, I would often be taken out of line and screened.
I never had prohibited items.
I’ve never seen anyone with anything.
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