Odd Items Found in TSA Screenings Prompt Alert

Add this to the list of instances when blocks of cheese can be considered suspicious: When they are found in your carry-on luggage by the Transportation Security Administration. NBC Nightly News found an advisory warning airport screeners to be on the lookout as terrorists may be conducting dry runs.

There have been four seizures since September that have aroused suspicion. At San Diego, Milwaukee, Houston and Baltimore airports, TSA screeners have been finding more "wires, switches, pipes or tubes, cell phone components and dense clay-like substances" - such as cheese - and asked screeners observe “ordinary items that look like improvised explosive device components.”

However, the TSA said, “There is no credible, specific threat here. Don’t panic. We do these things all the time.” You can read the TSA's advisory here (PDF)

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Jen Chung in News on July 25, 2007 8:02 AM

Comments [rss]

guest

Twice in the past 9 months I have gone through security checkpoints (x-rays) at Lagurdia and JFK with my mini Leatherman tool (called the 'Squirt') in my camera bag, accidentally. I completely forgot about it until I saw it upon landing in California. It's on my key chain and I often forget about it. It makes me wonder what else gets through.

If racial profiling had been in place prior to 9/11, the terror attacks NEVER would have happened. Several weeks prior to 9/11 the actor James Woods was on a plane with several of the Islamic terrorists who later hijacked one of the planes, he reported their suspicious actions to authorities, yet nothing was done. Google: James Woods and 9/11 for the full story.

We could learn a lot from the Israelis who practice racial profiling and have NEVER had a terrorist attack on a plane since this has been in place.

dadoc

As it drifts off thread.

Israel, friends money, Illuminatti.

Anti-semitic, Israelis are mainly ethically not Semitic by ethnicity.

Jewish v. Israeli v. Zionist.

Declared v. non-declared Nukes.

All Bush's fault.

Diebold & stuffed Supremes stole the election.

Now that that's outta the way,

Think this is an attempt to raise the fear level just to bump up the "war on terror" threads.

Hell, I like a sleeve of Pringles & a block of Gouda on a long flight. If they let me bring a sixer of 16oz Buds any more, I would still do that.

Sit back, relax, sip a Bud (or some DP69), even those nice small tins of Beluga crossing the pond.

Prosciutto is great too (with egg matzoh & a bottle of Valpolicella).

So much for carry ons any more.

At least I can clip my toenails & light my lighter during Freebird.

Damn, I miss the older days of travel.

Dadoc

JMH

And..? Israel having nuclear weapons has something to do with the discussion because..?

guest

israel=WMD

plain and simple even a caveman can do it.

israel ought to know something about cavemen.

JMH

You keep repeating that as if it has any relevance to the discussion.

guest

did I see this correctly?

"assuming israel has nuclear weapon"

israel=WMD

WMD=israel

guest

I was on a flight and this white gentleman with a thick NYC accent was acting funny all throughout the flight. I've noticed he complained about bringing in an open bottle of whiskey and that it needed to be unopened. He then hit on any female withing 2 seats from him.

Just as the jet was about to take off from the runway, this gentleman decides to get up. The flight attendent yelled out the loudest yell I've ever heard from them. I told the FA that if need be, you can count on me to subdue this gentleman.

Don't let these bastards win.

Politburo

"Also, why does the pilot have to go through security?"

Because if you have a system where certain classes of people are allowed to bypass security, you have opened up a gaping hole in your defense. It's better to just run everyone through security.

JMH

Come to israel, come stay with friends who have WMDs.
israel=WMD
WMD=israel
And once again:

Assuming Israel has nuclear weapons, what does that have to do with anything?

guest

I'd really like to know what they've done with these 'mules'/wannabe homicide bombers/idiots who were caught with this stuff.

On a 777 plane back to Dulles last Feb., there were several mid-eastern/south asian young men who were acting *incredibly* suspiciously, not responding to crew orders, wandering around the back of the plane, etc. I'd been on a long enough layover that I saw the air marshals board, but after discussions with fellow passengers, I let the flight attendents know that we were ready and able to help out if they needed us.

Was a stressful flight, but the gratitude expressed by the flight crew made it worth it. Don't let these bastards win!!

guest

what does your mother have to do with any of this?

unless her hey nannie nannie is a WMD, then that's different.

guest

Come to israel, come stay with friends who have WMDs.

israel=WMD

WMD=israel

matty

That gun in the jacket story is one of the worst lies i have ever heard. it doesn't even make sense.

JMH

What does Israel having nuclear weapons have to do with whether or not they're our friends? England has nuclear weapons, yet they're our friends, or about as close to it as we have in the current worldwide political situation.

I'm not a hawk, by the way. I just make a habit of calling out idiots on all parts of the political spectrum.

zodak

the TSA just issued the following hijacking alert:
please ignore the trolls who want 2 hijack threads 2 talk about israel instead of terrorists.