TSA lets every passenger board with potential lethal weapons
 

I keep reading about how TSA needs to do a variety of offensive things to people all in the name of security.

Yet every passenger is permitted to board with at least three items that could be used as lethal weapons:

1. A leather belt and buckle.
2. Keys on a key ring.
3. A laptop computer.

I don't intend to give a tutorial on how these items could be used as weapons, but the methods should be obvious to anyone who thinks about them. Any terrorist who wanted to harm people on an aircraft would be knowledgeable about these, and I would assume that TSA must know this.

I should point out that in some of the secure areas to which I have been admitted over the years, it is common for keys NOT to be allowed into the facility.

Given the obvious potential use of permitted items as weapons, I cannot see how the alacrity with which TSA lays its hands upon the passengers bodies, or leers at their naked images from a private booth (my God, does anyone at the government realize how creepy that is!) is anywhere close to justified.

Poss. weapons?
 

:eek: IDs & Credit Cards could be sharpened to the degree
they could possibly be used to shave with or used as "boxcutters".:(

To say nothing of pencils, pens, cellphones and hands.

So they ban all those plus keys? Right.

Yes, and yet we are told that we have to submit to prison-level inspections to board an aircraft.

For that matter, you can garrote someone with a shoelace. Or a long circular knitting needle.

Intent is everything.

I'm waiting for them to confiscate all cell phones because they could be used to trigger an explosive. Now THAT'S when America will finally revolt!

Here's the thing: Al Qaeda doesn't have to actually down an airplane. In fact, for their purposes of maximum disruption to America, it's better if they DON'T, because they need for the plot to be discovered, which might not happen if the perpetrator successfully blows himself and everybody else to smithereens. All they need is a plot so outrageous in its implications (considering TSA's knee-jerk reactions and fondness for expensive machinery) that we would REALLY tie ourselves in knots trying to prevent the last one.

The only way TSA, DHS, and America is going to escape this insanity loop is to forget chasing "product" and focus on discerning intent. In the process, most of us would be considerably less inconvenienced than we are now. Some of us might even try flying again.

If the TSA messes with you, simply snap a CD in half and slice his throat.

Hannibal Lecter could have a field day on an aircraft....:eek:

Correct. AQ need not find a person willing to blow themselves up with a rectal bomb. Given TSA's record of mindless overreaction, AQ would only need to create a threat sufficiently convincing to TSA that such a bomb could be carried out. No one need even be arrested. I can think of many ways that such a scheme could be carried out. Look at the mileage that was achieve with the toner cartridge.

And none of the things they can carry or find on the plane is going to get them through the hardened cockpit door, so the maximum casualty count is going to be the passenger and cabin crew killed before the inevitable counterassault. No innocents on the ground.

The madman armed with everyday objects can get me at the supermarket, concert, darkened theatre, or work. I'm not worried about the statistics of him also getting me on a plane.

For certain the theatre performance at the checkpoints is unjustified. Yes.

How about the extending handle on a rollerboard? Airplane knives? Glasses distributed in F/C.

Human hands/feet?!?! :eek:

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it already has at the TSA

Neckties...I imagine if you wrap it around someone's neck tight enough you could easily choke a person to death

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Some of those yes!

lol! i for one will sleep better tonight knowing this!

Balderdash. Not even ONE of them. WHAT do you check for them? Certainly not cargo or checked baggage. Certainly not passengers. Not the catered food or drink.

You're using the Smiths Detection IONSCAN 500DT?

Explosives Detected RDX, PETN, NG, TNT, HMX, TATP and others

Narcotics Detected Cocaine, Heroin, Amphetamine, Methamphetamine, MDA, THC and others

Or the other item on the QPL: GE ITEMISERDX?

I don't believe you have the technology to detect ricin, sarin, or biological agents. What equipment can you point to that does?

Just need to watch those Lockdown shows on MSNBC to show how easy it is to make stabbing instruments out of seemingly innocent household items. One of those days someone will hide something up their butt that will down a plane, then will we all be subject to cavity searches?

why dont i believe you, then again you admitting for searching for items outside of your charter hence violation of law and constitution.

Then again i think if TSA ever came upon a real WMD it would be a code brown of chickens running around with there heads chopped off. AQ doesnt have to do the dirty work with TSA does it for them 99.99999999999999999999999% of the time. All they have to do is say "boo"

More deadly than all of that is airline food.

The "canary in a coal mine" test can be used for a couple of the dangerous items listed. If one of eyecue's fellow TSOs keels over, eyecue could have seconds left to make his peace with the world, call for a supervisor, or pat down another suspect. ;)

What would you do in this situation?

^ +1000! Recovering from a wicked case of food poisoning. I blame the breakfast I had on DL.

Ah don need no frikin' 'quipmen. Ma nose dun tell me an' dat's all I neeze ta nose.

Do not make the common mistake of believing that the TSA exists to prevent weapons from getting on board, or prevent terrorists from getting on board.

As has been stated by several posters claiming to be TSA employees, the TSA is not concerned with terrorists or weapons.

Their only concern is insuring that "prohibited items" do not get on board.

It does not matter if a particular item presents a threat to above-wing safety or security as long as it is on that list.

This is why the TSA is more concerned about drugs than about your keys.

In 10 years of law enforcement, I saw more injuries and terror inflicted upon one human to another by hands/fists/feet than any other weapon. I'm surprised TSA doesn't have us all sitting handcuffed, leg shackled and belly chained on our flights like ConAir.

To which I can add: Anybody with any training in martial arts is a deadly weapon. Following this type of logic, TSA should collect names of all students from all martial arts schools and put them all on the NFL.

Having read this thread, I wonder: What if 9/11 actually used some of the items mentioned here instead of box cutters? What if they had martial arts training and used that? What kind of a knee-jerk reaction would government have inflicted on us then?

See my post just above yours. There's your knee jerk reaction. Conair. Not too far away in my opinion. Who could have ever predicted 10 or 15 years ago we would be at a point where full body x-rays and prison style friskings would be par for the course for ordinary citizens to travel.

The simple solution would be to make passengers stow their arms and legs in the overhead bins for the duration of the flight.:p

Either that or handcuffed with a full bag over our heads as in Brazil or V for Vendetta.

Anything for security, of course.

It's hard to reattach arms and legs well, is the problem. Brains, OTOH, all you need is that cap thing that those gals had when they did Spock. Anyone can be a brain attacher with that cap - even...even, dare I say it...

No, I don't think I can go that far. Even the cap has its limits.

Of course. Nothing is too intrusive, ridiculous or humiliating if it keeps even a single passenger from rescuing himself and fellow passengers from a potential undershorts bomber. :rolleyes:

^^+1 you ain't kidding.

Maybe we could be carried by four TSA screeners from our homes, through the airport and onto the plane in an egg.

In all seriousness, TSA agents are truly canaries in regards to bombs etc.

If the day comes that a TSO actually discovers a bomb carried by true terrorist, they'll live in the glory of the big catch for about 5 seconds before the bomber hits the detonate button, wiping out the checkpoint and anyone around them.

TSA will not stop a motivated and smart bomber. They just offer up a chance to move the detonation point from a crowded tube in the sky, to a crowded government checkpoint at an airport.

I gave the secuirty theater high marks for absurdity when they banned metal butter knives after 9/11. Of course, the bad guys still had access to forks. Or better yet, breaking a drinking glass or a bottle of duty-free vodka wouldn't result in an edge sharp enough to cut someone's throat, now would it?

Don't get me wrong, I am not advocating banning any of these things. Just pointing out the absurdity of security theater.

give them time, they are slowly but surely working towards that...

As another FTer mentioned, snapping a CD in half, would be sharper than a butter knife.. Of course, TSA has not discovered this lethal threat, yet :rolleyes:

There are a myriad of things airside that can be converted to a weapon.

Next time you are airside, pop into the news stand or souvenir shop and see how many things could be just as effective as a box cutter or knife.

+1

Which makes all of these "rules" completely absurd.

If someone is going to hijack the plane I am on with a key, I will take my chances...

Look at the shoe bomber and underwear bomber. Passengers were the ones that put their lives in danger to stop the threat. I am sure a key wont stop 200 passengers from stopping that threat.