Security Incidents Plague Airlines

[Omaha Steve]

FULL story: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20060825/D8JNLLV80.html

Security Incidents Plague Airlines
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Aug 25, 4:18 PM (ET)

By KRISTEN HAYS

HOUSTON (AP) - A college student's checked luggage on a Continental Airlines flight from Argentina contained traces of dynamite, authorities said, in one of six security incidents Friday that caused U.S. flights to be diverted, evacuated or searched.

Federal authorities were investigating why the student, who got off the Continental plane in Houston before it continued to Newark, N.J., had the explosive residue, FBI spokeswoman Shauna Dunlap said.

Houston Fire Department Assistant Chief Omero Longoria said the man told authorities he works in mining and often handles explosives. Longoria said federal officials were investigating whether the explanation was true.


Security and airport officials leave the Aer Lingus plane following a threat against the aircraft at Shannon International Airport, Limerick Ireland Friday Aug.25, 2006. The Aer Lingus flight from New York was evacuated Friday morning following a threat against the aircraft, The 239 passengers aboard the plane, Aer Lingus flight 112, were evacuated during a scheduled stop at at Shannon airport in western Ireland, said airport spokesman Eugene Pratt. (AP Photo/Brian Gavin/Press 22)


In other incidents:

_An American Airlines flight from England to Chicago was forced to land in Bangor, Maine, in response to an unspecified threat, authorities said. Passengers deplaned and were led to a holding area, said airport manager Rebecca Hupp. The jetliner was on the tarmac with its engines shut off.

[jdlh8894]

1. Houston,Ireland, Maine? See no connection. n/t

[Omaha Steve]

2. Only a fine...

tuned right leaning Republican warped mine can explain the connection. They draw the lines between the dots so well.

[Spangle]

3. Sooo Confused!

Ok, the sniffer gets a wiff of the bag and it triggers an alarm.

That part I get.

But such alarms and expections happen before the baggage is loaded into the airplane. THEY should have known about the problem before the guy made it back to the plane.

The luggage is checked in. The the guy walks to the security secitons and stands in line. Goes therough security. Then walks back to the plan and checks in THERE. That is anywhere form 30 mintues to an hour. Depending on the airport, etc.

SOOOOO.... Why and HOW is the problem found at the NEXT stop the plane made?

THIS doesn't make sense at all.

[Bonobo]

4. So now it's just dynamite "residue", huh? Well, color me shocked.

[Cant_wait_for_2008]

5. Dynamite found in luggage aboard flight

Yahoo News

By KRISTEN HAYS,

AP Business Writer

08/25/2006

HOUSTON - A stick of dynamite was found in a college student's checked luggage on a Continental Airlines flight from Argentina, one of seven security incidents Friday that caused U.S. flights to be diverted, evacuated, searched or delayed.

Howard McFarland Fish, 21, was charged with carrying an explosive aboard an aircraft and was in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Federal authorities have determined that his actions were not acts of terrorism, ICE spokeswoman Luisa Deason said in a statement.

Houston Fire Department Assistant Chief Omero Longoria said Fish told authorities he works in mining and often handles explosives. Longoria said federal officials were investigating whether the explanation was true.

Bill Waldock, aviation safety professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Arizona, said the incident could have been disastrous and raises questions about security in overseas airports. Dynamite can be unstable if it's old, he added.

Cont...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060826/ap_on_re_us/planes_security_problems

[HuffleClaw]

7. and had his name been mohammed?

gonzales would be holding a press conference about it.

[struggle4progress]

9. Gonzales would hold a press conference about Mohammed's seltzer bottle

[jberryhill]

8. Okay, so an idiot bought a souvenir in Bolivia...

...and took it home on a plane.

It sounds like they've figured this one out.

Further diversion of resources on this idiot makes me safer, how?

[6000eliot]

6. Get used to it,

because these will be happening right up until November.