Originally Posted by
Boggie Dog
Trying to keep this discussion narrowly focused on what happen to the boy that is this threads topic.
As I understand it, the boy sent his carry-on bag to the x-ray machine where his laptop was observed in his bag. That was the alarm, not explosive residue or anything else. The laptop in the bag generated the extra scrutiny and resulted in the pat down of the kid. Nothing of danger was discovered in or on the bag or laptop. In simple terms there was no need or reason for the abusive pat down.
If TSA policy directs a pat down in this situation then I would say that TSA is very misguided and needs some change. I seem to remember TSA bragging about Risk Based Security. Guess that went out the window!
The above is exactly what happened.
BTW, here's the dictionary definition of "alarm":
1.
an anxious awareness of danger.
Synonyms: fear, anxiety, apprehension, trepidation, nervousness, unease, distress, agitation, consternation, disquiet,
perturbation, fright, panic, dread, horror, shock, terror
Seems to me that the TSA would do well to find a word other than "alarm" to describe the finding of things that are out of the ordinary. But then again, TSA wouldn't be TSA if it weren't in a constant state of "alarm".