Does this bomb make me look fat?
link BBC News – US plane attack suspect quizzed after ‘terror attempt’
Don’t you love that word used in the story, that the suspect was ‘quizzed’, as in a snap math exam? Here we go again. This time, the would be martyr had explosive powder attached to his upper thigh because the shoe thing was so 2001. Somehow this most recent iteration of the human fuse was able to elude suspicion and scrutiny at airport security even though the suspect’s name was ‘on a database indicating a significant terrorist connection’ according to the report.
In fact, the perp had a valid U.S. visa and ‘all security procedures were followed correctly’. Hmm. So, apparently, he was made to take off shoes, expose his laptop computer and passed the electronic wand test, but the name on a database ‘with a significant terrorist connection’ didn’t set off any alarms.
Maybe it’s just me, but 2 things are evident from this story. Firstly, whatever means the homeland security people are using to compile their list of dangerous fliers must have some validity. Secondly, the standard screening methods presently imposed on travellers are unable to pick up the most recent schemes of sabotage by the mullahs of mayhem. We should all cringe at the likelihood that from now on, ALL air passengers will be groped in their upper legs for similar devices. At least the President is on the case. He has ordered tighter security, whatever that means. Maybe everyone has to board in gym shorts.
Or, how about this? How about profiling those who are likely to be dangerous to the flying public and concentrating the security efforts on those candidates and less time on Aunt Eunice and her walker? It would certainly speed up the ‘strip and feel’ process at airports today if they spent less time on the 80 year olds, the kids under 12, goofy teenagers, business people or anyone NOT ON A DATABASE WITH A SIGNIFICANT TERRORIST CONNECTION.
The whole PC mentality about airport security is expensive, is cumbersome, is invasive and most importantly is not keeping the public safe. Apparently, the intelligence tools are available to effectively identify possible idiots, so why don’t we employ them? Why do we inconvenience and endanger entire populations because of the nefarious actions of an identifiable few? Maybe we worry less about a few hurt feelings and worry more about a planeload of innocents.