FlyerTalk Forums - Security breach at DFW

What worries me is the following quotes from the article linked to above

Quote:

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Three other planes that took off before they could be stopped and evacuated were to be screened upon arrival at their destinations. The flights included two Delta Air Lines flights to Atlanta and a Delta flight to Oklahoma City.

....

Mr. Clabes said the air marshal was found on one of the flights that landed in Atlanta.
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Does it worry anyone else, that enough time passed between when the air marshal passed security, and when the breach was reported (or at least the report acted on), that he had time to get to the gate, board the flight, and have the flight depart.

What proceedures does the airline follow to
ensure that the person boarding the flight is indeed an air marshal - I understand that certain forms need to be filled in etc, and that armed passengers are listed on the manifest - but do the gate agents/crew double check the identity of the passenger, or do they rely on airport security to verify this?

Thankfully, this person was a real air marshal, if they hadn't been....

Beck