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Testing the effectiveness of pat-downs - get sent to Gitmo?
Imagine this: Some brave soul decides to test TSA's effectiveness by hiding an inert stand-in for explosives (perhaps an amount of play-doh or modeling clay) somewhere on his person.
Maybe start out with it hidden in various orifices and go through the AIT. Then place it somewhere on his body and go through pat-downs by opting out of AIT. Finally, go through AIT with it on his body and see if he is caught. Certainly he will go through enough times where he is not even "randomly" selected to go through AIT. I imagine it would be devastating to TSA, given their actual red team resports are not shared with the public (though officials are quoted saying their are off the charts). But the question is what would happen to them if they were caught? It's not illegal to put play-doh up your butt and go through a security check-point, right? Is it illegal to put modeling clay on your taint? Also, you can only go through the same security check point so many times...could you print up fake boarding passes for different airlines/terminals? |
I can't comment on the legality of your experiment, I think there are some threads floating around with a list of TSA 'crimes' (try the SAN thread).
Originally Posted by Bbatchelder
(Post 15194138)
Also, you can only go through the same security check point so many times...could you print up fake boarding passes for different airlines/terminals?
If I were planning your experiment, here is how I would handle the boarding pass issue: Buy a (refundable) ticket for last flight of the evening. Go to the airport at 7 am. If anyone asks why you are early, say you hope to go standby on an earlier flight. You can spend all day going through security, exiting the sterile area, printing a new boarding pass at a kiosk, and repeating the experiment at a different checkpoint. (This will work best if your airport has interconnected terminals like DFW.) There is no reason you can't print an AA boarding pass and enter the UA checkpoint. If they want try to send you to a different checkpoint, tell them you got to the airport really early :D and you want to shop/eat in this terminal for a while. This would also work on National Opt-Out Day if you want to maximize your chances of opting out. ;) |
Don't print fake boarding passes. Would love someone to weight in on the legality of smuggling modeling clay. My worry is that TSA would classify that as interfering with security proceedings. |
TSA Sanction Guidelines
... 3. Other Security Violations by Individuals or Persons A. Attempt to circumvent a security system, measure, or procedure by the artful concealment of a non-explosive liquid, aerosol, or gel (other than those permitted) $100-$200 B. Interference with screening i. Including physical contact $1,500-$5,000 ii. Non-physical interference $500-$1,500 iii. False threats $1,000-$2,000 C. Entering sterile area without submitting to screening $1,000-$3,000 D. Tampering or interfering with, compromising, modifying, attempting to circumvent, or causing a person to tamper or interfere with, compromise, modify or attempt to circumvent any security system, measure, or procedure. Includes the artful concealment of prohibited items (except for those prohibited items covered by section III.A., above) $1,500-$6,000 E. Entering or being present within a secured area, AOA, SIDA, or sterile area without complying with the systems, measures, or procedures being applied to control access to, or presence or movement in, such areas $500-$3,000 F. Improper use of airport access medium $500-$3,000 G. Fraud and intentional falsification $2,500-$6,000 + Criminal Referral H. Failure to allow inspection of airman certificate, authorization, FAA license $1,000-$3,000 *Violations not listed above are subject to the regulatory civil penalty maximum of $11,000. |
bad idea
Originally Posted by Bbatchelder
(Post 15196030)
Would love someone to weight in on the legality of smuggling modeling clay. My worry is that TSA would classify that as interfering with security proceedings.
I can't say I'd recommend trying to "red-team" the TSA on your own. Gitmo is unlikely, but arrest and no-fly status is pretty probable. |
Clay is not a liquid / gel / aerosol.
This might get you detained if they spot it, but you probably won't be fined/arrested. |
TSA Sanction Guidelines Perhaps it would be considered "Interference with Screening: False Threats". Thats pretty damn vague though. |
Originally Posted by Bbatchelder
(Post 15194138)
Imagine this: Some brave soul decides to test TSA's effectiveness by hiding an inert stand-in for explosives (perhaps an amount of play-doh or modeling clay) somewhere on his person.
Maybe start out with it hidden in various orifices and go through the AIT. Then place it somewhere on his body and go through pat-downs by opting out of AIT. Finally, go through AIT with it on his body and see if he is caught. Certainly he will go through enough times where he is not even "randomly" selected to go through AIT. I imagine it would be devastating to TSA, given their actual red team resports are not shared with the public (though officials are quoted saying their are off the charts). But the question is what would happen to them if they were caught? It's not illegal to put play-doh up your butt and go through a security check-point, right? Is it illegal to put modeling clay on your taint? Also, you can only go through the same security check point so many times...could you print up fake boarding passes for different airlines/terminals? You should be thrown it Gitmo just for posting that. :rolleyes: HP |
Originally Posted by HighPotter
(Post 15196457)
What the heck is going on in this forum??? This is ridiculous.
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Originally Posted by HighPotter
(Post 15196457)
What the heck is going on in this forum??? This is ridiculous.
I thought the idea of going through security multiple times might be useful on NOOD. |
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