Great news: Al-Qaeda working on surgically implanted bombs
It sounds like the stuff of science fiction, but unfortunately it may not be much longer. It's inevitable that when security 'improves' by being able to detect more things, terrorists respond by finding new things or better ways to hide them. That's what's happening in response to full body scans and 'enhanced' pat downs at American airports: Al-Qaeda is working feverishly to develop surgically implanted bombs.
"What is your opinion about surgeries through which I can implant the bomb ...inside the operative's body?" an apparent mad surgeon recently asked an online forum used by Al Qaeda affiliates.
He called on bombmakers and doctors to cook up the perfect solution to murder "larger numbers of unbelievers and apostates."
"I am waiting for the interaction of the experienced brothers to connect the two sciences together and produce a new kind of terrorism, Allah willing," he wrote, according to a translation by terror experts at the SITE Intelligence Group.
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Stitching a bomb into the abdominal cavity made of plastic or liquid explosives - such as semtex or PETN - was judged the best method.
"It must be planted near the surface of the body, because the human body absorbs shocks," advised one terrorist.
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Unproven body cavity bombs worry security agents, though "no one has figured out how to actually do it," said a counterterror official.
Last month, Transportation Security Administration chief John Pistole said his agency wouldn't do cavity checks because secondary screening procedures and technology can find fuses and detonators, which must be outside the body.
"You have to have some external device to cause that initiation," he said. "That's what the advanced imaging technology machine will pick up: any anomaly outside of the body."
Still experts worry about the doctors among the terrorists' ranks and their willingness to kill. Al Qaeda's No. 2 is Ayman al-Zawahiri, an Egyptian doctor, and last year a Jordanian doctor known as "Abu Dujana al-Khorasani" killed seven CIA officers in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan.
"In the same way that drug smugglers have placed bags of narcotics in the body cavities of animals and had people ingest condoms filled with drugs, it would not be out of the realm of Al Qaeda operational planners to conceive of such a technique," said Mark Rossini, a former senior FBI counterterror agent.
That's why you have to look for terrorists (like the Israelis do) and not for things. When will they ever learn?
Great news: Muslim Public Affairs Council training TSA security agents
This ought to make you all feel secure. TSA has hired the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC) to train its security guards. In the past, MPAC has been a vocal opponent of security at the airport.
According to a press release by the Muslim Public Affairs Council (MPAC), the organization recently completed training for 2,200 officers charged with protecting our nation's air security. According to the release, the two-month training course highlighted "the diversity of Muslims around the world from cultural dress to language and tenets," and "taught the TSOs how to properly handle a Quran and discussed the different ways Muslim women and men choose to cover or dress."
Reliance upon MPAC to improve airport security is misplaced. The organization has not only defended designated terrorist organizations, but criticized U.S. counter-terrorism efforts including those aimed at securing airports.
Unquestionably the largest failing of airport security in the United States was the Sept. 11 attacks. Two years before those attacks, a July 1999 issue of Al-Talib, an Islamist student newspaper at UCLA of which MPAC's Edina Lekovic served as managing editor, described Osama bin Laden as a "great Mujahid" and as a "freedom fighter and philanthropist." This, despite the fact that bin Laden had already issued a global fatwa against the United States.
Since those attacks, MPAC has denounced any attempts to improve airline security. Criticizing U.S. law enforcement efforts at preventing terrorism, MPAC has argued that "our nations citizens—particularly Muslim, South Asian and Arab Americans—have experienced repeated erosions of their civil liberties in our nation's airports, and in their houses of worship through intrusive and questionable law enforcement techniques."
Despite being a vocal critic, MPAC continues to be invited to assist the law enforcement community in fashioning security policies. Earlier this year, MPAC representatives met with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. During that meeting the groups "expressed concerns about DHS policies, such as racial, ethnic, and religious profiling at airports and the border, that have eroded the government's trust and credibility with the communities."
The criticisms reached a fever pitch following last year's failed bombing on Christmas Day by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. While law enforcement was working to prevent another attack, MPAC was criticizing every such effort.
TSA suggests tells kids enhanced patdowns are a game
TSA is stuck on stupid. To get children to cooperate with their 'enhanced patdowns,' they are trying to convince them that it's a game. That doesn't sit well with experts on child sexual abuse.
Ken Wooden, founder of Child Lures Prevention, says the TSA's recommendation that children be told the pat-down is a "game" is potentially putting children in danger.
Telling a child that they are engaging in a game is "one of the most common ways" that sexual predators use to convince children to engage in inappropriate contact, Wooden told Raw Story.
Children "don't have the sophistication" to distinguish between a pat-down carried out by an airport security officer and an assault by a sexual predator, he said.
The TSA policy could "desensitize children to inappropriate touch and ultimately make it easier for sexual offenders to prey on our children," Wooden added.
Following an outcry last month over the use on children of "enhanced pat-downs" -- which involve the touching of genitals -- the TSA announced a new "modified" pat-down for children under 12. However, as the LA Times noted, the new rules are "unclear" on whether TSA agents can touch children's genitals.
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"How can experts working at the TSA be so incredibly misinformed and misguided to suggest that full body pat downs for children be portrayed as a game?" Wooden asked in an email. "To do so is completely contrary to what we in the sexual abuse prevention field have been trying to accomplish for the past thirty years."
He added: "This policy is also incredibly insensitive to the countless victims who have already been traumatized by unwanted touching in their lives and could be re-traumatized by such pat-downs."
Is there no one in America anymore with a sense of modesty and decency who can convince these people that this is just plain wrong? It doesn't help security anyway - you won't find anything a terrorist sticks in a body cavity.
Just how ridiculous has this gotten? Does Grandma look like a terrorist? Well, I suppose this Grandma does. In fact, she was one.
But this one?
Israeli security would have dismissed her in about 30 seconds. They would just make sure she packed her own bags.
Things have gotten so bad that Laura Rozen reports that a group of Congressional staffers was embarrassed by a TSA demonstration.
[A House staffer who attended the briefing] said that several House staffers were so uncomfortable they averted their eyes when the TSA demonstrated an enhanced pat-down in the room of 200 people.
“The dumbest part: they did two pat-down demonstrations – male on male, and female on female,” the House staffer said. And they used a young female TSA volunteer “and in front of a room of 200 people, they touched her breasts and her buttocks. People were averting their eyes. The TSA was trying to demonstrate ‘this is not so bad,’ but it made people so uncomfortable to watch, that people were averting their eyes.”
“They shot themselves in the foot,” the staffer continued.
Sounds like a description of pornography to me.
And then there are the TSA employees themselves - many of whom are also embarrassed (Hat Tip: Instapundit).
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the union that represents TSA workers, is urging the TSA to do more to protect its employees from abuse from airline passengers angry over the new security methods. The union reports that some members “have reported instances in which passengers have become angry, belligerent and even physical with TSOs (transportation security officers). In Indianapolis, for example, a TSO was punched by a passenger who didn’t like the new screening process,” the union said in a Nov. 17 statement posted on its website.
Union President John Gage called on TSA to provide an educational pamphlet to each passenger describing both their rights and the details of the new procedures, which include full-body scans and enhanced pat-downs.
“This absence of information has resulted in a backlash against the character and professionalism of TSOs,” said Gage in a statement. “TSA must act now — before the Thanksgiving rush — to ensure that TSOs are not being left to fend for themselves.”
“Our concern is that the public not confuse the people implementing the policies with the people who developed the policies,” said Sharon Pinnock, the union's director of membership and organization.
Speaking of rights when you're being groped by the TSA, check this guy out.
By the way, is this true everywhere in the US? TSA now searches you after you go through customs before you leave the airport? If so, that's absurd.
70% of Americans want Israeli-style airport security
A new survey done by the Langer Group for the Washington Post and ABC News has found that an astounding 70% of Americans want TSA to use the 'profiling' methods used at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport, even though those methods have always been rejected by Americans until now as 'discriminatory.' This is from the first link (the original poll results).
As another tool in airport security efforts, this poll finds broad support for passenger profiling – but with that support heavily dependent on profile elements. Eighty-six percent say personal behavior should be a factor, and 78 percent say a passenger’s travel history should be included in his or her security profile. Fewer, but 55 percent, favor including a passenger’s nationality, and half would include his or her personal appearance.
Other potential elements, however, garner majority opposition as elements to include in a security profile. Fifty-nine percent oppose using a passenger’s race or religion, and 65 percent say sex should not be a factor.
There are differences among groups, with profiling generally winning more support from Republicans, conservatives, men and whites, as well as, naturally, among those who see security as a higher national priority than protecting privacy rights. But there are commonalities as well; racial profiling, for instance, is opposed by six in 10 whites and non-whites alike.
YNet (the third link above) adds:
In the past, Americans vetoed the security system used at Ben Gurion Airport claiming it casts suspicion on one sector in an inclusive fashion, namely, against Arabs and Muslims. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs explained on Monday that the reason US authorities refused to adopt Israeli methods was because "Israel has one international airport and we have 450 of them that makes all the difference".
And yet, it seems that the American public disagrees. A Washington Post and ABC network poll revealed that 70% of Americans support adopting the Israeli profiling system and its implementation in US airports.
I don't buy the 'too many airports' and 'too many passengers' arguments. With what the US government is spending on the full body scanners ($1 billion) it could hire and train a lot of bright Americans - many of whom are out of work anyway - and have airport security that looks for terrorists rather than things, is more effective, and is less personally invasive to ordinary citizens.
The poll also shows that 64% of Americans approve of the full body scanner, a steep decline of 17% in the last week (admittedly that may be somewhat inaccurate since last week's poll was done by CBS), and that more than half of all Americans think that the 'enhanced patdowns' go too far. And frequent fliers are even less supportive of the new measures. This is from the Washington Post (the second link above):
Two factors behind the public's reaction to the new airport-screening procedures: Few Americans fly regularly and their concern about the risk of terrorism on commercial aircraft remains muted.
Just 15 percent of those polled say they travel by plane every few months. Most say they fly less than once a year or never. Sixty-six percent say the risk of terrorism on airplanes is not that great.
Those who say they take flights at least once every year are less supportive of the new scanners than those who rarely or never fly, although most still like the idea. By 54 percent to 43 percent, those who fly at least once annually say the pat-down procedure goes too far.
One area where fliers and non-fliers agree is in their support for use of profiling at airports, where the TSA would single out specific people for extra screening based on available information. About seven in 10 in both groups back the idea.
In nine years, the TSA has not caught a single terrorist nor has it prevented any of the terror attacks that have been attempted against the US in that time. That may say it all.
TSA chief John Pistole on using Israeli security methods
Here's CNN's Candy Crowley interviewing TSA chief John Pistole on Sunday. Pistole brings up profiling around the 6:20 mark and just dismisses it as "we don't profile in the US." Well maybe they should. Pistole doesn't seem to think anything physical is over the line. Would you rather be asked who packed your bags and whether they were under your control at all times since they were packed, or would you rather have someone's hand in your crotch?
Starting at 10:30 he describes the Israeli system of his own initiative and calls it very thorough and top notch. He also claims that the Israelis use patdowns but ignores the fact that only people who get flagged by profiling get any kind of patdown. Again, doesn't say why profiling cannot be done in the US, just that it's not done. After all, it would be politically incorrect if only male Muslims between the ages of 18-49 got the patdown, even if they constitute 100% of the airline terrorists over the last 30 years.
By the way, Debbie Schlussel wonders whether the TSA employees change their gloves between gropings (I doubt it) and whether there's a risk they could be spreading sexually transmitted diseases as a result. Hmmm.
The story you are about to see is true, the names have been changed to protect the innocent
One more TSA post.... For those of you who grew up in the '60's and '70's, I'm sure the title of this post rang a bell. It's from the television series, Dragnet. Here's how Jack Webb and Harry Morgan would deal with the TSA.
Some of you might have noticed that I've been away from the blog for a couple of hours. That actually happens more often than you all think :-) but this time I did not have time to set up enough posts in advance.
I've expressed surprise a couple of times at polls that show that 81% of the American public supports the use of full body scanners and 'enhanced pat down' techniques in American airports. Well, surprise, the surveys are asking the wrong questions (Hat Tip: Instapundit).
The sample size and selection methodology seem reasonable. However, the following questions apparently were not asked: “Have you or an immediate family member flown on a commercial airliner in the United States since November 1, 2010?” and “Do you or an immediate member of your family intend to fly on a commercial airliner in the United States in the near future? If not, have your plans been changed on account of recent changes in airport security procedures?” A breakout of the data as provided by the Yes and No respondents to these questions would have made the survey far more informative.
The report of the survey speaks of “two potentially inconvenient and invasive practices” at airports. However, the reported question asks only about the new “‘full body’ digital X-ray machines.” No question was reported about the second and certainly more invasive of the “two” techniques, presumably the “enhanced pat-downs.” If a question was asked about the latter, the results were not reported.
As to “profiling,” the question was whether it would be justified or unjustified for people of “certain racial or ethnic groups to be subject to additional security checks at airport checkpoints.” Again, questions about recent or anticipated travel by airline in the United States and cross tabulations of the responses under those categories would have made the survey report more useful. As to profiling based solely on race or ethnicity, to which the survey appears to relate, my answer would have fallen into the “not justified” category.
Had the question been about additional security checks based on perceived religion, race, ethnicity, age, and conduct which would appear to a reasonable observer trained in interpreting conduct, body language, and conversation to be “abnormal and suspicious,” my answer would have fallen into the “justified” category. Like it or not and quite independently of race and ethnicity, far more young Islamists than elderly Methodists have, during the twenty-first century, engaged in terrorist activity as encouraged by their religious leaders and teachings; those facts should be part of the mix to be considered, even though I guess it could be argued that since there have been no terrorist attacks involving airlines in recent years by elderly Methodists, TSA (Transportation Security Administration) procedures have functioned quite well.
Read the whole thing. It would be interesting to see a survey that asks the right questions.
For the record, I also have not seen a survey of Americans who have been through Israeli airport security who believe it's unreasonable. In fact, most of the articles I've seen by Americans who have been through Israeli airport security were quite favorable. But don't tell that to the politically correct chattering classes.
If you're flying in the US, remember National Opt Out Day on Wednesday.
Democrats may finally be realizing that they will be blamed for TSA's invasive security screenings and not former President Bush. The underwear bomber happened on their watch, and 'enhanced patdowns' is a new piece of bureaucracy speak that has just gained currency in the last couple of months. The Democrats have now asked the TSA to reconsider the procedures, at least for the Thanksgiving travel season.
In a letter Friday to TSA Administrator John Pistole, Reps. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.), chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, and Shelia Jackson Lee (D-Texas) said the agency should rethink the new screening procedures in light of the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, typically the busiest travel time of the year.
“While we agree that security measures should be enhanced in the wake of recent attempted terrorist attacks on the aviation system, we are concerned about new enhanced pat down screening protocols and urge you to reconsider the utilization of these protocols. With Thanksgiving Day marking the beginning of the busiest travel season of the year, this request is timely,” Thompson and Jackson Lee write in their letter.
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The lawmakers say members “expressed concern” about the pat-down procedures when they were briefed on them in September. They ask Pistole for a number of documents, such as a privacy impact assessment, regarding the new pat-down procedures and say TSA screeners need more training, citing an inspector general report detailing weaknesses in the agency’s training program.
Thompson and Jackson Lee criticize the agency in their letter. They say TSA should have done a better job of informing the public about the new screening procedures while also making sure to better protect their civil rights.
“Before implementing this new more invasive pat down procedure, as a preliminary matter, TSA should have had a conversation with the American public about the need for these changes. Even before that conversation, TSA should have endeavored to ensure that these changes did not run afoul of privacy and civil liberties,” they write.
Read the comments. You have to see how angry people are and how many call for using Israeli procedures. "Profile and leave the rest of us alone" is a theme. I could not agree more.
I am an Orthodox Jew - some would even call me 'ultra-Orthodox.' Born in Boston, I was a corporate and securities attorney in New York City for seven years before making aliya to Israel in 1991 (I don't look it but I really am that old :-). I have been happily married to the same woman for thirty-five years, and we have eight children (bli ayin hara) ranging in age from 13 to 33 years and nine grandchildren. Four of our children are married! Before I started blogging I was a heavy contributor on a number of email lists and ran an email list called the Matzav from 2000-2004. You can contact me at: IsraelMatzav at gmail dot com
It sounds like the stuff of science fiction, but unfortunately it may not be much longer. It's inevitable that when security 'improves' by being able to detect more things, terrorists respond by finding new things or better ways to hide them. That's what's happening in response to full body scans and 'enhanced' pat downs at American airports: Al-Qaeda is working feverishly to develop surgically implanted bombs. 
