Airport screeners missed bomb parts [View All]

[ProSense]

Airport screeners missed bomb parts

By EILEEN SULLIVAN, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Government investigators smuggled liquid explosives and detonators past airport security, exposing a dangerous hole in the nation's ability to keep these forbidden items off of airplanes, according to a report made public Wednesday.

The investigators learned about the components to make an improvised explosive device and an improvised incendiary device on the Internet and purchased the parts at local stores, said the report by the Government Accountability Office. Investigators were able to purchase the components for the two devices for under $150, and they studied the published guidelines for screening to determine how to conceal the prohibited items as they went through checkpoint security.

At the end of the testing, investigators concluded that terrorists could use publicly available information and a few cheaply available supplies to damage an airplane and threaten passenger safety.

"It is possible to bring the components for several IEDs and one IID through TSA checkpoints and onto airline flights without being challenged by transportation security officers," said the GAO, Congress' investigative arm.

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Coming soon: Tom Tancredo ad claiming airport screeners are illegal aliens.

On edit, national security under Bush: flawed Airport screening process, kooks like Tancredo yelling close the border and a terror watch list of mostly Americans' names.