Ned
08-19-2006, 07:52 AM
OK, I understand why they had to evacuate at the airport. Single passenger not traveling with anyone, carrying banned liquids which tests positive for explosives on their preliminary tests, Pakistani descent, holding a one-way ticket. It would seem to me that those would be classic signs of a potential terrorist.
Nevertheless, 10 hours to reopen the airport terminal!?! I've been to that airport. It's tiny. One would think that 5 police officers could complete a thorough search of the terminal in under an hour, not 10 hours.
One thing that this episode shows is that TSA still has the wrong test equipment. I've seen first hand, the equipment they use when I was chosen for a random search in Chicago earlier this month. I'm a trained chemical engineer and the technology used is pretty old and notorious for false positive results. There is far better equipment and testing methods out there today, and not overly expensive. This is just another reason I consider TSA and Homeland Security management to be incompetent. The worst part is the American Chemical Society (ACS) has pointed out this weakness to them numerous times, but HLS and TSA have disagreed (with the best chemical scientists in the nation) and continued on their merry way. This is typical Bush Administration "We know better than anyone and you're a bunch of idiots" nonscense.
Maybe some day the American people will catch on to how bad this elephant led government is and throw the bums out, either for the Donkeys (how did the Dems allow themselves to have an A-S for a mascot?) or better "Hortons," but then again, after the last few elections I wonder how smart the American electorate actually is. (Sorry for the political digression, but I couldn't resist. Thanks for bearing with me.)
Originally posted by AP via CNN.com - August 17 2006
Tests negative after airport terminal evacuated
Preliminary tests positive for explosives
CEREDO, West Virginia (AP) -- A West Virginia airport terminal was evacuated Thursday after two bottles of liquid found in a woman's carry-on luggage twice tested positive for explosives residue, a Transportation Security Administration spokeswoman said.
Chemical tests later Thursday turned up no explosives in the bottles, said Capt. Jack Chambers, head of the State Police Special Operations unit. The airport was reopened after nearly 10 hours.
"It looks like there were four items containing liquids," said TSA spokeswoman Amy von Walter. A machine that security checkpoint screeners use to test for explosives registered positive results for two containers, and a canine team also got a positive hit, she said.
The TSA screening looks for a range of explosives residue, some of which can be found on common household items, said TSA spokesman Darrin Kayser.
Airport manager Larry Salyers said he was told the woman was a 28-year-old of Pakistani descent who had moved to Huntington from Jackson, Michigan. He did not know how long she had lived in Huntington.
No charges were filed against the woman, who was taken from the airport by federal authorities at 5 p.m., Salyers said.
The woman was very cooperative, officials said.
Commercial airline service was suspended, and about 100 passengers and airport employees were ordered to leave the terminal, said Tri-State Airport Authority President Jim Booton.
Two airlines -- Comair and US Airways Express -- serve the airport.
A screener noticed a bottle in a woman's carry-on bag as she was going through security before her 9:15 a.m. flight to Charlotte, North Carolina, Booton said.
One bottle contained a gel-type facial cleanser, Killeen said.
"Anytime a prohibited item is brought to a checkpoint, then you are going to be immediately more interested in that bag," Kayser said.
The flight was allowed to leave for Charlotte, and the terminal was evacuated at 11:25 a.m., officials said.
The woman had purchased a one-way ticket to Detroit by way of Charlotte on Wednesday, Salyers said.
After the evacuation, many passengers decided to stay and wait it out.
"We bought them pizza, soft drinks ... tried to make them comfortable as could be in this situation," Salyers said. "We had them in the parking lot, under trees, in conference rooms, the firehouse."
U.S. authorities banned the carrying of liquids onto flights last week after British officials made arrests in an alleged plot to blow up U.S.-bound planes using explosives disguised as drinks and other common products.
Some travelers were more surprised than fearful about the discovery...
Go to Test negative after airport evacuated (http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/08/17/airport.evac.ap/index.html) to read the entire article.
Nevertheless, 10 hours to reopen the airport terminal!?! I've been to that airport. It's tiny. One would think that 5 police officers could complete a thorough search of the terminal in under an hour, not 10 hours.
One thing that this episode shows is that TSA still has the wrong test equipment. I've seen first hand, the equipment they use when I was chosen for a random search in Chicago earlier this month. I'm a trained chemical engineer and the technology used is pretty old and notorious for false positive results. There is far better equipment and testing methods out there today, and not overly expensive. This is just another reason I consider TSA and Homeland Security management to be incompetent. The worst part is the American Chemical Society (ACS) has pointed out this weakness to them numerous times, but HLS and TSA have disagreed (with the best chemical scientists in the nation) and continued on their merry way. This is typical Bush Administration "We know better than anyone and you're a bunch of idiots" nonscense.
Maybe some day the American people will catch on to how bad this elephant led government is and throw the bums out, either for the Donkeys (how did the Dems allow themselves to have an A-S for a mascot?) or better "Hortons," but then again, after the last few elections I wonder how smart the American electorate actually is. (Sorry for the political digression, but I couldn't resist. Thanks for bearing with me.)
Originally posted by AP via CNN.com - August 17 2006
Tests negative after airport terminal evacuated
Preliminary tests positive for explosives
CEREDO, West Virginia (AP) -- A West Virginia airport terminal was evacuated Thursday after two bottles of liquid found in a woman's carry-on luggage twice tested positive for explosives residue, a Transportation Security Administration spokeswoman said.
Chemical tests later Thursday turned up no explosives in the bottles, said Capt. Jack Chambers, head of the State Police Special Operations unit. The airport was reopened after nearly 10 hours.
"It looks like there were four items containing liquids," said TSA spokeswoman Amy von Walter. A machine that security checkpoint screeners use to test for explosives registered positive results for two containers, and a canine team also got a positive hit, she said.
The TSA screening looks for a range of explosives residue, some of which can be found on common household items, said TSA spokesman Darrin Kayser.
Airport manager Larry Salyers said he was told the woman was a 28-year-old of Pakistani descent who had moved to Huntington from Jackson, Michigan. He did not know how long she had lived in Huntington.
No charges were filed against the woman, who was taken from the airport by federal authorities at 5 p.m., Salyers said.
The woman was very cooperative, officials said.
Commercial airline service was suspended, and about 100 passengers and airport employees were ordered to leave the terminal, said Tri-State Airport Authority President Jim Booton.
Two airlines -- Comair and US Airways Express -- serve the airport.
A screener noticed a bottle in a woman's carry-on bag as she was going through security before her 9:15 a.m. flight to Charlotte, North Carolina, Booton said.
One bottle contained a gel-type facial cleanser, Killeen said.
"Anytime a prohibited item is brought to a checkpoint, then you are going to be immediately more interested in that bag," Kayser said.
The flight was allowed to leave for Charlotte, and the terminal was evacuated at 11:25 a.m., officials said.
The woman had purchased a one-way ticket to Detroit by way of Charlotte on Wednesday, Salyers said.
After the evacuation, many passengers decided to stay and wait it out.
"We bought them pizza, soft drinks ... tried to make them comfortable as could be in this situation," Salyers said. "We had them in the parking lot, under trees, in conference rooms, the firehouse."
U.S. authorities banned the carrying of liquids onto flights last week after British officials made arrests in an alleged plot to blow up U.S.-bound planes using explosives disguised as drinks and other common products.
Some travelers were more surprised than fearful about the discovery...
Go to Test negative after airport evacuated (http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/08/17/airport.evac.ap/index.html) to read the entire article.