petaluma1

Let's think like a terrorist. If I were going to send a bomb through a checkpoint in a laptop comuter, the bomb and the carrier would be complete separated from each other until the very last minute. The bomb would be assembled in one location and the carrier would be "assembled" (dressed in another location). The carrier and the bomb, already in a bag, would be transported independently to the vicinity of the airport where the two would get together.

At the checkpoint, the carrier "forgets" to remove the bomb from the bag and it alarms for explosives. Because it alarms, a full-body assaultive "pat down" upon the carrier ensures. Screener tests his gloves for trace explosives and there are none because the bomb and the carrier have never met.

The carrier and the laptop with a bomb get on the plane.

It shouldn't if there has been a transfer between the bomb and the carrier. However, perhaps a couple of things are in play here: TSA is desperate to find traces on a passenger if one of his items alarms and so they thoroughly grope hoping they will come upon a few molecules from a minute area of the body and can then go on to make an example of this person.

The other thing in play here is that in spite of a pat down they missed a fake bomb on one of the tester's backs lin 2015 after either MMW or WTMD alarmed on it. Therefore, they have instituted this sliding/rubbing maneuver with the hope that the back of the hand slide/rub would find something better than patting.

BTW, one of the TSA's female "spokespersons" posted a video of "what to expect during a TSA patdown". Interesting thing is that the video, like another one we saw upthread, neglected to show the genital (oh, I'm sorry, "groin") portion of the procedure. Now why would that happen?

Boggie Dog

I can envision some situations that suggest the need for a pat down but not the general TSA Groping policy now in place. I would use every tool available to avoid a pat down, but that is not TSA's way of doing things.

There is nothing that TSA can say or do that would make me believe a pat down of this boy was required to ensure the safety of his flight. I think several other tools were available but not used that would have satisfied all screening needs.

FliesWay2Much

I said a long time ago that We, the People, would pay dearly for the TSA's transgressions. The TSA needed to show Congress that they were recovering from their dismal performances in the IG tests. They could have advocated for funding for the latest gadget (Son of Puffer???) as a way of assuring all of us that they will start finding all sorts of bad stuff as soon as Congress funds another security/industrial complex program.

Instead, they chose to make us the reason why they failed all those tests. They upped the ante on "pat downs" to include almost everything they had stopped short of doing before, with the possible exception of cavity searches.

They gave the illusion of really clamping down of securing our airports. The bad publicity they have been getting just reinforces that fact that this ramped-up security must be working.

The TSA has won. They are keeping Congress happy and these sexual assaults haven't cost them a dime!

chollie

I suspect that the sudden 'enhanced' crotch rubbing and the stories about the threats electronics present is just groundwork for a massively expensive equipment upgrade, ostensibly to better detect nastiness that might be concealed in electronics, but actually to enrich connected former TSA/DHS employees: something along the lines of "if we get $$$$ to get new xrays and scanners, we won't have to rub crotches to make sure laptops are safe".

Then we'll try to force foreign airports either to implement crotch rubs and electronics bans or to buy US-manufactured xray and scanner equipment.

The crotch rubs are here to stay: it's a tool for the screeners to use at their 'discretion' to punish anyone they don't like or anyone they particularly like.

Mats

I'd like to see a "no exceptions" policy. This includes Members of Congress, governors, law enforcement, "C Suite" airline and airport executives, all TSA and DHS employees, the elderly, and a dissolution of the Known Crew Member system. Airline personnel who set off a random alarm at precheck get the full body scanner and subsequent frisk. No exemptions.

After all, if that preteen boy who set off no alarms in the viral video was such a threat, everyone must be subject to the same scrutiny.

EVERYONE has to be subject to this procedure ("pat down" implies something too benign).

EVERYONE travelling to the US from Europe on American Airlines has to be asked for the names of their children, the names of their pets, if they like their boss, and the names of their clients. If such intrusive questions are such a magical and indisputable cornerstone of American's security program, then everyone has to get the same ridiculous questions.

Although there were some instances close to the September 11 attacks in national political figures were on "no fly" lists or subject to gate screening, but those were perhaps "growing pains."

I think that far too many people are exempt from these procedures, so they are not bothered by them.

TheBOSman

I've noted before that, IMHO, expanding TSA to private jet flight passengers would result in some changes real fast.

FliesWay2Much

Well, Blogdad Bob pushed out a national security-critical blog post titled: TSA on the Job: Lead Transportation Security Officer which pushed most of the sexual assault denial post and its 90 approved comments off the main page. As soon as he posts gigantic pictures of last week's gun haul, it will be forgotten for good.

nachtnebel

TSA may bury that story on their site, but there will be more to come. This is clearly not a procedure that can ever be accepted by passengers. I'm not sure whether TSA leadership has some ulterior angle on coming up with something like this, or whether they are merely stupid.

FliesWay2Much

I'm with you, but how many times have we said that a particular incident, policy or sexual assault was finally going to bring diwn the TSA? I hope we're right this time.

KDS

My US Representative still has not responded to my calls about this new assault procedure. I think our elected officials are hiding from this issue and hoping it stops becoming an issue (not that it stops being done). My anger is still growing with TSA and government about this process.

nachtnebel

what's the old saw about a broken clock being right twice a day?...

On the other hand, it's hard to believe this kind of systematic oppression won't generate strong reaction. I think it is already started.

WillCAD

If this procedure had been attempted pre-9/11 (had there been a TSA in those days), there would have been Congressional hearings and the entire upper management of the agency would have been forced to resign.

Had this procedure been attempted in 2002, with 9/11 still burning in our minds, it still would have been rejected.

Systematic oppression of this type is a boiling frog. By the time the frog notices the bubbles obscuring his view of the side of the pot, he's already cooked.

In this case, the general public has been desensitized to TSA abuses by years of gradual escalation. We've been on the proverbial slippery slope since the day the DHS was created, and I can't see the public's paranoia ebbing enough to make them less accepting of these abuses until at least twenty years have passed since 9/11, perhaps twenty-five.

So maybe in 2021 or 2026, the gropes will subside and the equivalent of Pre-Check style physical screening will become the standard rather than the exception. Maybe in the late 2020s someone will propose new federal regulations that spell out a clear, publicly-available, iron-clad path of screening escalation, and maybe a passenger bill of rights for screening and searching, remove the arbitrary nature of current practices, and prevent capricious screeners from exceeding their authority without fear of consequence.

On the other hand, maybe by 2021 there will be mandatory gropes for all travelers and "resolution" screening will consist of referral to the local LEOs for full body cavity searches.

TWA884

FlyerTalk Rule 5:
Recent posts discussing food confiscation were moved to the following thread:
TWA884
Travel Safety/Security co-moderator

petaluma1

Not only was this woman sexually assaulted but her leg was rebroken also.

http://cripconfessions.com/tsa-hurt-...y-in-the-life/

FliesWay2Much

Wow -- Someone with the proper account needs to get this on Propaganda Village and the media-savvy among us need to make sure this goes as viral as the young boy being sexually assaulted.