Aviation Security Blog

DSI says attack on jet fuel tank a 'terrorist act'

2010-04-25T06:32:00.001+06:30

Published: 23/04/2010 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section:Bangkok post

The Department of Special Investigation is treating Wednesday's grenade attack on a jet fuel tank as a special case because it constitutes an act of terrorism.

DSI chief Tharit Pengdit said yesterday a committee led by his department deemed the attack on the tank in Pathum Thani's Lam Luk Ka district as a special case because it created a climate of fear and affected national security. It was thus an act of terrorism.

A grenade was fired at the jet fuel tank owned by Thai Petroleum Pipeline Co (Thappline) at 1.15am, causing a fire on the side of the tank. The grenade caused a 4cm hole in the tank, but the fuel failed to ignite because of protective double layering.

There were 9 million litres in the tank at the time of the attack. The tank has a capacity of 22 million litres.

The DSI chief described the attack and last week's bombings at three high voltage electricity pylons in Ayuthaya's Bang Pa-in district as acts of terrorism.

PM's Office Minister Sathit Wongnongtoey said yesterday the latest attack was linked to other cases of sabotage in Bangkok and nearby provinces.

Provincial Police Region 1 chief Krissada Pankhongchuen yesterday led a team of police and scientists to inspect the affected oil tank which supplies fuel to Suvarnabhumi airport.

A piece of the rocket-propelled grenade fired at the tank was found nearby.

Police believed the assailants fired the RPG from a frontage road that runs parallel to the nearby motorway rather than from the motorway itself.

An engineer at PTT, the largest shareholder in Thappline, said workers yesterday began transferring fuel from the tank so police could examine it. Repairs to the tank would take several days, the engineer said.

In Ayutthaya, security measures will be stepped up at oil and power facilities. Ayutthaya governor Witthaya Piewpong said he would today invite representatives from four oil depots and three power plants in the province to discuss tightening security measures at their facilities.

Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra admitted the city administration was unable to protect oil depots in Bangkok from attack due to manpower constraints.

Klong Toey district chief Bundit Vinitchaikul said security measures had been increased in the district as there were major oil depots in the area, particularly those of Shell and PTT.

Bomb terror grips Silom

2010-04-25T06:27:00.002+06:30

- Four grenades hit business district - 3 people killed, up to 75 injured

Published: 23/04/2010 at 12:00 AM

Newspaper section: Bangkok post

Silom was turned into a war zone Thursday night after four grenades were fired into the area where anti-red shirt protesters had converged, killing three people and injuring 75 people.

Foreigners were among those hurt.

As the protesters waved national flags to show their opposition to the red shirts and a House dissolution by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, three grenades fired from M79 launchers exploded near 'the skytrain station at 8pm. One came down through the roof of the BTS Sala Daeng station. About 45 minutes later, another grenade landed near the Dusit Thani Hotel on Silom Road.

People then fled for their lives.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thauguban said late last night three people had been killed and 75 people injured, including many serious cases. The injured were sent to Bangkok Christian, BNH, Chulalongkorn and Lerdsin hospitals.

Only one of the three dead was identified, Tanyanan Taebthong. She was 26 years old.

The area near Sala Daeng intersection and the Sala Daeng BTS station had become a protest hotspot over the past few days, as more people living and working there turned up to vent their frustration at the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), which had set up barricades on the other side of the intersection.

US Travel Alert

2010-04-25T06:24:00.000+06:30

Travel Alert

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Bureau of Consular Affairs

April 22, 2010

The State Department alerts U.S. citizens traveling to and residing in Thailand of ongoing demonstrations in Bangkok. Due to escalating violence in central Bangkok, all U.S. citizens should avoid nonessential travel to Bangkok. Those traveling outside of Bangkok in Thailand should be aware of the possibility of disturbances elsewhere and should exercise caution and good judgment. This replaces the Travel Alert dated April 12, 2010, to update information on security concerns. This Travel Alert will expire on July 22, 2010.

Three Bombs Blast in Yangon

2010-04-16T14:48:00.012+06:30

16 April 2010
MRTV-3

Insurgents blasted a series of 3 bombs in front of the X2O Water Pandal on the ring bound of Kandawgyi Lake in Yangon on Thursday. The blasts occurred at about 3 pm, killing 8, and injuring 170 civilians. The injured were immediately sent to the Yangon General Hospital. The bombs were detonated among the crowd celebrating the Myanmar Thingyan Water Festival.

The authorities are investigation the parties responsible for the blasts, and vow to expose the insurgents. Authorities warn the public taking part in the water festival throughout Myanmar including Nay Pyi Taw, Yangon and Mandalay, to be on high alert. And immediately inform relevant authorities if they observe suspicious activities, via telephone or any other means. There is an air of shock and anger at the insurgents responsible, for the death of innocent people, during this time of celebration.

Why Safety and Security is Important Today?

2010-04-07T08:40:00.001+06:30

No Safety, No Security = No Business

Aviation Security News - 5th APRIL 2010

On Wednesday (30/03), the European Commission published it’s thirteenth update of the list of airlines banned from operating in the European Union, to include all air carriers of two additional countries: Sudan and the Philippines, on the basis of safety assessments by ICAO. The operations of Iran Air will be restricted, and all carriers from 17 countries are banned: Angola, Benin, DRC, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Indonesia, Kazakhstan (with the exception of one carrier which operates under restrictions and conditions), the Kyrgyz Republic, Liberia, Philippines, Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Sao Tome and Principe, Sudan, Swaziland and Zambia. 10 carriers are allowed to operate under restrictions and conditions - Air Koryo from the Democratic People Republic of Korea, TAAG Angola Airlines, Air Astana from Kazakhstan, Iran Air from Iran Gabon Airlines, Afrijet and SN2AG from Gabon, Air Bangladesh, Air Service Comores and Ukrainian Mediterranean Airlines from Ukraine.

Airline operators want better airport security

2010-04-03T07:05:00.002+06:30

By Okechukwu Nnodim

April 2, 2010 04:27AM

Next News

Airline operators in the country, yesterday, described the incident, in which a taxi driver crashed into an aeroplane, as an “act of terrorism” and called on the federal government to improve security at all airports in the country.

On Wednesday, 95 passengers onboard an Arik Air Boeing 737 700 aircraft at the Margaret Ekpo International Airport, Calabar, were left scrambling for their lives after the driver of a registered taxi cab intentionally crashed his car into their aircraft.

The operators, under their umbrella union, Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), disclosed that Wednesday’s security breach should not be taken lightly as is being reported by the aviation security personnel at the airport.

“To imagine that a driver who does not work at an airport penetrates up to the point of hitting a plane that is about to takeoff is highly unbelievable and indicates a serious security breach at that airport,” said Mohammed Tukur, assistant secretary general AON, during a briefing at the presidential wing of the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos.

Calling on the government and other security agencies to assist aviation security personnel of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to get to the root of the situation, Mr. Tukur said the incident is “dangerous” to the growth of airlines.

“We want the federal government and relevant security outfits to investigate this matter beyond what they (aviation security) are saying that the driver is a madman,” he said.

“We keep complaining that the airports authority is not serious about safety and security of lives and this was displayed yesterday at Calabar international airport.”

Akin Olukuknle, general manager public affairs FAAN, disclosed that the driver of the cab was on top speed and could not be stopped by security operatives at the airport.

“The guy was on top speed and he slammed into the first and second barriers guarded by airforce men at the airport,” he said.

Additional security

Meanwhile, the airline operators requested an increase in security across airports in the country, adding that Calabar incident was targeted at an expensive aircraft owned by only a few carriers in the country.

“If the government needs to provide additional security personnel at the airport, then so be it, for it is very important at this time,” said Tukur.

“The Boeing 737 700 aircraft in question which is being parked right now because of the damages done it by that taxi can buy ten passenger MD 83 planes.”

U.S. Implements New Airline Security Measures

2010-04-03T07:00:00.001+06:30

April 2, 2010 | 7:07 AM ET
FOX News

A Senior Administration Official tells Fox that Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on Friday will announce changes to current aviation security procedures. In the wake of the attempted Christmas day airline bombing, DHS will add a new layer of measures that utilize real-time, threat-based intelligence and will apply to all flights entering the United States.

The enhanced measures will apply to all passengers traveling by air to the United States. "To more effectively mitigate evolving terrorist threats, these measures utilize multiple, random layers of security," said a Senior Administration Official. "Both seen and unseen and are tailored to intelligence about potential threats."

Additional screening will be conducted on passengers traveling into the U.S. if they match "current, intelligence-driven and threat-based characteristics."

The White House says that individuals flying from international destinations may notice enhanced security and screening measures throughout the passenger check-in and boarding process, including the use of explosives trace detection, advanced imaging technology, canine teams, or pat downs, among other security measures.

Air carriers and foreign countries were notified of the changes on Thursday, with the new measures being implemented Friday.

The security changes are the result of the President's review of intelligence surrounding the December 25, 2009 incident.

Weekly News (22 Mar 2010- 29 Mar 2010)

2010-04-03T06:58:00.001+06:30

CHILE

On Tuesday (23/03), an IED functioned outside the headquarters of LAN Airlines, the Chilean national carrier, in Santiago. The device, said to comprise a bottle filled with hydrochloric acid and coins, resulted in minor damage to the building. Authorities suspect the attack, and another against a bank in the city, are related to the upcoming anniversary, commonly known as the Day of the Young Combatant, of the death of two brothers killed by police in 1985 while protesting the dictatorship of General Pinochet.

GAMBIA

On Monday (22/03), it was reported that the head of security at Banjul Airport (BJL) is reported to have left the country after he was arrested and questioned by the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) in connection with an investigation into drug trafficking involving the Inspector General of Police, who was recently sacked after being arrested for offences relating to espionage and drugs smuggling at BJL.

INDIA

On Friday (26/03), it was reported that three former Kingfisher Airlines employees were arrested in connection with the discovery of an IED in the hold of a Kingfisher ATR72 on March 21st at Bangalore Airport (BLR). The three were detained by immigration officials at BLR as they were about to board a flight to Dubai (DXB) with an onward connection to Kabul (KBL). The three ground staff members recently resigned from the carrier. One of those arrested had previously been a member of the CISF. (See the original report in ASN 220310).

On Saturday (27/03), the CISF launched an investigation after two separate breaches of security in the restricted area of Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Airport (DEL). A 65-year-old man scaled the perimeter fence close to an emergency access point. He was detained by the CISF and was later handed over to Police. He later claimed that he wanted to get to Saudi Arabia. In the second incident, a 28 year-old male was arrested after he climbed a tree and jumped over the perimeter fence close to a maintenance area. He reached the apron where he attempted to board an Air India aircraft before being detained by security officers.

ISRAEL

On Wednesday (24/03), following the decision of the British Government to expel the head of Mossad’s London station, it was claimed that an investigation by the UK's Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) into the use of cloned British passports in the assassination in Dubai of Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, concluded that the documents must have been cloned with the assistance of control agency staff at Tel Aviv Airport (TLV) or at Israeli airline offices in other countries.

KUWAIT

On Friday (26/03), a baggage handler at Kuwait Airport (KWI) was arrested in connection with the theft of a briefcase containing a quantity of cash from a passenger in the departures area. The loader was attempting to leave the airport in possession of the stolen money when he was stopped by security officers.

UNITED KINGDOM

On Wednesday (24/03), a man who wanted Police at London Gatwick Airport (LGW) to shoot him in a "death-by-cop suicide" was sent to prison for three years for possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence. The court heard that David Sheehan boarded a bus to the airport in July, telling passengers: "Don't go to Gatwick as people are going to get shot." He got off the bus and made his way to a shop where he pointed a replica pistol at a member of staff and said: "Where are the police, I'm ready to die." Officers arrived and when he appeared to reach for his replica gun again, he was shot with a Taser.

On Wednesday (24/03), a committee of MP’s condemned airport security chiefs for failing to keep ahead of terrorists, and said 'overseas weak points' in airport security posed a serious risk to the United Kingdom. The all-party Home Affairs Select Committee said that airport operators had been reluctant to aggressively adopt new measures. The Committee said the Government's approach was "wholly reactive" and involved "waiting for terrorists to demonstrate their new capabilities before implementing improved security measures." They criticised delays in introducing new security technology and supported the introduction of body imaging, saying that privacy concerns "are overstated" and "should not prevent the deployment of scanners". The committee also recommended that airport scanners should be camouflaged to prevent the identification of the equipment used. Go to the Resources page for the full report.

UNITED STATES

On Tuesday (23/03), the terminal at Yuma Airport (YUM) was evacuated after an anonymous caller claimed that there were four explosive devices in the building. An EOD unit from nearby Marine Corps Air Station Yuma was called. The area was searched by Police using explosives detections dogs, but nothing unusual was found. The airport was closed for almost two hours.

On Wednesday (24/03), Retired Major General Robert Harding said he wants to shift airport passenger screening closer to the Israeli model to include more behaviour detection in a bid to thwart terrorist plots. Harding, who was nominated as a possible head of the TSA, said that while the Israeli security system was smaller, it offered a blueprint for trying to thwart terrorism plots in the aviation system. He told the Senate Commerce Committee "We should move even closer to an Israeli model where there's more engagement with passengers, I think that increases the layers and pushes the layers out." He said the TSA had about 2,000 behavioral detection officers and that expanded training was needed. Harding later withdrew from consideration for the TSA post after senators questioned his business and personal dealings as a military contractor.

TSA Weekly Stats (15th - 21st March, 2010)

5 artfully concealed prohibited items found at checkpoints

28 firearms found at checkpoints

2 pax arrested due to suspicious behaviour or fraudulent travel documents

Man dies after stabbing at MB International Airport

2010-03-21T14:49:00.000+06:30

Posted: Mar 19, 2010 9:41 PM MST
Updated: Mar 20, 2010 6:00 AM MST
By: News .com

HORRY COUNTY, SC (WMBF) - Police in Horry County say one man is dead following a stabbing at the Myrtle Beach International Airport late Friday morning.
Sgt. Robert Kegler, spokesman for the Horry County Police Department, said authorities were alerted of an unauthorized person on the airfield at the Myrtle Beach International Airport at 10:45 a.m.
Police were dispatched to the airport after a maintenance worker found the unidentified man in a restricted section of the airport. As authorities responded to the scene, that's when Kegler said the man began stabbing himself.
"In the process, the man pulled out a knife and began to stab himself repeatedly," said Kegler. "As a result of that stabbing, the male suspect has now been pronounced dead at Grand Strand Hospital."
The 49-year-old was transported to the Grand Strand Regional Medical Center and died of his injuries at 11:05 a.m.
Airport officials say the man was not a passenger on a flight and have not commented on any association with Myrtle Beach International.

In the hours following the incident, Transportation Security Administration spokesman Jon Allen revealed federal officials are reviewing the circumstances of Friday morning to determine how the 49-year-old accessed a remote portion of the airfield.
"We want to recognize the quick actions of the airport employee who identified his presence and the rapid response by law enforcement," Allen added.
Lauren Morris, spokeswoman for the Myrtle Beach International Airport, said the situation has not impacted incoming or outgoing flights.

Pakistani court charges 5 Americans with terrorism

2010-03-21T14:44:00.000+06:30

BY Stephanie Gaskell
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Wednesday, March 17th 2010, 9:57 AM

Five Americans face life in a Pakistani jail after officials there charged them with plotting terror attacks.
A Pakistani court charged the five men from Virginia on Wednesday with attempting to join al Qaeda-linked groups to carry out attacks in Pakistan.
Officials said they believe the group was also planning to go to Afghanistan to fight against U.S. and NATO troops.
The men, all Muslims ranging from 18 to 25 years old, deny the charges, claiming they were planning to work with charity groups in Afghanistan.
"The charges were read out by the judge. The judge asked if they accept the charges. All the accused unanimously rejected them. They said 'We totally deny the charges," said their lawyer, Hasan Dastagir.
He called the charges "lies" and said the men believe they are being framed by Pakistan and the United States.
The men, whose names have not been released, are from Pakistan, Egypt, Yemen and Eritrea, officials said.
They were arrested in December in Sardogha in Punjab province.
Their families had reported them missing in November after one of the men left behind a farewell video, saying Muslims must be defended.
Local police said they intercepted e-mails showing the group had contacted Pakistani militants who wanted to use them in attacks.
They also said the men had raised money for the cause. A hearing is scheduled for March 31.

Security tightened at transport hubs

2010-03-21T14:40:00.000+06:30

Published: 10/03/2010 at 03:04 PM
By: Bangkok Post

The Transport Ministry has taken steps to ensure that travellers can use bus terminals and airports across the country normally during the mass anti-government rally in Bangkok this weekend, transport permanent secretary Supoth Sublom said on Wednesday.

He said Transport Minister Sohpon Zarum had issued orders to ensure the operations of major transport hubs, especially Suvarnabhumi and Don Mueang airports, would not be disrupted by the red-shirt protesters.

"There are four or five measures [in place] and alternative routes have been prepared if the main routes are obstructed," Mr Supoth said.

The transport minister had also assigned security officers to guard state property and ensure people's safety.

Public buses had been told to change their usual routes to avoid the protesters, as they may damage the buses, the permanent secretary said.

Transport Department teams will oversee the orderliness of various roads in the capital, he added.

Stolen weapons not connected to reds

2010-03-21T14:38:00.000+06:30

ARMY INVESTIGATION FINDS SOLDIERS TOOK ARMS TO SELL TO SOUTHERN INSURGENTS

Published: 21/03/2010 at 12:00 AM

By: Bangkok Post

Weapons which disappeared from an arms depot in Phatthalung were stolen by soldiers who hoped to sell them to insurgents in the southernmost provinces, the army says.

The theft has nothing to do with the red shirt rally as earlier thought, according to a 4th Army investigation.
Disclosing the result of the inquiry yesterday, 4th Army commander Pichet Wisaijorn said the arms had been recovered and taken back to barracks.
The theft occurred at Fort Aphai Borirak, home of the 401 Engineers Battalion in Phatthalung province, on March 2.
Thieves stole weapons and ammunition from the depot.
They included about 2,000 rounds from M16 and HK rifles, about 1,000 rounds for an 11mm pistol, and about 20 anti-personnel M26 and M67 grenades.
The 4th Army set up a panel to investigate the theft, as troops were worried the weapons could be used to harm internal security.
Lt Gen Pichet said a group of 10 privates at the military unit who were on guard duty that night was involved in the theft.
The soldiers are natives of Pattani, one of the strife-torn provinces in the far South.
Officers who are Pattani natives, and based at Fort Ingkhayutborihan in Pattani, were invited to take part in the investigation.
The 10 soldiers admitted stealing the weapons, said Lt Gen Pichet.
They separated the arms in three parts - one cache was buried in Fort Aphai Borirak, another hidden at Mayo district in Pattani, and a third hidden at Tak Bai district in Narathiwat.
Lt Gen Pichet said the privates told the investigation that they needed money and made contact with insurgent groups in Pattani which wanted arms to instigate violence in the southern-border areas.
The 4th Army chief, who oversees security in the southern provinces, said the investigation also found that the 10 privates had taken part in insurgent networks.
Authorities were extending their investigation to find out which insurgent groups they joined.
The 10 privates are now in detention pending legal action, said Lt Gen Pichet.
Earlier, inquiries focused on the red shirt group which is rallying against the government in Bangkok.
The government thought the arms might have been transported to Bangkok for acts of sabotage during the red rallies underway this week.

Weekly News (8 Mar 2010- 15 Mar 2010)

2010-03-18T17:52:00.000+06:30

AUSTRALIA

On Saturday (13/02), it was reported that a trade union representing staff at Brisbane Airport (BNE) has expressed concern over the security of crew meals and poor screening of personal property being taken airside by airport staff'. The union say that staff at Qantas Flight Catering claim that meals intended for flight crew are clearly identifiable, and are vulnerable to malicious interference. The union also claimed that baggage handling staff and their property are not properly screened. The claims were supported by a local paper which claimed that staff at at Virgin Blue's domestic terminal at BNE were seen to walk from the terminal into a secure area with access to the tarmac, without having their bags checked.

BELGIUM

On Sunday (14/03), an anonymous caller claimed that there was a bomb on board a Ryanair B737 preparing to depart Charleroi Airport (CRL) for Fez (FEZ) in Morocco. The aircraft was searched by security forces, but nothing unusual was found.

INDIA

On Monday (08/03), the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) announced that it is increasing security in landside areas at Delhi Airport (DEL), after intelligence indicated that terrorists have considered an attack on the airport entrances and crowded check-in areas. Security is also being enhanced at Mumbai (BOM). The CISF is currently carrying out assessments on similar areas of Kolkata (CCU), Hyderabad (HYD) and Bangalore (BLR), and intends to expand the programme to the country’s 57 large airports.

On Wednesday (10/03), it was reported that India’s sky marshals have threatened to stop flying on Air India and Jet Airways flights, operating between Mumbai (BOM) and Kathmandu (KTM), after colleagues made a number of complaints of insufficient food and lodging arrangements on missions. In response, the Civil Aviation Ministry has written to all carriers operating in the region, asking that they treat sky marshals on a par with cabin crew. In response to an increased threat of hijacking, the Indian Government deployed sky marshals on flights to neighbouring states.

On Friday (12/03), an anonymous caller claimed that there was a bomb on board an Indigo Airlines A320 operating between Delhi (DEL) and Bangalore (BLR). The aircraft was searched by the CISF, and all pax and baggage were reverse screened. Nothing unusual was found. One uncorroborated report claimed that the hoax call was traced to a mobile phone. The caller had demanded to talk to a named member of staff, and made the bomb threat when his request was refused.

NETHERLANDS

On Tuesday (09/03), the National Anti-terror Coordinator announced that security procedures at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport (AMS) had been tightened in response to a report in ASN last week that a group of reporters refilled bottles bought at a duty free store, resealed them and smuggled them back into the store where they had bought them. The Coordinator said that there would be tighter checks on bottles bought in duty free outlets. AMS was targeted because the screening of passengers and cabin baggage is conducted at the boarding gate rather than prior to entering the departure lounge where the duty-free shops are located. A spokesperson for AMS said the airport was aware of the possible weak link in its security before it was exposed on national television, but it was judged to be an acceptable level of risk.

UNITED KINGDOM

On Tuesday (09/03), a man and woman were arrested in connection with two laser attacks on a helicopter operated by Bedfordshire Police. The aircraft was responding to a call in Luton when a laser was pointed at it on two occasions in the same area. The two suspects were arrested for the new offence of ‘shining a light at an aircraft in flight so as to dazzle or distract’. Both were released on bail.

On Thursday (11/03), a Bangladeshi born British Airways IT engineer appeared in court in London charged with a series of terrorist offences. Rajib Karim faces two charges of engaging in conduct in preparation of terrorist acts and one charge of fundraising for the purposes of terrorism. He was remanded in custody. The three charges span a four-year period, from 13 April 2006 to 25 February this year, and relate to offences inside and outside of the UK. The court heard that the man had offered to take advantage of planned strikes by BA staff to join the airline's cabin crew.

UNITED STATES

On Wednesday (10/03), a former TSA employee appeared in a Colorado court, charged with trying to damage computer systems there after he lost his job. The prosecution claim that Douglas James Duchak, 46, tried to infect a computer at the TSA's Colorado Springs Operations Center with malicious code. The code, a logic bomb installed last October, was designed to cause damage and disrupt data on servers on an undisclosed date but was discovered before it caused any damage. He entered a not-guilty plea. The operations centre handles information from a terrorist screening database.

On Thursday (11/03), it was reported that in the three months since the arrest of Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmuttalab, the US ‘no-fly’ list has nearly doubled — from about 3,400 people to about 6,000 people. The report stated that the list expanded, in part, to add people associated with AQ in Yemen and Nigeria.

TSA Weekly Stats (1st - 7th March, 2010)

4 artfully concealed prohibited items found at checkpoints

19 firearms found at checkpoints

13 pax arrested due to suspicious behaviour or fraudulent travel documents

Weekly News (1 Mar 2010-8 Mar 2010)

2010-03-14T07:19:00.000+06:30

AUSTRALIA

On Saturday (06/03), it was reported that the Australian Airports Association (AAA) has condemned the government’s regulation of the aviation security identification card system. The organisation, which represents the nation’s airport operators, said that nothing of significance had been done to improve the Aviation Security Identification Card (ASIC) system, despite Sir John Wheelers recommendations in 2005. A reported 10% of the 33,644 people issued with ASICs have been criminal records, whilst only 148 applicants have failed to qualify for cards. AAA claims that there is no system in place to update information from criminal records, and absurdly relies on card holders volunteering information on any convictions received subsequent to the issue of their ASIC.

ISRAEL

On Tuesday (02/03), the Israeli and US Governments announced a new agreement which will enhance information sharing about aviation security incidents. The MOU recognizes the need for cooperation between the Ministry of Transport and the TSA to manage aviation-related security incidents—establishing designated points of contact for each agency; protocols for notification in the event of an incident; mechanisms to enhance communication; and regular exercises.

KUWAIT

On Tuesday (02/03), it was reported that an American man has claimed responsibility for a serious of hoax bomb calls including a call that resulted in a security alert at Kuwait Airport (KWI) on February 19th. The man, who calls himself Orlando Turner told a Kuwaiti newspaper that he would continue the hoax calls, until Kuwaiti authorities settled the ongoing custody battle over his eleven-month-old daughter with his former wife. The report claimed that the Kuwaiti Police have passed the information to the FBI.

MEXICO

On Tuesday (02/03), it was reported a Police investigation into human smuggling resulted in the arrest of ten Immigration Officers at Cancun Airport (CUN). A Federal Police spokesman said that the immigration officers, along with the two members of Mexicana Airlines staff and an employee of Italian carrier Livingston Air, allegedly facilitated the entry of Chinese nationals into Mexico using false travel documents. The arrests were part of an investigation into corruption at CUN that resulted in the detention of 26 other immigration officers in January.

NETHERLANDS

On Tuesday (02/03), the first officer of a Corendon B737 preparing to depart Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport (AMS) for Ankara (ANK) was arrested for possession of false documents. It is alleged that the Swedish national has been flying without a commercial pilots licence for 13 years. The Dutch Inspection of Traffic and Water was informed by Swedish authorities that the pilot was operating in the Netherlands and was using a false Airline Transport Pilot License, which is required for pilots of passenger aircraft. Corendon was briefed in advance and was able to arrange a replacement pilot. The pilot allegedly said he was relieved to have been caught, and that he had flown for more than 13 years with a number of carriers in Belgium, the UK and Italy.

On Sunday (07/03), a Dutch reporter claimed to have transported up to 6 litres of liquid on commercial flights from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport (AMS). In a TV broadcast, the reporter demonstrated how he and two associates smuggled bottles of water from AMS to London Heathrow (LHR) then interlining onto Washington Dulles Airport (IAD). The group carried six Bacardi Rum bottles that were bought a week earlier at the duty-free shop, taken home, emptied and refilled with water. The day of the flight to LHR, the three posed as if they were buying the bottles at the landside duty free shop. The cashier sealed the bottles in bags, marked them with their ticket and flight date, and returned them to the pax. At Heathrow, the group transferred to United Airlines 925. Screening staff at AMS and LHR allowed the bottles through.

UNITED KINGDOM

On Tuesday (02/03), an American Airlines B763, operating between Dallas (DFW) and London Heathrow (LHR) contacted Shanwick air traffic control and declared an in-flight emergency after a female pax became disruptive, and apparently attempted to enter the flight deck. Two RAF fighters were scrambled to investigate the incident, but broke away after it was reported that the situation on board had returned to normal. The aircraft continued to LHR, where the female pax was arrested by Police. It is understood that the passenger had become increasingly agitated on the flight, and appeared to have suffered a panic attack.

On Wednesday (03/03), it was reported that a member of British Airways staff was arrested at the company’s offices in Newcastle in connection with terrorist fund-raising. Searches were conducted at the premises and a residential address when the 30-year-old was arrested on February 25th. A BA baggage handler was also arrested under the Terrorism Act in Slough near Heathrow Airport (LHR) after phone records showed calls between the two men.

On Wednesday (03/03), it was reported that two female pax were prevented from boarding a Pakistan International Airlines flight from Manchester Airport (MAN) to Islamabad (ISB) after they refused to undergo a full body scan. One, who is believed to be a Muslim, refused for religious reasons and the other cited health grounds. The Rapiscan machines were introduced at MAN in October 2009. The women were warned they were legally required to go through the scanner, after being chosen at random, or they would not be allowed to fly, in accordance with UK Government directives, an airport spokesman said.

UNITED STATES

On Wednesday (03/03), it was reported that TSA plans to install 100 scanners that will allow pax to pass through security with their shoes on. The report claimed that the TSA is examining systems developed by a number of companies, that are capable of detecting explosives or weapons hidden in footwear, without requiring the shoes or boots to be removed. TSA has previously trialled shoe scanners, but the technology had not been developed to the standard required for deployment.

TSA Weekly Stats (22nd - 28th February, 2010)

3 artfully concealed prohibited items found at checkpoints

17 firearms found at checkpoints

5 pax arrested due to suspicious behaviour or fraudulent travel documents

Why Employee's Background Check is Important

2010-03-08T08:39:00.000+06:30

Second British Airways worker arrested over 'terrorist fund-raising plot'

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 10:12 AM on 04th March 2010

A Heathrow Airport worker is in police custody today after a series of raids into an alleged terrorist fund-raising plot.
The man is the second British Airways worker held after three men were arrested in dawn raids this morning, taking to four the number in custody.
It follows the arrest on Thursday of a 30-year-old British Airways employee in Newcastle.
The three men, aged 31, 32 and 43, were seized by police at 5am today in Slough.

Grounded: A British Airways worker was arrested in Newcastle on suspicion of terrorism fundraising

The men are now being questioned about a plot to fund a terrorist attack.

Police refused to clarify what positions the two BA employees had within the airline. Sources said the latest arrests were 'significant'.

A spokesman for British Airways said: 'An employee was arrested in Slough today. We take all matters relating to security extremely seriously and as a responsible company always fully cooperate with the police.
'As with any issue relating to a police investigation it would be inappropriate to comment further.'
Scotland Yard said today: 'Three men were arrested in Slough for alleged offences of terrorist fundraising. The men were arrested at separate addresses by officers from the South-East Counter Terrorism Unit. As part of a joint operation with the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, the men were taken to a central London police station.'
Members of the security services have been on increased alert after the failed Christmas Day bomb plot to blow up a jet over Detroit in the United States.
Former University of London student Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab is being held in the US over the attempt.

Fake pilot arrested moments before take-off

2010-03-08T08:33:00.000+06:30

By RNW News

A pilot has been arrested at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport for flying passenger planes for 13 years with a false licence.
The 41-year-old Swede was in the cockpit of a Corendon Airlines Boeing 737 about to take off for Ankara with 101 passengers on board when the Dutch police arrested him after a tip from the Swedish authorities.
The Turkish low-budget airline was informed in advance and had a second pilot lined up to take over the flight.
The fake pilot says he has been flying for 13 years on a false licence and had spent at least 10,000 hours flying hours in the cockpit. He had worked for airlines in Belgium, Great Britain and Italy. Once arrested, he appeared relieved that his deception had come to light and immediately removed his stripes.
The man did have a pilot's licence, but it was not valid for passenger aircraft, so he had falsified it.
A lawyer for Corendon Airlines says the fake pilot had worked for the budget airline company for the last two years and had “expertly misled the company with his false papers”. At other airlines he had managed to pass tests with flying colours.
The lawyer called it pure luck that he had never flown alone and said the fake pilot will never pilot a Corendon Airlines flight again.

Claim that organised crime affects Australian airports

2010-03-06T06:59:00.000+06:30

Miawling Lam
From: The Sunday Mail (Qld)

ORGANISED crime syndicates have infiltrated every level of Australian airports, with corrupt baggage handlers, customs officials and airline staff smuggling drugs and firearms into the country.

Leading federal authorities, trade unions, border protection groups and airlines have revealed there are gaping holes in aviation and maritime security.
A new federal parliamentary inquiry has heard less than 1 per cent of air cargo is physically examined and catering trucks are never searched.
The Australian Federal Police Association claim the "declare" or "nothing to declare" customs system is also allowing drug mules to freely smuggle illicit drugs without being caught.
"The introduction of the voluntary 'declare' or 'nothing to declare' process at Australian airports has increased the ability for organised crime to utilise mules to transport narcotics and other illicit goods through the customs barrier undetected," the Association's submission states.
The Australian Services Union is also critical of the system, saying it was inappropriate that international passengers were allowed to bypass scrutiny.
Qantas' submission to the inquiry admits corrupt employees could misuse their positions.
"The potential for a trusted insider (airport/airline employees, contractors, security personnel, retailers and so on) to circumvent security measures and use their knowledge of the environment is an ongoing consideration for aviation industry participants," it states.
Last September, The Sunday Mail highlighted concerns over scant security checks of Qantas Catering staff with access to aircraft at Brisbane Airport.
Labor senator and committee chairman Steve Hutchins, who oversaw two public hearings last week, admitted border security was lax.
"We are not at all impressed about what appears to be the ease with which people are able to access maritime cards let alone aviation security cards," he told The Sunday Mail.
"Over the years, it's been proven that on the waterfront and in airports, there are clearly people who have links to organised and serious crime.
"Whatever we can do, we should do to root them out and make sure that illegal drugs and firearms aren't on the streets."
Senator Hutchins said he was also disturbed by allegations people accessing areas near the baggage and ground handling services did not have passes.
Transport Workers Union federal secretary Tony Sheldon said catering materials and air cargo were rarely inspected and that a delegate with 20 years' experience was only aware of one inspection in the past year.
Australian Customs say less than 40,000 of the 6.1 million piece of luggage screened by X-rays are opened and searched for prohibited items.
The Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Australian Crime Commission was established to look into the adequacy of security measures in the aviation and maritime sector.
The committee is expected to hand down their findings later this year.
In a hearing in Sydney on Friday, Mr Sheldon
was especially critical of the main screening system for airport employees - the aviation security identification cards, or ASIC system.
"What is particularly disturbing is that there is such a capacity to have multiple associates of organised crime able to get into our airports who have not been ASIC-checked," he said.

Weekly News (22 Feb 2010- 1 Mar 2010)

2010-03-06T06:52:00.000+06:30

CANADA

On Wednesday (25/02), Police were called to a WestJet B737, preparing to depart Montreal Airport (YUL) for Toronto (YYZ) after crew reported the unspecified suspicious behaviour of a male pax on board. The pax had apparently been on board the same aircraft for the YYZ/YUL sector, and had rebooked on the return leg despite the quick turn round. The pax was removed from the flight by Police. All other pax were evacuated from the aircraft, which was then searched by Police using explosives detection dogs. Nothing unusual was found. The suspicious pax was released a short time later.

INDIA

On Friday (26/02), an investigation was launched after a security breach at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Airport (DEL) when an aircraft arriving from Hyderabad (HYD) was forced to abort it’s landing and go around after an air traffic controller saw a naked man lying in the middle of the active runway. The drunk male had climbed a 10ft perimeter fence before making his way to Runway 29. He was detained by the CISF.

On Saturday (27/02), it was reported that Police at Cochin Airport (COK) arrested two baggage handlers in connection with theft from passenger’s bags. The two loaders were later charged with theft of money from baggage on an Air India flight from Mumbai (BOM). In a separate operation, seven loaders employed by the handling agent, Livewel, were arrested in connection with the theft of 50 mobile phones from a consignment due to be sent to London.

IRELAND

On Tuesday (23/02), DHS Secretary, Janet Napolitano, announced the expansion of pre-clearance services for general aviation aircraft departing Shannon Airport (SNN) for the United States beginning March 1st. The pre-inspection facility, which is already used by scheduled traffic between the two countries gives DHS the ability to clear passengers and baggage prior to departure. Pre-cleared pax do not need to undergo an additional inspection upon arrival in the US.

UNITED KINGDOM

On Wednesday (24/02), two men appeared in court after they were arrested for criminal damage to a number of aircraft in a hangar at Dundee Airport (DND). The two men had been drinking in the city centre when they climbed the perimeter fence and enter the restricted area at DND. They broke into three aircraft, entered the cockpit of one, and sprayed five aircraft with a fire extinguisher, causing more than £8000 worth of damage. Police arrived at the scene to find one of the men straddling a plane covered in foam, and wearing a pink cowboy hat. The pair admitted entering the restricted zone and discharging a fire extinguisher over five aircraft, making them unsafe to operate. Both were ordered to pay compensation for the damage caused.

On Thursday (25/02), a Turkish student was fined £2000 after he pleaded guilty to a breach of the peace by acting in a disorderly manner and placing members of the public in a state of fear and alarm at Inverness Airport (INV). The 23 year old felt he was being picked on, when he told a security screener that he may have a bomb in his bag. He also claimed to have a gun. He apologised to the court for his behaviour.

UNITED STATES

On Monday (22/02), a contract IT worker at Raleigh-Durham Airport (RDU) was arrested after he used his SIDA badge to help a Delta passenger bypass the security screening area. The worker met his female friend in the check-in area, and offered to facilitate her through to the restricted zone. The staff member’s actions were observed by a member of TSA, who called RDU Police. He was later charged with disorderly conduct. The female pax was charged with second-degree trespassing. Both charges are misdemeanors. The man had been employed by ServiceTec International to maintain flight information video displays. His SIDA badge was confiscated, and he was required to quit the airport.

On Monday (22/02), a GAO report stated that although the State Department developed a comprehensive set of controls to govern the operation and management of a digital signature on the chip of each e-passport it issues, DHS is not able to fully verify the digital signatures because it has not deployed e-passport readers to all of its ports of entry. Because the value of security features depends not only on design, but also on an inspection process that uses them, the additional security against forgery and counterfeiting that could be provided by the inclusion of computer chips on e-passports issued by the United States and other countries is not being fully utilised. Go to the Resources page for the full report.

On Wednesday (25/02), a number of Pakistani media outlets reported that Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has informed passengers about enhanced TSA screening for pax travelling from New York (JFK) to Pakistan. PIA said that TSA has notified them that Pakistani citizens would automatically be treated as selectees, and as such would be given additional body and cabin baggage searches. PIA has also advised pax to be at JFK at least five hours prior to departure, and that the PIA check-in would now close 1 hour and 15 minutes before departure.

TSA Weekly Stats (15th - 21st February, 2010)

6 artfully concealed prohibited items found at checkpoints

19 firearms found at checkpoints

5 pax arrested due to suspicious behaviour or fraudulent travel documents

Airport Worker Charged with Helping Passenger Skip Screening

2010-02-26T07:15:00.000+06:30

By news observer

An airport contractor was arrested at Raleigh-Durham International Airport this morning after officers said he illegally used his security badge to help a Delta Air Lines passenger bypass security screening.

“A friend of his was traveling out, and he offered to take [her] onto the concourse, bypassing security,” said Mindy Hamlin, RDU spokeswoman.

“When they stepped onto the concourse, a TSA [Transportation Security Administration] officer saw them immediately and notified an RDU law enforcement officer. And they were arrested and cited.”

RDU Airport police charged Jonathan Carl Gregg, 37, of Garner with disorderly conduct. The passenger, Amy Farrar Farmer, 31, of Apex was charged with second-degree trespassing. Both charges are misdemeanors.
Farmer had been waiting in the security line at Terminal 2 to catch a 6 a.m. Delta flight connecting to New Orleans. Hamlin and Jonathan Allen, a spokesman for the TSA, said Gregg escorted her onto the passenger concourse by using his badge to open a door into a secure area where the public is not allowed to enter.
Farmer was screened after officers arrested her.
“The passenger was taken to the checkpoint, [she was] screened and [she was] negative,” Allen said. “So [she was] found to have nothing on [her] that contained any type of threat.”
The two were not detained. The Federal Bureau of Investigation was notified but had not made any decision about federal changes late today, Hamlin said.
Gregg was employed by Servicetec International, an airport subcontractor, to help operate and maintain the flight information video displays and other technology in Terminal 2. He was stripped of his security badge “and escorted off the property” and will not be allowed to return to work at RDU, she said.
“There was no ill intention here,” Hamlin said. “It was just a bad choice, choosing not to follow the process, and that’s very serious.”
The incident was not regarded as a security threat, and other travelers were not affected, Hamlin said. Farmer caught a later flight.

Weekly News (16 Feb 2010 to 22 Feb 2010)

2010-02-26T04:22:00.000+06:30

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

On Wednesday (17/02), the body of a man was seen to fall from the wheel well of an Amerijet B762 cargo aircraft shortly after it departed Santo Domingo Airport (SDQ) for Miami (MIA). Authorities were notified by air traffic controllers who saw the body fall. Operations were suspended for 45 mins, while the body was located. It is not known if the dead man was a member of staff, allowing him access to the maneuvering area, or had breached security to get to the aircraft.

EGYPT

On Wednesday (17/02), an anonymous caller claimed that there was a bomb on board an Alitalia A321 preparing to depart Cairo Airport (CAI) for Rome Fiumicino (FCO). Passengers, including the Egyptian Tourism Minister were evacuated, and the aircraft was taken to a remote stand, where it was searched by security forces. Nothing unusual was found. The flight landed at FCO almost four hours late.

INDIA

On Tuesday (16/02), it was reported that two British nationals were arrested at the Radisson Hotel near Delhi Airport (DEL). Hotel staff called the Police after the men were seen using aircraft tracking and monitoring equipment in conjunction with a map of DEL. Police later said that no links to terrorist activity had been established after the men had told officials the equipment was being used for plane spotting.

MEXICO

On Wednesday (17/02), six countries signed a bilateral agreement on aviation security with Canada and the United States. The agreement at a regional meeting of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Mexico City will see Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Panama and the Dominican Republic share more information about passengers, expand the use of biometric data, and improve explosives trace detection capabilities. The eight nations also agreed to enhance passenger screening, circulate details of lost or stolen passports to Interpol, increase the use of APIS, and to share information on detecting false documents, behavior detection and vetting of airport staff.

PAKISTAN

On Tuesday (16/02), it was reported that Police at Islamabad (ISB) arrested a male passenger after members of the Airport Security Force discovered a number of bladed weapons concealed inside footwear in his cabin baggage. The pax was due to travel on a PIA flight to Birmingham (BHX). One source claimed that an attempt to hijack the aircraft had been prevented.

UNITED KINGDOM

On Sunday (14/02), it was reported that a British Airways B744 operating between London Heathrow (LHR) and Mexico City (MEX) was forced to return to LHR two hours into it’s flight, after a discrepancy was discovered in the APIS data of a US citizen on board. The male pax was offloaded when the flight landed at LHR.

On Tuesday (16/02), Inner London Crown Court heard that the wife of one of the men jailed for his part in the 2006 liquid bomb plot failed to tell police of his plans. Abdulla Ahmed Ali, 28, was jailed for at least 40 years for plotting to blow up aircraft flying to the US. Cossor Ali, 28, denies having information which was of material assistance in preventing her husband committing an act of terrorism. The court heard police found notes which Abdulla Ahmed Ali had made while listening to lectures on jihad, which had his wife's fingerprints on them. The case continues.

UNITED STATES

On Sunday (14/02), it was reported that a Pinnacle/Delta Connection CRJ preparing to depart Lansing Airport (LAN) for Detroit (DTW) was forced to return to stand after a male pax on board attempted to open an aircraft door. The aircraft was maneuvering on a taxiway, following a weather delay, when the incident happened. Flight attendants asked several pax to move to the front of the aircraft, including one pax who demanded to sit near the cockpit. The unidentified man was tackled and restrained by his fellow passengers. He was arrested but later released, after it was reported that he had been suffering from a panic attack.

On Monday (15/02), part of Terminal C at Newark Liberty Airport (EWR) was shut down for an hour after security screeners discovered wine bottles in the cabin baggage of a passenger. As a result of the find, the passenger was referred for secondary screening, but ignored the direction, and continued into the restricted area in possession of the prohibited items. Despite an extensive search, the errant pax was not located. It is believed that he boarded his flight and departed EWR.

On Tuesday (16/02), a man appeared in court in Houston in connection with a disruptive passenger incident on a Continental Airlines B767 operating between Amsterdam (AMS) and Houston (IAH) on Saturday 13th. The criminal complaint stated that the man inappropriately touched a female pax seated beside him, and became disruptive when spoken to by the crew. His behaviour led to a member of the FAM team on board breaking cover to sit next to the suspect. The FAM was then assaulted by the male pax, which resulted in his being restrained for the duration of the flight, and arrested when the flight landed at IAH.

On Tuesday (16/02), a passenger preparing to board an Air Wisconsin CRJ preparing to depart Norfolk (ORF) for Philadelphia (PHL) received a text message containing an implied bomb threat. Nothing unusual was found, but the flight was cancelled. All pax were rebooked onto a later flight to PHL. Police at PHL later carried out a search of an Air Wisconsin aircraft which had arrived from ORF. The sender of the text message was later arrested.

On Wednesday (17/02), it was reported that TSA screeners at a number of airports will shortly be provided with a portable trace detection capability which will enable them to carry out random screening of passengers at departure gates and at areas throughout the restricted area. The new programme has been successfully trialled for a period of 17 days at five airports. President Obama’s fiscal year 2011 budget prioritises key investments in aviation security, including $39 million to purchase approximately 800 portable ETD machines.

On Thursday (18/02), a United Airlines B752, operating between Denver (DEN) and San Francisco (SFO) was diverted to Salt Lake City (SLC) after a threatening note was discovered on a beverage cart by a member of cabin crew. The note was given to the pilot who decided that the threat was serious enough to divert the aircraft. The aircraft was directed to a remote stand, where it was evacuated and searched by Police. All baggage was offloaded and searched by explosives detection dogs. Nothing unusual was found.

TSA Weekly Stats (8th - 14th February, 2010)

5 artfully concealed prohibited items found at checkpoints

24 firearms found at checkpoints

22 pax arrested due to suspicious behaviour or fraudulent travel documents

Austin Plane Crash: Suicide or Terrorism?

2010-02-20T07:27:00.000+06:30

By Evan Perez

February 19, 2010, 1:18 PM ET

Wall Street Journal

Was the suicide plane attack on the Austin, Texas, office building housing the IRS a terrorist act?
U.S. national security officials say the label doesn’t matter, but have highlighted the fact that there are no known connections between the pilot, Andrew Joseph Stack, and international terrorist groups.
Some have criticized the terminology law enforcement officials have used to describe the incident; the terminology appears aimed mostly at reassuring Americans about wider security risks.
Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said: “I consider this a criminal act by a lone individual.” In the hours after the incident, as TV outlets showed images of the blazing building, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security assured that there wasn’t any “nexus to terrorist activity.” The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the lead investigator, said: “There is nothing discovered so far to indicate a larger conspiracy or international influence.”
Authorities said they recovered two bodies from the building where hundreds of Internal Revenue Service employees worked.
Still, the astonishing incident and the fact that Stack was striking out at the U.S. government begs the question: what makes him different from others classified as terrorists, such as Oklamoha City bomber Timothy McVeigh, or the alleged Christmas Day airline bombing suspect, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab?
In a lengthy manifesto posted on an Internet site, Stack lashed out at IRS, who he blamed for causing him financial problems and declared: “Violence not only is the answer, it is the only answer.”
On jihadist Web sites, Stack’s attack was being celebrated.
Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D., Texas) told reporters that he considered the attack “domestic terrorism.”
Patrick Rowan, former chief of the Justice Department’s national security division, says the classification doesn’t make a difference in the investigation. “It is kind of a silly semantic game to argue about whether or not it is terrorism,” he said. “It is a version of domestic terrorism. It doesn’t really matter except maybe for agencies keeping statistics.”
The terminology does come into play in the partisan politics of Washington, where Republicans have accused President Barack Obama of being weak on national security.
Some criticized the administration for not classifying Army psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Hasan as a terrorist after he allegedly carried out a mass shooting at the Fort Hood Army base in Texas. The FBI and the Pentagon decided the matter was more appropriately handled by the military judicial system, rather than by terrorism prosecutors.
At a conservative gathering in Washington, D.C., today, the attack was joke fodder. In remarks introducing antitax activist Grover Norquist at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Human Rights editor Jed Babbin quipped that Norquist has been “getting a little testy” recently. “And I was just really, really glad that it was not him identified as flying that airplane into the IRS building.”

Suicide by Plane (New Threat for Aviation)

2010-02-20T07:22:00.000+06:30

By SARAH NETTER and PIERRE THOMAS
Feb. 19, 2010

Investigators are trying to determine whether Andrew Joseph Stack, the man identified by authorities as the pilot of the plane, is the same person as "Joe Stack," the name signed to the online rant that warns, "Desperate times call for desperate measures."

The wife of the suicidal Texas pilot who slammed his plane into an Austin office building called the attack today an "unimaginable tragedy."

Sheryl Stack, who was mentioned in the hate-filled suicide note thought to have been left by her husband, issued a statement extending "my sincerest sympathy to the victims and their families."
"Words cannot adequately express my sorrow or the sympathy I feel for everyone affected by this unimaginable tragedy," she said.
Sheryl Stack said she would not answer any questions because of the ongoing investigation.
The sheer volume of flames and smoke pouring from the Austin office building after A. Joseph Stack slammed into with his plane has prompted authorities to investigate whether he had some kind of explosive on board, sources told ABC News.
Stack, 53, topped off his single engine Piper Cherokee with fuel before crashing into the IRS offices in a kamikaze mission designed to punish the government he believed wronged him.
The full tank of fuel is believed to have contributed to the force of the explosion and subsequent fire, which investigators believe was probably a deliberate tactic by Stack.
Despite the spectacular crash and fire that left the seven story building a blackened hulk, only Stack and one other person are believed to have died. The body of the unidentified victim, a federal employee, was pulled from the building Thursday night.
Sheryl Stack did not address the suicide note investigators believe her husband wrote -- a lengthy rage-filled diatribe against t the IRS, President George W. Bush and his own accountant.
She instead asked for "privacy and the personal space we need to get beyond the events of yesterday."
The suicide note was posted Thursday right around the same time as the 10 a.m. crash. It was signed "Joe Stack (1956-2010.)"
The note was titled "Well Mr. Big Brother IRS Man … take my pound of flesh and sleep well." It details years spent working and paying taxes, but not reaping the benefits of what he considered to be a functional government.
"I choose to not keep looking over my shoulder at 'big brother' while he strips my carcass, I choose not to ignore what is going on all around me, I choose not to pretend that business as usual won't continue; I have just had enough," the note reads.
Records show two of Stack's software companies had been suspended by the state tax board.
"I can only hope that the numbers quickly get too big to be white washed and ignored that the American zombies wake up and revolt; it will take nothing less," he wrote.
Stack's family has not yet commented on the crash, but his wife -- who was mentioned by name in his suicide note -- is expected to speak today.
Forensic psychiatrist Dr. Michael Welner told "Good Morning America" that while it may appear that Stack simply snapped under the weight of tax debt, it was clear from the suicide note that this had been brewing for some time.
"This is the kind of crime that's planned for a long time," Welner said. "I wouldn't be surprised to learn that he practiced."

al Qaeda Studied Airline Security Prior To Bomb Design

2010-02-18T07:23:00.000+06:30

February 15, 2010 by Homeland Security News

Leaders of al Qaeda in Yemen claim that they studied airline security in the U.S. and overseas carefully before designing the bomb that Umar Abdulmutallab carried with him on Christmas Day.
In a new publication, according to a translation prepared by terrorism analyst Evan Kohlmann's translators, the group claims it studied x-ray machines, metal detectors, and explosive trace sniffers in considering how to prepare the bomb.
“It becomes clear that every machine has a weakness point that can be undermined,” the article says.
It also says that al Qaeda experts have determined that the detonator in the device did, in fact, go off, consisting of more than four grams of PETN high-explosive material.
“The fuse detonated, and this is what one of the passengers spoke about, that he heard a strong sound onboard the plane,” the article says.
The main charge, it says, was sealed to prevent “hydration,” presumably a reference to the fact that the explosive powder was in a plastic pouch to prevent it from being contaminated by perspiration.

What is International Standard and Recommended Pratices?

2010-02-16T09:04:00.000+06:30

What TSA do What we do

Remark: TSA is Transportation Security Administration of United States.

Weekly News (8 Feb - 15 Feb /2010)

2010-02-16T08:21:00.000+06:30

AUSTRALIA

On Tuesday (09/02), the Australian Government announced a comprehensive package of measures to strengthen Australia's international and domestic aviation security regime against emerging threats. There will be an immediate increase in the number of passengers who will be subject to explosive trace detection at major international and domestic airports. The Government will provide $17.7 million to increase the number of AFP officers patrolling airports, and will increase the number of Explosive Detection Dogs by 50%. The government also announced a trial, in partnership with the US & UK, on technology-based solutions to assist in further improvements to the detection of liquids-based explosives. The Government also announced a grant of $54 million to assist in the installation of cargo ETD and x-ray screening technology.

On Thursday (11/02), in response to the government's $200 million to enhancing aviation security, it was reported that of 11 hijack incidents since 1960 involving Australian domestic aircraft, all were by mentally-ill persons acting alone. The report claimed that the Government’s focus should therefore be on securing US-bound flights with a secondary effort concentrated on US carriers headed for non-US destinations.

ESTONIA

On Monday (08/02), it was reported that an anonymous caller claimed that there were explosives on board an unspecified flight operated by Estonian Air. Talinn Airport (TLL) was temporarily evacuated, and a decision was made to temporarily suspend company operations at both TLL and Tartu (TAY) while security forces carried out searches of aircraft and terminal buildings. Nothing unusual was found. An Estonian national was charged in connection with the threats. He had been denied boarding on an Estonian flight from TLL to London Gatwick (LGW) earlier in the week. He was subsequently convicted and received a seven month sentence, five of which were suspended. He was also ordered to pay costs of US$10,000 to the airline.

INDIA

On Sunday (14/02), a SpiceJet B737 was directed to a remote stand when it landed at Kolkata Airport (CCU) on a flight from Chennai (MAA) after a message claiming that there was a bomb on board was discovered written on a piece of toilet tissue in a restroom. The aircraft was evacuated and searched by CISF officers. All pax and baggage were rescreened, but nothing unusual was found.

JAPAN

On Monday (08/02), it was reported that the body of a stowaway was discovered in the landing gear bay of a Delta Airlines B777 that had arrived at Tokyo Narita Airport (NRT) from New York Kennedy (JFK). The aircraft had been towed to a maintenance area, where the body was discovered by engineers carrying out a routine inspection. The male stowaway was described as having a dark complexion, and was dressed in blue jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. He was not carrying a passport or personal belongings. It is thought unlikely that the man stowed away on the JFK-NRT sector, but possibly remained undetected from a previous sector.

NIGERIA

On Tuesday (09/02), it was reported that the Government has threatened to withdraw the AOC of any carrier which does not comply with new security regulations at Nigerian airports. The Director-General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) said that new body screening equipment would be installed at four of the country’s airports, and that the majority of operators are in compliance with new regulations on safety and security which meet international standards. He added that the country hopes to secure Category 1 certification by the US FAA which would enable Nigerian registered aircraft to fly direct to the US.

TAJIKISTAN

On Friday (12/02), it was reported that the former head of Customs at Khudjant Airport (LBD) was convicted of extortion and money laundering, and sent to prison for eight years. The court was told how he accepted a bribe of US$900 from a passenger found in possession of a reported US$700K. The customs chief then facilitated the illegal export of the cash.

UNITED STATES

On Wednesday (10/02), a woman was arrested on suspicion of stealing at least 25 bags of luggage valued at more than $11,800 from carousels at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport (PHX). Sabrina Zotter was suspected of stealing luggage during the past seven months but in an interview with Police claimed she had been stealing bags for the past two years. CCTV footage showed the suspect carrying stolen bags to a rented pick-up truck. ANPR cameras assisted in the identification of the owner.

On Friday (12/02), it was reported that the TSA plans to give more security staff access to better intelligence that could help stop terrorist attacks on planes. The 10,000 staff in line to get classified information are managers, supervisors and "behavior detection officers" who roam airports looking for suspicious persons. The information will give workers details about terrorist tactics, planning, operations and threats. A TSA spokeswoman said that the intelligence would "give context to things they see every day which may otherwise not appear unusual" and let workers "exercise discretion" in dealing with passengers.

On Tuesday (09/02), it was reported that The Fiqh Council of North America has issued an edict stating that airport body scanners violate Islamic rules on modesty. The Council said "It is a violation of clear Islamic teachings that men or women be seen naked by other men and women. The Quran has commanded the believers, both men and women, to cover their private parts." US Airports offer those who prefer not to use the scanners, the option of a hand search. However, the guidelines in the UK do not permit pax to choose their preferred method of screening.

TSA Weekly Stats (25th - 31st January, 2010) - (Apologies - No new stats published)

5 artfully concealed prohibited items found at checkpoints

17 firearms found at checkpoints

21 pax arrested due to suspicious behaviour or fraudulent travel documents

Strengthening Airline Security

2010-02-12T06:00:00.000+06:30

11 February 2010

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano met with members of the International Air Transport Association, or IATA, in Geneva, January 22nd, as part of ongoing U.S. government efforts to work with the airline industry to meet international and U.S. security standards. The IATA represents approximately 230 airlines and more than 90 percent of the world's air traffic.

"Effective aviation security relies on close coordination between airlines, government and law enforcement to identify, deter and disrupt threats," said Secretary Napolitano.

During the meeting in Geneva, which included IATA Chief Executive Officer and Director General Giovanni Bisignani and leaders from approximately 20 airlines from across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and North America – Secretary Napolitano emphasized the airline industry's important role in implementing stronger and more effective international security measures to protect the traveling public.

Secretary Napolitano outlined 4 broad areas for international public-private collaboration that will help bolster efforts to protect the aviation system while facilitating legitimate travel: improving information collection and analysis; increasing information sharing and collaboration in passenger vetting; enhancing international security standards; and deploying new screening technology.

Secretary Napolitano also met with officials from the International Civil Aviation Organization in Geneva to discuss these issues. Her trip began in Toledo, Spain, where she met with her European counterparts to discuss ways to strengthen international aviation security standards.

Earlier in January, Secretary Napolitano dispatched Deputy Secretary Jane Holl Lute, Assistant Secretary for Policy David Heyman and other senior Department of Homeland Security officials to meet with government leaders and major international airport executives in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, Australia and South America to review airport security procedures and work on ways to collectively bolster ways and means of defeating terrorists who target international air travel.

Following the attempted terrorist attack in the United States on December 25, 2009, the U.S. Transportation Security Administration issued a new directive, developed in consultation with law enforcement officials and domestic and international partners, which mandates that every individual flying into the U.S. from anywhere in the world who holds a passport issued by or is traveling from or through nations that are state sponsors of terrorism or other countries of interest undergo enhanced screening.

"I am committed to working closely with the airline industry and my international counterparts," said Secretary Napolitano, "to strengthen global aviation security standards for passengers traveling to the United States and around the world."

Thailand to deport crew of plane carrying weapons

2010-02-12T04:30:00.000+06:30

From Dan Rivers, CNN

February 11, 2010 8:43 a.m. EST

Bangkok, Thailand (CNN) -- Thai officials will deport and not press charges against the five-member crew of a cargo plane intercepted in the Asian nation last year, carrying tons of weapons from North Korea.

The pilot from Belarus and four crew members from Kazakhstan will not be prosecuted in Thailand, because it isn't in the country's interests to do so, Kayasit Phitsawongprakarn with the Attorney General's office said Thursday.

"We have just acted according to Thai law. The weapons are now evidence. We are waiting for the owners to claim them," Kayasit said. "If after one year no one claims, it will belong to Thailand and the Defence Ministry will decide what to do with them."

The five crew members have been released from prison and temporarily placed in the custody of immigration authorities, said their lawyer, Somsak Saithong.

The men were arrested on December 12 when their Russian-built Ilyushin IL-76 cargo plane was on a refueling stop after flying from North Korea. Thai authorities found the plane loaded with 35 tons of weapons including small arms and rocket propelled grenades, in violation of strict U.N. sanctions against North Korea.

Kayasit said the plane's crew is not being prosecuted, because the U.N. resolution against North Korea only calls on countries to intercept arms, not punish those transporting them.

But Kayasit said he expected that the men will be prosecuted by their own governments.

The final destination for the weapons was still not clear. A leaked report by the Thai government to the U.N. Security Council said there was evidence the plane's final destination was Iran.

Thai officials have not confirmed the report.

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2010-02-11T21:39:00.000+06:30

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Dead Body Found in Landing Gear of New York to Tokyo Delta Flihgt 59

2010-02-10T02:10:00.000+06:30

BY Brian Kates
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Originally Published:Monday, February 8th 2010, 9:59 AM
Updated: Monday, February 8th 2010, 10:02 AM

A Delta Airlines jet is inspected on the tarmac at Narita international Airport outside Tokyo Sunday after a dead body was discovered in the landing gear bay.

Japanese authorities were seeking American help Monday to identify a body found in the landing gear compartment of a plane that arrived in Tokyo from New York. A mechanic made the grim discovery after Delta Flight 59 landed at Tokyo's Narita International Airport about 6:05 p.m. local time Sunday, a Chiba prefecture police spokesman said.

The victim, believed to be a stowaway, was a black man clad in a long-sleeved, plaid shirt and jeans, police said. The body, found inside of the door of the landing gear storage compartment on the Boeing 777, had no visible injuries except signs of frostbite. The temperature in that part of the plane falls to about 58 degrees below zero during flight, officials said.

"Doctors say he probably froze to death and that he suffered a shortage of oxygen" at an altitude of more than about 30,000 feet, a police official said.

"We found no passport, no bag and no personal belongings," the official said. "If he carried any luggage, it must have all dropped out when the airplane opened up the hatch of the landing gear bay above the ocean before it landed."

Police are investigating the case both as an accident and a possible crime, officials said. Japan was seeking help from U.S. police to identify him. Delta officials were not immediately available for comment.

There have been similar cases in the past. In 2003, a man's body was found in the main landing gear storage compartment of a jet that landed at Narita Airport on a flight from Hong Kong. In 2007, a man was found dead in the nose gear wheel well on a United Airlines Boeing 747 that arrived at San Francisco International Airport from Shanghai.

Weekly News (1 Feb - 8 Feb /2010)

2010-02-08T21:30:00.000+06:30

ARGENTINA

On Wednesday (03/02), an IED functioned in front of the offices of LAN Chile in Neuquen Province. No-one was injured in the explosion, which caused damage to the front door. Responsibility for the attack was claimed by the Jacinto Arauz Internationalist Insurrection Rebel Brigade, who left a note at the scene stating that LAN had been attacked because it was a symbol of exploitation. The carrier is part-owned by Chilean President-elect Sebastian Pinera.

BAHAMAS

On Friday (05/02), three security officers at Nassau Airport (NAS) were arrested for theft as part of a Police investigation into an alleged scheme targeting outbound Haitian nationals. One of those arrested is accused of stealing nearly $5,000 from one pax, and $2,000 from another. The money is believed to have been contained in envelopes addressed to survivors of the Haitian earthquake. A spokesman for NAS said that security officers have been warned that they have no right to strip someone and count their money. He added that they did not know how many Haitians have complained of being targeted by security officers.

INDIA

On Sunday (07/02), an anonymous caller claimed that there was a suspected terrorist on board an Emirates B773 preparing to depart Mumbai (BOM) for Dubai (DXB). The aircraft had taxied when the call was received, and was directed to a remote stand, where it was evacuated and searched by security forces. All pax were rescreened, and the aircraft departed after a four hour delay. Two pax, seated in a row identified by the caller, were briefly detained by Police, but released a short time later. Nothing unusual was found.

SPAIN

On Friday (05/02), it was reported that four members of the Guardia Civil are being tried in connection with the alleged torture of two members of ETA, suspected to have been responsible for the bomb attack at Madrid's Barajas Airport (MAD) in December 2006. The Public Ministry claims the officers acted 'with emotion' after the murder of two colleagues by ETA several weeks before the MAD attack. The prosecution is calling for sentences of up to three years if the officers are convicted. A further six members of the Guardia Civil are suspected of having 'caused injuries' to the bombing suspects. The two terrorists, who were armed when arrested in 2008, have launched a civil suit against 15 officers, claiming they were beaten and tortured following their arrest.

UNITED KINGDOM

On Sunday (07/02), it was reported that Police are looking for a conman who has scammed his way across European airports for more than eight years. Andrew Gradon is wanted in connection with a fraud which targets sympathetic passengers out of what is estimated to be as much as £15,000 a month. Despite conning scores of gullible victims at airports in at least 12 countries, no one has a photograph of him. Gradon targets pax at airports, telling them he’s just missed his flight. He asks the victim for money to help get him the next flight back to Newcastle, promising to return the money, and giving them a false address and phone number.

UNITED STATES

On Monday (01/02), a Southwest Airlines B737 taxiing for a departure from Philadelphia (PHL) to Raleigh-Durham (RDU) was forced to return to stand, after a telephoned bomb threat was received by an SWA employee. The aircraft was evacuated and taken to a remote stand, where it was searched by Police Officers using explosives detection dogs. Nothing unusual was found, and the aircraft departed 90 minutes late.

On Thursday (04/02), the Federal Aviation Administrator told the House Aviation Subcommittee that a lack of communication between the cabin and the flightdeck prevented the pilots of NW253 from realising the serious nature of what was happening on board the aircraft as it made it’s approach into Detroit (DTW). According to Randy Babbitt’s testimony “the cabin crew reported that they had someone who had attempted to set firecrackers off, so it didn't elevate to anyone -- whether it was the cockpit or air traffic control -- to anything of great seriousness at that point." He added that only when the full circumstances had become clear was the aircraft taken to a remote stand, and "all air carriers in the country" were notified about the situation on Flight 253.

On Thursday (04/02), it was reported that during 2009, the TSA insisted that the operators of Richmond Airport (RIC) issue a security pass to a federal screener with a felony conviction for robbery. The screener who was 17 when he committed the crime, failed to disclose the conviction on his application form. The TSA said juvenile convictions do not bar people from employment. RIC’s security programme prohibits issuing security passes to people convicted of any disqualifying crimes. TSA’s deputy chief counsel told the operators that their screeners are “highly motivated and talented individuals who have come from law enforcement, the military, the business community or out of retirement following 9/11 to make air travel secure for the American people“.

YEMEN

On Tuesday (02/02), a British Foreign Office Minister said that Yemen has yet to upgrade airport security to allow the lifting of a suspension of direct flights to the UK from Sana’a (SAH). Flights operated by Yemenia were suspended in January following alleged Yemeni connections to the failed attack on NW253. The Minister declined to say when direct flights might be resumed, saying only that Britain was helping Yemen to improve security at SAH.

TSA Weekly Stats (25th - 31st January, 2010)

5 artfully concealed prohibited items found at checkpoints

17 firearms found at checkpoints

21 pax arrested due to suspicious behaviour or fraudulent travel documents.

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Questions to Flight 253 Incidents

2010-02-04T06:34:00.000+06:30

Can security systems held in airports expose terrorists?

The world after 9/11 is a more secure place especially within airports and the aviation industry as a whole. With the help of security companies technological advancements have been made to baggage and passenger screening. In addition, the security profiling system has evolved and it has been implemented into a growing number of airports and airlines.

Security profiling system is based on information produced from any object or movement and finding irregularities to normal routines.

If we try to analyze the events prior to flight 253 incident we can raise some questions from the stories and information in the media.

There are some odd things in Umar Abdulmutallab actions and facts that one might check thoroughly before letting him onto a flight:

He only brought with him carry-on luggage despite having 2 weeks in the U.S before his return flight.Why did he carry such a small luggage for a two weeks stay in the U.S?

Abdulmutallab purchased his ticket in Ghana but his flight was from Lagos Nigeria.

Why did he visit Ghana?

Why didn’t he fly from Ghana to Amsterdam?

Abdulmutallab, paid almost 3000$ for the ticket in cash.

Why did he make such an expensive purchase using cash rather than a credit card?

Why did he pay such an expensive price for a ticket that generally ranges in price from 1500-1900$ maximum?

If he preferred to pay in cash, did he carry on him currency to fund his 2 weeks visit in the U.S?

Abdulmutallab, holder of Nigerian passport, did not reside in his origin country.

Where was his permanent residence?

What was he doing at his other permanent residence?

His original Nigerian passport contained entry/exit visas from Yemen, a country known with underground El-Qaeda activity?
He was added to the terrorist’s list by U.S in October, what was his purpose of visiting or staying in Yemen?

The Explosive Device of Flight 253

2010-02-04T06:09:00.000+06:30

The explosive device reported to be found in Abdulmutallab’s possession was a simple improvised explosive device concealed in his underwear.

It consisted of a small container, probably a plastic bag containing approximately 80 grams of pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), a powerful explosive in a powder format which is generally used to compose plastic explosives.

He intended to detonate this charge with an unknown type of acid in a plastic syringe which on impact would produce a chemical reaction that would ignite a flame or small explosion and by its power cause the main charge to explode.

According to American press reports an amount similar to that in Abdulmutallab’s underwear could have caused a hole in a planes body thus bringing it down mid-air.

Detailed chain of events

2010-02-04T06:02:00.000+06:30

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, 23 years old, Nigerian origin

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, a 23 old Nigerian passport holder, is the suspected terrorist who attempted to blow up the Northwest flight 253.

Abdulmutallab, was born in Nigeria to a rich family, spending most of his childhood living in the Muslim majority district of the country. His mother was born in Yemen.

As a teenager, Umar was well known among his friends as a devout Muslim. At the age of 18 he moved to Sana’a, Yemen to study Arabic and attend Islamic lectures at Iman University.

In 2005, Abdulmutallab moved to London, UK for 3 years to study engineering at University College London, graduating in 2008. During his university years he was actively attending Muslim lectures and gatherings and even became president of the Islamic Society at his school.

Abdulmutallab spent the first half of 2009 in Dubai studying a Master's for an international business degree program at the University of Wollongongat.

Having failed to gain an entry visa back into the UK, he returned to Yemen in July 2009. It is understood that he had contact with Islamic extremists and became obsessed with the idea that his destiny was to become a Muslim saint by performing a Jihad act.

In October 2009, he delivered a message to his father saying that he terminates any contact with his family and that he is “no longer his son”.

On November 19th, 2009, his father made a report to the U.S embassy in Abuja, Nigeria about his son’s “extreme religious views”. Following the report, Abdulmutallab was placed on the US's 550,000-name Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment, a database of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center. No further actions were made by U.S authorities to prevent his entry to the U.S or refuse him a visa.

Abdulmutallab, left Yemen on December 7th flying to Ethiopia and then to Ghana. On December 17th he purchased a round trip ticket on the route Lagos-Amsterdam-Detroit from a KLM office in Accra, Ghana for 2831$ cash.

On December 24th, Abdulmutallab left Lagos, Nigeria on KLM flight 588 to Amsterdam. He then transferred onto Northwest flight 253 from Amsterdam to Detroit on December 25th. On board there were 289 people including crew members and pilots.

In Amsterdam, Abdulmutallab checked in with only carry-on luggage despite his return flight from the U.S being scheduled two weeks later, on the 8th of January.

In both airports, Lagos and Amsterdam, he preceded all security checks with no findings.

The dramatic incident began a short time before the plane arrived at its destination. Abdulmutallab spent approximately 20 minutes in the bathroom before returning to his seat pulling a blanket over himself and igniting a detonation device for the explosive he held in his underwear. According to witnesses and from information publicly reported the explosive device was a small pack of powder explosive called PETN which is the major ingredient for plastic explosives. The pack of explosive was sewn to his underwear and he attempted to detonate the explosive with a type of acid in a plastic syringe expected to cause a chemical reaction and ignite the main charge. There was 80 grams of explosive sewn in the underwear, an amount that could cause a fatal explosion and bring down the plane.

An unexpected result occurred and the detonation device did not ignite the main charge causing only fire and cracking sounds.

Several passengers and crew members noticed the fire, suspecting immediately that it was an act of terrorism. One of the passengers, a Dutch man, who was sitting on the same row on the other side of the plane, ran towards the suspect overpowering him and attempting to extinguish the fire. Then with the help of other passengers and crew members he pulled the suspect to the front of the plane isolating him from other passengers and putting him in handcuffs until landing.

Jasper Schuringa, 38 years old Dutch passenger who bravely tackled the terrorist and helped this incident to end up with no fatalities

Flight 253 Incidents

2010-02-04T05:54:00.000+06:30

Northwest flight 253 after landing in Metropolitan Airport, Detroit

General Incident Information

On the 25th of December 2009, Christmas day, a terrorist’s attempt to blow up Northwest airline jet, flight 253, failed after the explosive device he was using to detonate from within the plane suffered a fault in operation.

The incident ended with no fatalities with only with 3 people injured onboard: the terrorist and 2 other passengers suffering mostly from burn injuries.

Flight 253, with 289 passengers on board, was on a routine flight from Schiphol airport in Amsterdam, Netherlands to Metropolitan airport in Romulus, Michigan when suddenly with approximately 20 minutes to go before its scheduled landing passengers noticed smoke, fire and popping noises coming from the direction of seat 19A. Panic ensued as both passengers and crew members witnessed a man’s leg on fire as well as the plane’s wall beside him.

Quickly realizing that the fire was a result of a terrorist’s attempt to bring down the plane, one of the passengers bravely moved towards the fire simultaneously trying to overpower the man while trying to extinguish the fire with his hands. Other passengers and crew members followed suit and the man from seat 19A was isolated and handcuffed. The pilots operated an emergency landing in Detroit Metropolitan airport and the suspected passenger, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, was handed immediately to U.S authorities for further questioning and medical treatment.

Several days after the incident, a terrorist group named Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, announced responsibility for the attack.

Umar Abdulmutallab route from Nigeria via Netherlands to the U.S

Bomb Threat Stand-Off Distances

2010-02-04T05:35:00.000+06:30

1	Preferred area (beyond this line) for evacuation of people in buildings and mandatory for people outdoors.
2	All personnel in this area should seek shelter immediately inside a building away from windows and exterior walls. Avoid having anyone outside—including those evacuating—in this area.⁴
3	All personnel must evacuate (both inside of buildings and out).


Threat Description		Explosives Capacity¹ (TNT Equivalent)	Building Evacuation Distance²	Outdoor Evacuation Distance³
	Pipe Bomb	5 LBS/ 2.3 KG	70 FT/ 21 M	850 FT/ 259 M
	Briefcase/ Suitcase Bomb	50 LBS/ 23 KG	150 FT/ 46 M	1,850 FT/ 564 M
	Compact Sedan	500 LBS/ 227 KG	320 FT/ 98 M	1,500 FT/ 457 M
	Sedan	1,000 LBS/ 454 KG	400 FT/ 122 M	1,750 FT/ 534 M
	Passenger/ Cargo Van Text	4,000 LBS/ 1,814 KG	640 FT/ 195 M	2,750 FT/ 838 M
	Small Moving Van/ Delivery Truck	10,000 LBS/ 4,536 KG	860 FT/ 263 M	3,750 FT/ 1,143 M
	Moving Van/ Water Truck	30,000 LBS/ 13,608 KG	1,240 FT/ 375 M	6,500 FT/ 1,982 M
	Semi-Trailer	60,000 LBS/ 27,216 KG	1,500 FT/ 457 M	7,000 FT/ 2,134 M

This table is for general emergency planning only. A given building's vulnerability to explosions depends on its construction and composition. The data in these tables may not accurately reflect these variables. Some risk will remain for any persons closer than the Outdoor Evacuation Distance.

Official Says Terrorism Suspect Is Cooperating

2010-02-04T05:22:00.000+06:30

By JEFF ZELENY and CHARLIE SAVAGE
Published: February 2, 2010

WASHINGTON — Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the Nigerian man accused of trying to blow up a jetliner bound for Detroit on Dec. 25, started talking to investigators after two of his family members arrived in the United States and helped earn his cooperation, a senior administration official said Tuesday evening.
Skip to next paragraph

Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab

Mr. Abdulmutallab, 23, began speaking to F.B.I. agents last week in Detroit and has not stopped, two government officials said. The officials declined to disclose what information was obtained from him, but said it was aiding in the investigation of the attempted terrorist attack.

“With the family, the F.B.I. approached the suspect,” the senior administration official said, speaking to reporters at the White House on the condition of anonymity because of the pending legal case. “He has been cooperating for days.”

The cooperation was first disclosed during a Congressional hearing on Tuesday, as the suspect’s interrogation became the subject of an intense political debate over whether he initially stopped providing information after he was read his Miranda rights and received a lawyer. The administration was seeking to refute the notion that he was treated differently from any other terrorism suspects since the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.

The White House hastily called a briefing on Tuesday evening to discuss the new details of the case. The senior administration official provided this account:

Two counter-terrorism agents flew to Lagos, Nigeria, on Jan. 1. Before their departure, the agents spent days getting briefed on information in the case. In Lagos, the agents met with C.I.A. officers, who provided contacts among the suspect’s family, friends and other associates.

The two agents moved to Abuja, the capital, “to gain an understanding of the suspect,” and ultimately located two family members of Mr. Abdulmutallab, the official said. The relatives, whom the official declined to identify, agreed to cooperate because they “disagreed with his efforts to blow up American targets.”

The agents and the two family members flew back to the United States on Jan. 17. They met with the F.B.I. to discuss a way forward. After meeting with Mr. Abdulmutallab for several days, the official said, the family members persuaded him to talk to investigators.

“The intelligence gained has been disseminated throughout the intelligence community,” the official said, adding, “The best way to get him to talk was working with his family.”

Another federal official said Mr. Abdulmutallab had provided information about people he met in Yemen, where he is believed to have receiving training and explosives from Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, a branch of the terrorist network.

“He’s retracing his activities over there,” said the official, who would discuss the case only on the condition of anonymity. “You run to ground what he tells you, validate it and follow up. You build a relationship. It’s a pretty standard process.”

The official said that since Dec. 25, the F.B.I. had been in constant communication with the C.I.A., the National Counter-terrorism Center and other agencies about Mr. Abdulmutallab’s disclosures. He has been questioned about his contacts with Anwar al-Awlaki, an American-born Muslim cleric in Yemen whose radical sermons have been an influence in several terrorism cases, the official said.

The F.B.I. director, Robert S. Mueller III, told the Senate Intelligence Committee on Tuesday that Mr. Abdulmutallab had provided valuable intelligence, but did not elaborate.

Mr. Abdulmutallab has not been offered any specific plea bargain in exchange for his cooperation, a law enforcement official said. The suspect was indicted last month on charges that included attempted murder on an airplane.

A defense lawyer for Mr. Abdulmutallab has been at the interrogation sessions, the official said. Miriam L. Siefer, chief counsel for the federal defender office in Detroit, which is defending Mr. Abdulmutallab, did not respond to a request for comment.

Detecting Suspicious Packages / Letters

2010-02-04T05:01:00.000+06:30

LETTER AND PACKAGE BOMB INDICATORS

Detecting Suspicious Packages / Letters
REMEMBER: The item does not have to be delivered by a carrier. Most bombers set up and deliver the bomb themselves.
-If delivered by carrier, inspect for lumps, bulges, or protrusions, without applying pressure.
-If delivered by carrier, balance check if lopsided or heavy sided.
-Handwritten addresses or labels from companies are improper. Check to see if the company exists and if they sent a package or letter.
-Packages wrapped in string are automatically suspicious, as modern packaging materials have eliminated the need for twine or string.
-Excess postage on small packages or letters indicates that the object was not weighed by the Post Office.
-No postage or non-canceled postage.
-Any foreign writing, addresses, or postage.
-Handwritten notes, such as: "To Be Opened in the Privacy of", "CONFIDENTIAL", etc.
-Improper spelling of common names, places, or titles.
-Generic or incorrect titles.
-Leaks, stains, or protruding wires, string, tape, etc.
-Hand delivered or dropped off for a friend packages or letters.
-No return address or nonsensical return address.
-Any letters or packages arriving before or after a phone call from an unknown person asking if the item
as received.

LAGs Rules

2010-02-04T04:54:00.000+06:30

LAGS Rules

The rules are generally in line with new guidelines set by the international Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

The restrictions are as follows:

Liquids, aerosols and gels must be in containers with a maximum capacity of not more than 100ml each. Liquids, aerosols and gels in containers larger than 100ml will not be accepted, even if the container is partially-filled.
Containers must be placed in a transparent re-sealable plastic bag with a maximum capacity not exceeding 1-liter. These containers must fit comfortably within the transparent re-sealable plastic bag, which must be completely closed.
Each passenger is allowed to carry only one transparent re-sealable plastic bag, which must be presented separately for examination at the security screening point.
Exemptions will be made for medications, baby food and special dietary items. These items will be subjected to additional checks at the security screening point.

Examples of liquids, aerosols and gels include:

Drinks, including water and juices
Soups and sauces
Perfumes and deodorants (liquid or liquid-solid mixture)
Creams, balms, lotions and oils
Cosmetics such as mascara and lip gloss
Pastes, including toothpaste
Pressurised foams and sprays, including shaving foam, hairspray and spray deodorants
Gels, including hair and shower gels
Contact lens solution
any other item of similar consistency

Note: The above items are some common examples and are not exhaustive.

Duty-free purchases

These items must be packed in a transparent, sealed plastic bag. Receipts of the purchased duty free items must be attached or enclosed in the bag.
In-flight duty free purchases from previous sectors will be allowed on board for transiting / transferring passengers if they are packed in transparent, sealed plastic bags with receipt attached.
Items, which are not permitted through security checkpoints due to the "Liquids, Aerosols and Gels" restrictions, will be disposed of at the gate.

Prohibited Items

2010-02-04T04:45:00.000+06:30

Sharp Objects

Item	Carry-on	Checked
Box Cutters	No	Yes
Ice Axes/Ice Picks	No	Yes
Knives - except for plastic or round bladed butter knives	No	Yes
Meat Cleavers	No	Yes
Razor-Type Blades - such as box cutters, utility knives, razor blades not in a cartridge, but excluding safety razors.	No	Yes
Sabers	No	Yes
Scissors - metal with pointed tips and blades shorter than four inches	Yes	Yes
Swords	No	Yes
NOTE: Any sharp objects in checked baggage should be sheathed or securely wrapped to prevent injury to baggage handlers and inspectors.

Sporting Goods

Item	Carry-on	Checked
Baseball Bats	No	Yes
Bows and Arrows	No	Yes
Cricket Bats	No	Yes
Golf Clubs	No	Yes
Hockey Sticks	No	Yes
Lacrosse Sticks	No	Yes
Pool Cues	No	Yes
Ski Poles	No	Yes
Spear Guns	No	Yes

Guns & Firearms

Item	Carry-on	Checked
Ammunition - Check with your airline or travel agent to see if ammunition is permitted in checked baggage on the airline you are flying. If ammunition is permitted, it must be declared to the airline at check-in. Small arms ammunitions for personal use must be securely packed in fiber, wood or metal boxes or other packaging specifically designed to carry small amounts of ammunition. Ask about limitations or fees, if any, that apply.	No	Yes
BB guns	No	Yes
Compressed Air Guns (to include paintball markers) - Carried in checked luggage without compressed air cylinder attached.	No	Yes
Firearms - firearms carried as checked baggage MUST be unloaded, packed in a locked hard-sided container, and declared to the airline at check-in.	No	Yes
Flare Guns - May be carried as checked baggage MUST be unloaded, packed in a locked hard-sided container, and declared to the airline at check-in.	No	Yes
Flares	No	No
Gun Lighters*	No	Yes
Gun Powder including black powder and percussion caps	No	No
Parts of Guns and Firearms	No	Yes
Pellet Guns	No	Yes
Realistic Replicas of Firearms	No	Yes
Starter Pistols	No	Yes

Tools

Item	Carry-on	Checked
Axes and Hatchets	No	Yes
Cattle Prods	No	Yes
Crowbars	No	Yes
Hammers	No	Yes
Drills and drill bits (including cordless portable power drills)	No	Yes
Saws (including cordless portable power saws)	No	Yes
Tools (greater than seven inches in length)	No	Yes
Tools (seven inches or less in length)	Yes	Yes
Screwdrivers (seven inches or less in length)	Yes	Yes
Wrenches and Pliers (seven inches or less in length)	Yes	Yes
NOTE: Any sharp objects in checked baggage should be sheathed or securely wrapped to prevent injury to baggage handlers and Security Officers.

Martial Arts & Self Defense Items

Item	Carry-on	Checked
Billy Clubs	No	Yes
Black Jacks	No	Yes
Brass Knuckles	No	Yes
Kubatons	No	Yes
Martial Arts Weapons	No	Yes
Night Sticks	No	Yes
Nunchakus	No	Yes
Stun Guns/Shocking Devices	No	Yes
Throwing Stars	No	Yes
NOTE: Any sharp objects in checked baggage should be sheathed or securely wrapped to prevent injury to baggage handlers and Security Officers.

Explosive & Flammable Materials, Disabling Chemicals & Other Dangerous Items

Explosive Materials

Carry-on

Checked

Blasting Caps

Dynamite

Fireworks

Flares (in any form)

Hand Grenades

Plastic Explosives

Realistic Replicas of Explosives

Flammable Items

Carry-on

Checked

Aerosol (any except for personal care or toiletries in limited quantities)

Fuels (including cooking fuels and any flammable liquid fuel)

Gasoline

Gas Torches

Lighter Fluid

Common Lighters - Lighters without fuel are permitted in checked baggage. Lighters with fuel are prohibited in checked baggage, unless they adhere to the Department of Transportation (DOT) exemption, which allows up to two fueled lighters if properly enclosed in a DOT approved case. If you are uncertain as to whether your lighter is prohibited, please leave it at home.

Yes

Torch Lighters - Torch lighters create a thin, needle-like flame that is hotter (reaching 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit) and more intense than those from common lighters. Torch lighters are often used for pipes and cigars, and maintain a consistent stream of air-propelled fire regardless of the angle at which it is held. Torch lighters continue to be banned.

Strike-anywhere Matches - One book of safety (non-strike anywhere) matches are permitted as carry-on items, but all matches are prohibited in checked baggage.

Flammable Paints (See Other Items below for non-flammable paints)

Turpentine and Paint Thinner

Realistic Replicas of Incendiaries

NOTE: There are other hazardous materials.

Disabling Chemicals & Other Dangerous Items

Carry-on

Checked

Chlorine for Pools and Spas

Small compressed gas cartridges
(Up to 2 in life vests and 2 spares. The spares must accompany the life vests and presented as one unit)

Yes

Fire extinguishers and other compressed gas cylinders

Liquid Bleach

Spillable Batteries - except those in wheelchairs

Spray Paint

Tear Gas

Other Items

Item	Carry-on	Checked
Gel-type candles	No	Yes
Gel shoe inserts - Gel shoe inserts are not permitted, but shoes constructed with gel heels are allowed and must be removed and screened.	No	Yes
Non-flammable liquid, gel, or aerosol paint	Yes - 3.4 ounces (100ml) or smaller container	Yes
Flammable liquid, gel, or aerosol paint	No	No
Snow globes and like decorations regardless of size or amount of liquid inside, even with documentation.	No	Yes

What we do

2010-02-04T04:20:00.000+06:30

Who we are

2010-02-04T04:18:00.000+06:30

Weelky News(25 Jan-1 Feb/2010)

2010-02-02T05:19:00.000+06:30

COLOMBIA

On Sunday (31/01), an anonymous caller told air traffic controllers at Barranquilla (BAQ) that there was a bomb on board an Aero Republica Embraer 190, which was preparing to depart BAQ for Bogota (BOG). Flight operations at BAQ were temporarily suspended. The aircraft was evacuated, and searched by security forces. All pax and baggage was rescreened, but nothing unusual was found. The flight departed four hours late.

INDIA

On Wednesday (27/01), a 46-year-old Sikh extremist who masterminded the hijack of an Indian Airlines flight to Pakistan in 1984, arrived at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Airport, after being deported from Canada. Parminder Singh Saini along with four accomplices who claimed to be members of the All India Sikh Students Federation, hijacked an Indian Airlines flight operating between Srinagar (SXR) and DEL and forced it to divert to Lahore, Pakistan. The terrorists demanded the release of a number of Sikh terrorists. The hijackers surrendered to security forces who stormed the aircraft. Saini was released from prison in 1994 and travelled to Canada using a forged Afghan passport.

NETHERLANDS

On Thursday (28/01), an investigative reporter appeared in a court in Haarlem in connection with a breach of security at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS). Alberto Stegeman was fined €1,500 after he gained unlawful access to the restricted zone with the assistance of a member of KLM staff, while working for a TV news programme. The reporter refuses to pay the fine, claiming that he was acting in the public interest. On a previous occasion, Stegeman breached security and placed a replica IED in the hold of an aircraft, but the decision was taken not to prosecute him.

PAKISTAN

On Friday (29/01), it was reported that the Airport Security Force at Karachi Airport (KHI) continue to use a discredited IED detection device, despite the arrest of the manufacturer in the UK for fraud. The ATSC ADE-651, which was used in more than 20 countries, comprises an antenna mounted to a handgrip. There is no power source needed, and the device, supposedly, uses static electricity to search passengers for any explosive devices or substances. The device was tested by the BBC, which examined one of the electronic cards used to detect explosives. The card was found to contain nothing more than a standard retail anti theft device loop. The British Government has banned further export of the device, after it was revealed that the Iraqi government has spent US$85m (£52m) on the hand-held detectors, for use at vehicle checkpoints throughout Baghdad.

TURKEY

On Sunday (31/01), a Pegasus Airlines B738, operating between Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen (SAW) and Van (VAN) was forced to divert to Ankara (ESB) as a result of an unspecified bomb threat. The aircraft was taken to a remote stand, where it was evacuated and searched by security forces using explosives detection dogs. Nothing unusual was found, and the aircraft departed several hours later.

UNITED KINGDOM

On Tuesday (26/01), Sussex Police officers at London Gatwick Airport were criticised for their heavy handed tactics. Officers were called to a gate where 120 pax were refusing to leave after staff told them that their Ryanair flight to Madrid had been cancelled due to bad weather in Madrid on January 10th. A number of pax complained to the Spanish Embassy in London about the aggressive manner in which they were spoken to and removed from the area.

On Tuesday (26/01), it was reported that unlike the situation in the US, passengers being screened at UK airports will not be given the right to refuse to pass through a full-body scanner when the devices are introduced next week. The Transport Minister told MPs that a random selection of passengers would go through the new scanners. The Department for Transport has drawn up a code of conduct for using the machines, similar to those issued in the US, which state that the security officer guiding the passenger through the machine never sees the image, and that the employee viewing the scan must be based away from the passenger, in a secure room. The two officers communicate with wireless headsets; and, once viewed, the scan cannot be saved, printed or transmitted. Lord West, the counter-terrorism minister, added that the government had firmly ruled out the introduction of "religious or ethnic profiling" into transport security. Instead, he said, airport security staff were being trained in "behavioural profiling", which meant spotting passengers who had paid cash, were travelling with only a book for luggage on a long-haul flight or were behaving erratically at the airport.

UNITED STATES

On Tuesday (26/01), it was reported that the United States is looking to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to advocate new international minimum security standards. Following a meeting with the European Union and the airline industry, Transport Secretary Janet Napolitano said that ICAO had supported a series of regional meetings to discuss new rules. Napolitano did not go into detail about the measures, but has previously called for enhanced random screening, more federal air marshals on flights destined for the United States, and an expanded terrorist watchlist.

On Thursday (28/01), a GAO report said that better use of terrorist watchlist information and improvements in the deployment of passenger checkpoint technologies could further strengthen security. The report focuses on the government’s efforts to use the terrorist watchlist to screen individuals and determine if they pose a threat, and how failures in this process contributed to the December 25th incident on NW253. This report also addresses the TSA’s planned deployment of technologies for enhanced explosive detection and the challenges associated with such a deployment. Go to the Resources page for the full report.

On Friday (29/01), it was reported that an investigation is being carried out after a Spanish tourist reported the theft of his laptop from his baggage as he passed through Orlando Airport (MCO). The theft was discovered on January 6th, when the pax opened his laptop bag and found a TSA hand held wand inside. The pax claimed that he had been forced to check his cabin baggage for a Delta flight to New York LaGuardia (LGA).

On Saturday (30/01), a Continental Airlines B737, operating between Newark Liberty Airport (EWR) and Bogota (BOG) was forced to divert to Jacksonville (JAX) after authorities became aware of what the TSA called a "potential person of interest" on board. The pax was eventually cleared by the FBI, and the aircraft was allowed to continue on it’s route to BOG. Meanwhile it was reported that TSA are investigating why CO permitted a potential watchlist match to board the flight.

TSA Weekly Stats (18th - 25th January, 2010)

2 Artfully concealed prohibited item found at checkpoints

21 Firearms found at checkpoints

14 Passengers were arrested after investigations of suspicious behavior or fraudulent travel docs.

Weelky News(18 Jan-25 Jan/2010)

2010-02-02T05:09:00.000+06:30

GERMANY

On Wednesday (20/01), parts of Terminal 2 at Munich Airport (MUN) were closed and evacuated after a pax fled the security screening area after trace detection equipment indicated the presence of explosives on his laptop. The departures lounge was searched by Police, but no trace of the possible late running missing pax was found. The incident may have been the result of a false positive indication, since no actual explosives were present.

GREECE

On Friday (22/01), a Sun Express B738, operating between Stuttgart (STR) and Izmir (ADB) was forced to divert to Thessaloniki (SKG) after a member of crew discovered a note saying "Today we will die, boom", in one of the aircraft toilets. The aircraft was directed to a remote stand at SKG, where it was evacuated and searched by security forces. Nothing unusual was found. A pax, found to possess a pen similar to the one used to write the note, was arrested and later released.

INDIA

On Friday (22/01), it was reported that security at airports throughout the country has been enhanced, after intelligence indicated the possibility of an attempt to hijack an aircraft by Islamic militant groups, allied to either AQ or LET. The threat relates to flights originating in India, or neighbouring states, such as Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal or Sri Lanka.

PAKISTAN

On Thursday (20/01), it was reported that security has been enhanced at Quetta Airport (UET) after intelligence suggested that an attempt would be made to hijack a Pakistan International Airlines aircraft. Additional security force resources, including troops from the Frontier Corps, have been deployed to UET as a result.

On Wednesday (20/01), Police at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal Airport (LHE) arrested a man wearing a Police uniform after he shot and wounded the leader of a local crime gang who had arrived on a flight from Dubai (DXB). The attack took place in a car park close to the terminal. Bodyguards, reported to be off-duty Police officers, returned fire, injuring a number of pax. All passengers and vehicles accessing the terminal at LHE are searched by the Airport Security Force, who admitted they had searched the assailant’s car, but failed to carry out a body search as he passed through a security checkpoint before the attack.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

On Tuesday (19/01), a passenger on board an Etihad Airways flight operating between Paris (CDG) and Abu Dhabi Airport (AUH) was overheard by crew joking that there was a bomb on board. The French national was arrested by Police when the aircraft landed at AUH.

UNITED KINGDOM

On Wednesday (20/01), Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced the suspension of the twice weekly service between Sana’a (SAH) and London. The flights by Yemenia Airlines, operate via Cairo (CAI). The operation was suspended as a result of concerns about the standard of security screening at SAH. The moves comes after Yemenia refused the Government’s request to have all pax and baggage rescreened at CAI, en route to London.

On Wednesday (20/01), the Government announced the introduction of a new “no fly” list as part of a package of measures to improve security following the NWA 253 attack. A second database will list persons who will be subject to enhanced security checks before boarding a plane to the UK. By the end of the year, a £1.2 billion investment in the e-Borders scheme will mean that all pax travelling to the UK can be checked against the watch list 24 hours prior to travel.

On Saturday (23/01), part of Terminal 3 at Manchester Airport (MAN) was closed after security screeners discovered a quantity of unidentified white powder in the cabin baggage of a London bound pax. Further quantities of the same powder were discovered in the passenger’s hold baggage. The powder was tested and found to a non-threatening material. The UK Border Agency were dealing with potential licensing issues.

UNITED STATES

On Thursday (21/01), a US Airways RJ145, operating between New York La Guardia (LGA) and Louisville (SDF) was diverted to Philadelphia Airport (PHL) as a result of a security alert on board. Passengers and crew became alarmed when a Jewish passenger began praying, during the course of which he strapped Tefillin - boxes containing verses from the Bible, to his forehead and biceps. Fellow pax panicked, believing the religious items to be components of an IED. Police at PHL removed the pax from the flight.

On Friday (22/01), it was reported that the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey has withheld payments to Raytheon in a dispute over the reliability of a new Perimeter Intruder Detection System (PIDS) at four local airports. The system, costing in excess of $100 million, was to be installed at Kennedy (JFK), LaGuardia (LGA), Newark (EWR) and Teterboro (TEB) airports, but is more than a year behind schedule and has been plagued by false alarms caused by weather and small animals.

TSA Weekly Stats (11th - 17th January, 2010)

9 pax arrested due to suspicious behaviour or fraudulent travel documents

8 firearms found at checkpoints

0 artfully concealed prohibited items found at checkpoints

20 incidents that involved a checkpoint closure, evacuation or sterile area breach