Tuesday
Oct022007
October 2, 2007 TSA not toying about this time
The TSA has banned radio-controlled toys from carry-on luggage - with good reason it seems:
‘In the South Carolina case, the authorities found a 12-minute Arabic-language videotape on the computer of Ahmed Abdellatif Sherif Mohamed, a student at University of South Florida, that had been uploaded to YouTube. In it, a narrator explains how to convert a toy car into a detonator, an affidavit filed in federal court Thursday says.’ - read the whole story from iht.com
Reader Comments (8)
Good reason??? With the exact same reason, they could prohibit cell phones...
They are being reactionary, as usual. I'm sure that if we just keep banning everyday objects once we find out they could be used in a terrorist act, eventually we will have banned them all, and we'll finally be safe.
I'm curious ... what would you both do were you in charge, Frank and maharashii.....?
I don't support a knee-jerk approach, because if taken to its extreme there is no end, as Maha says. But I'm for all reasonable measures because it would only take a few unfortunate incidents to get carryons banned altogether. It's not surprising we can't agree on what "reasonable" meeans.
I often wish we could get a list of everyone who complains about travel security screening and check back with them after something goes wrong (which hopefully will never happen again). If it means I get there safely then I will stand on my head. I really don't see why people get so bent out of shape over some of the rules when they barely impact you at all. I think if you complain now about any new rule you should give up your right to say later "Why didn't they do more?" if something bad happens.
Brad ~
I totally agree - but, perhaps, in the interest of air safety, initially it IS in the general interest to react swiftly and to err on the side of caution. I see this to be in that case. Perhaps, as more of the 'intelligence' that prompted this is analyzed, compromises that more specifically target this situation - WITHOUT the potential to compromise safety - can be made to adapt, just like in the situation with liquids.
Matt - TOTALLY agree. My point exactly. Stop complaining and adjust to the reality of our world.
I would quit focusing on 3oz bottles of shampoo and children's toys. I'd quit doing what was easy and highly visible and start addressing real vulnerabilities. I would spend our shoe examination budget on scanning cargo, which enters the plane completely unchecked. I would focus on investigation and intelligence of real threats rather than trying to screen every single passenger in the hopes of randomly catching a bad guy. I would also accept that there is NO WAY the TSA is going to prohibit every device that could be made into a detonator, until they force us to board naked after being x-rayed. I would quit telling people to be afraid, drop the "security level orange" crap, stop the security dog and pony show, and educate people, rather than trying to make them fearful.
Your approach is ... interesting. But I believe a more reasoned approach to any TSA reforms is required.