A terrorist attacked us on Christmas Day. He failed only because his bomb did not go off. And here again, our aviation security system is exposed for its ineffectiveness. So what happened next?
Somewhere this past week in Washington, DC a meeting was held. Perhaps at FBI headquarters, or at DHS or TSA offices or maybe even at the White House. And at that meeting one or two, or even three bureaucrats came up with a “brilliant” idea: let’s make all the passengers stay in their seats during the last hour of every flight. The meeting was adjourned and instructions sent to airlines and agencies all over the world. A new “security rule” was born.
We are witnessing the formation of yet another ineffective and absurd “security procedure”. This is not the first time and probably not the last time we will be required to adhere to procedures that are at best, an insult to our intelligence. This procedure follows a long line of ridicules measures implemented by government agencies following an attack or a terrorist attempt against aviation targets.
These measures aim to pacify public concerns but have nothing to do with threat mitigation or prevention. Here are a couple of recent examples of pointless rules that we, the good and law abiding citizens, have had to comply with:
- After the Richard Reid attempt to blow up his shoe bombs in mid air, we were ALL asked to take off our shoes. Regardless of the size of the shoe or its design (concealment capacity) all shoes were to be taken off and screened through x-ray machines.
- After the terrorist plot was uncovered where terrorists intended on using liquid explosives to blow up planes, we were all asked to limit the amount of liquids and pass them through the x-ray machine. The Modus Operandi that was to be used by the terrorists involved infiltrating explosive charges through metal detector. As such, limiting the amount of liquids one can travel with and passing them through x-ray does nothing to prevent this type of threat.
We always follow these rules because we get with the program and we want to assist those who are supposedly responsible to protect us. But every few years a terrorist comes along and exposes what most of us in the security industry already know: That tragically, nothing in the current security system and in the new so called “security measures” is designed to catch or apprehend bad guys. Our knee jerk reactions expose a complete lack of understanding of real security, or of the threat we face. These rules and measures only add discomfort to law abiding citizens and delays to a struggling industry.
I’d prefer to believe that those who came up with this rule are ignorant and unprofessional. Any other explanation would reveal government officials who are cruel, irrational and out to get us, the traveling public. Here are two professional reasons the latest security rule is absurd and stupid:
- The effectiveness of a bomb in mid-air actually decreases as the plane descends towards landing (the air pressure differences decrease and at that point, the plane has less fuel).
- A terrorist intent on blowing up a plane can do so at any time during the flight regardless of whether or not he needs to sit in his seat. By the way, as far as I know, the terrorist on flight 253 was sitting comfortably in his seat when he tried to detonate his bomb.
As parent of a baby and a very active three year old, rest assured I won’t be in my seat during the last hour of the flight when traveling with my family. It may be for an emergency diaper change, finding a toy or the pacifier, or getting a last minute snack for the kids that will cause me be out of my seat. Mothers and fathers beware! You may now be deemed “terrorists” for trying to get up from your seats.
So what should we do? What security measures should we take? One important answer is simple and basic! Security personnel need to talk to and engage passengers before they are allowed onboard. Ask passengers where they are traveling to and for what reason, assess every passenger for his/her intentions. Subsequently, search those who need to be searched. Escort those who need to be escorted. And treat the good guys like good guys and the suspected bad guys as suspected bad guys. Do not treat everybody the same!
A terrorist event like this one is an opportunity to make sensible changes. Let’s not be stupid and waste this opportunity by enacting ineffective rules that don’t make sense. Let’s be level headed, smart and professional. Let’s introduce proven measures like security questioning, Predictive Profiling and common sense security. This approach to security will put our terrorist adversaries on the defensive and us on the offensive. For a change.
Although it’s hard to be optimistic given aviation security’s track record, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Two influential events may finally cause our elected officials and government agencies to gain the political will and courage to change the way we have been conducting aviation security.
The first is the Spring 2010 release of the documentary “Please Remove Your Shoes” which aims to expose deficiencies in the TSA and DHS bureaucracies and bring to light many of the problems that exist in the U.S. and around the world. This documentary was created by former FAA and DHS security professionals who hope to trigger the much needed change in the security system we currently have in place. I hope their documentary will have a public relations impact strong enough to shake things up. Here is the trailer for this documentary:
The second event is due in April 2010 with the public trial of the airlines and security companies involved in the security failures of 9/11. Mike Low, the father of Sara Low, a flight attendant who lost her life on American Airlines Flight 11 on the morning of September 11th, 2001, refused to settle and renounce legal claims as part of a government compensation plan for the families of the 9/11 victims. Mr. Low wants the case to be finished in court. He is determined to expose and hold accountable the agencies and companies that created a security environment where 19 terrorists could operate freely against U.S. Aviation.
Mr. Low is represented by the Motley Rice law firm. Here is how he explains his case and the reasons for pursuing it in court.
As a final note, it’s a sad truth that although the people actively fighting for changes in aviation security are violent victims of terrorism or the frustrated former employees of inept bureaucracies, real changes are more likely triggered by fears of legal or financial liability, or public relations concerns. Far better than having to defend our system in court or in front of cameras would be making changes to our security system that work. What are we waiting for?
My security career began 50 years ago as a combat ddefense officer in SAC responsible for protecting nuclear armed aircraft on a SAC base. We knew then we could not prevent every attack and a determined attacker would succeed if given time for planning. Our exercises proved that. Since this “terrorist” his the materials under his pants, maybe in his underwear, I suggest the next TSA directive will be that everyone must be naked from the waist down in teh final hour. And we still won’t profile, will we?
Great article and I concur but nothing will change other than some more “feel good” policy. Remember this “sit down” policy is from the same folks that gave us the “RAINBOW of DANGER CHART” better known as the DHS Advisory System. Just ask the average person including those in the security industry what level we are at or ask them to tell you what a specific color means or what they need to do. I rest my case.
We are a feel good, politically correct society and the American public is not willing to accept any infringement on their personal time, space, or traveling arrangements. Use of predictive profiling, interviews of suspicious persons, full body scanning technology and restricting carry on items to the bare minimum such as a cell phones or a PDA would be more effective than making someone sit for the last hour of the flight. But the biggest requirement for any new security initiative, policy or upgrade is to gain the acceptance of those that will be impacted the greatest. In this case; it is the air traveler and we all know they are not willing to sacrifice any personal privacy or give up carrying one item when it comes to THEIR travel schedule or comfort. And the politicians know that these folks vote so they will not enact anything that will be seen as stepping on the rights of anyone.
I have been in the public and private security sector for 20 years and have seen firsthand the outright refusal to accept credible threats and/or the measure which could be enacted to defend against the threat. Specifically to our country, the citizens will not tolerate nor accept anything which they feel will egregiously affect their personal space or time. The majority of the general public sees the possibility of a terrorist attack as slim or none. It is not something they think about on a daily basis. They don’t need to since they have a higher probability of having their identity stolen or their car broken into at the mall. They do not live in NY, LA, or DC but in small town USA. They drive 15 to 30 minutes to work one way, have a blue collar job, attend their kid’s ball practice/game after work, eat dinner, watch sports or reality television for excitement, go to bed, and then repeat. They travel once a year via aircraft. Their involvement or knowledge of the threats of terrorism come from the evening news, their son/daughter/relative/friend is in the service or they know someone who has visited the WTC 9/11 site.
The average citizen/business owner/traveler has a “bury your head in the sand” attitude when it comes to security in general and even more of one when it comes to terrorism or the measures we need to undertake in order to better ensure their safety. They do not want to be inconvenienced one little bit. They do not want to allow DHS to interview them in line or denied being able to carry their laptop or that purse which is big enough to carry a small village onto the plane.
Even after the incident on Christmas day, I have heard zero talk of it among general business owners, family, friends, etc. It did not affect their lives or their daily grind one bit and it might has well have occurred on another planet for all they were concerned. We, and I include public entities as well as private security organizations, have to be right 100% of the time. Any failure to do our job such as on Christmas day will be scrutinized, dissected, and totally evaluated for months following the incident. Rightfully so, but it is done by those that in their daily world know nothing of what the real threat is or where it comes from. Nor do they want to know.
We see the daily intelligence reports and read the reports/news looking for that bit of information which may give us a leg up on the “bad guy”. The problem is that it is not being communicated properly down to the average citizen, which will be the first to scrutinize when we are not 100% right. Without their help, support, and buy in no security measure, policy or technology will work.
So getting the politicians to get it right is only half the battle. The general public has to be taken to task with assisting in getting this right; else we are wasting everyone’s time, safety, and security.
I guess I share my frustrations with others like the authors of this article. I have advocated Behavior Profiling for Mass transportation security since 2002 when I and some other colleagues travelled to Israel as hosts of the Israeli Security Agency to study security measures.
My small group of colleagues returned too the USA to pilot a similiar training in the United States and provided said training to police representatives in Maine and Chicago only to be rebuffed by the TSA as “mere vendors” out to make a buck.
Our proposal was to provide the training at costs only and as a public service by former law enforcement representatives. We were completely ignored by TSA in favor of these idiot programs such as restricted liquids and shoe removal.
Behavior profiling really is as simple as asking a few questions and knowing aggressor methods of aggression. Like last minute purchase of one way tickets with no accompanying luggage. Such an easy call that even an idiot with proper training would have spotted it!
Professor Richard Mears
University of Maine at Augusta
Retired Army SF 1979-1998. Currently employed in the Middle East as a security contractor. I have worked in Iraq, Qatar and Kuwait over the past 6 years. I ALWAYS make the profile for extra ‘search’ into and out of the States. I have changed clothes, I have brought a sports jacket and tie with me downrange JUST for the express purpose of ‘dressing up’ when flying home. I shave off my ‘every other male contractor’-look beard and mustache, I have whittled down my ‘luggage’ to one backpack with a mini-towel a extra shirt, pants, underwear and a razor, bar of soap, a couple books and some books, music CDs and a washcloth. Still, I am the one that gets pulled off to the side for ‘extra’ attention while I see 8 or ten M.E. folks that haven’t washed or shaved in a week, wearing voluminous clothes, carrying their body weight of Duty Free purchases go right on past and the ticket agent looks at me, looks at the passport and I get the ‘Selection’ look and pointed over to the other line.
Yeah, it’s getting old.
I don’t mind the inconvenience of airline security. I just wished they accomplished something besides employment opportunities for those with high school educations. Flying is scary , the thought of these morons managing our health care is nightmarish. One day, after the inevitable terror incident, maybe our security procedures will become proactive. Chameleon knows how to do it. Bravo to the lawsuit maybe someone will take notice.
Somebody, Anybody please advertise this school of Predicive Profiling. I attended this class in Atlanta Georgia. As an instructor for Law Enforcement classes in Oklahoma I can tell everyone that this one class hes made a tremendous difference in teaching COURT SECURITY. The one hour extension labeled WHO’S WALKING AROUND IN MY COURT HOUSE has made officers stop and think about security in that arena.. Thanks Chameleon. Sheriff, Don Waters retd.
Outside of my security profession I have been a commercial pilot for eight years and have flown for two major airlines both of which I had been heavily active in their security committees. Myself being from Israel and serving six years in the IDF has enabled me to determine that aviation security in this country (TSA mainly) is made up of people that are poorly trained, uneducated for the most part, and a good prectege of them have no grasp of the english language, thus not alowing them to work according to SOP’s becuase they simply dont understand what is expected of them or what they are surpose to do.
I was on my way to into the terminal one day for a flight that originated from Charlotte and was heading to DC. I was a little early that morning and figured I would have time to do the preflight of my aircraft and then get some coffee and a danish before we leave. As I entered the security checkpoint I saw the same screeners that I see everyday. I said hello and they said the same. As I was waiting in line I noticed a strange looking person with a backpack looking around and seemed to be very nervous. At the same time there was an old lady infront of me that was just going through the metal detector and sure enough the TSA screener found what was to be a small jar of apple sauce in her bag. the screener then proceeded to call over three other TSA workers and started to harass her all awhile this other suspicious person continued his way through the check point, and puts his backpack on the conveyer. Now here is were the problem snowballs. The woman screener that was surpose to be looking at her monitor was so busy paying attention to the nonesense with the old lady and her apple sauce that she did’nt even pay attention as to what was in this mans backpack. He then picked it up and walked off no questions asked and no ID checked. After I saw this I was outraged. I aproached one of the TSA screeners and asked who was incharge and to my surprise he said he was. I told what I had just witnessed and his response to me was. “I will make note of it” Well when I heard that I started to laugh. He then asked me what was so funny. My response to him was. Funny? This is not funny it’s pathetic you were so busy trying to take a jar of apple sauce away from an old lady that you did’nt pay any attention to anything or anyone else around you. I hope you enjoy your potato latkes! The US government needs to understand that to make the air travel system safer we don’t need to spend money on creating six thousand jobs for unqualified people that don’t know their ass from their elbow. What we need to do invest in the proper training to a smaller amount of qualified people. We have been using predictive profiling and security questioning in Israel for years. A country that faces terror every single day. It’s time for the US government to wake up and get with the program.
All security measures,including that of aviation security, can never be 100% effective,mainly because of the numbers to be screened(millions of pacs)as well as the devious MO of shrewd,trained ,suicidal fanatics with some crazy perception of getting into paradise if succeeding in killing innocent unarmed targets in such a cowardly and dastardly fashion.The planners must be neutralised at home or camp or hide out in time via clinical, humint capacities which pose huge challenges and risks to these dedicated law enforcement experts.This option is the best deterrent in preventing some romantic fundamentalist nut case in boarding an aircraft to achieve whatever religious objective formed in a wharped and derranged mind.Yes, it is a tough and vicious task but it has to be executed by those officers who support the motto; service and protection, regardless of the sacrifice.
Good luck to all those unsung colleagues who perform these tasks daily.
It is time for sure. Predictive profiling and security questions should be implemented immediately! Forget anyone’s head on a platter as far as someone being the fall person for this episode. We the American people have to take control and demand security at our airports and our ports for that matter. Lets not let this near catastrophe go without major change. When the security person is checking out the license of the one being checked why can’t they also have a slip from the check-in line telling them its a one way ticket, telling them he bought the ticket with cash and that there was no luggage. Sure the one way ticket can be easily fixed as can the luggage issue but just questioning alone should be a major criteria for selection. Profiling Muslims is unfortunately inevitable since the terroists have all been Muslims. I also beleive that students here from other countries that are known terroist countries should also be targeted for selection. Come on Obama take a stand! DO SOMETHING that will have immediate consequences for terroists!