Monday, March 14, 2005

The New York Times > Washington > Government Report on U.S. Aviation Warns of Security Holes

The New York Times > Washington > Government Report on U.S. Aviation Warns of Security Holes

Despite a huge investment in security, the American aviation system remains vulnerable to attack by Al Qaeda and other jihadist terrorist groups, with noncommercial planes and helicopters offering terrorists particularly tempting targets, a confidential government report concludes.

. . . Of the more than 500 criminal cases involving aircraft handled by the F.B.I. in 2003, two were hijackings in the United States involving flights from Cuba that landed in Florida. More than 300 episodes involved undeclared weapons or other problems at screening and security checkpoints, while 175 cases were triggered by on-board interference or threats against crew members, often involving alcohol.

In one case, a passenger sprayed perfume at a flight attendant "in a hostile manner," the report said.

My observation: The assessment at the beginning of the article seems to me much more alarming than the facts presented at the end would seem to support. -- Al C.

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