How 'bout that airport security of Amsterdam!

[Jane2]

Posted: 12/27/09 at 1:36am

Top notch, eh?

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5BO10B20091226

Updated On: 12/27/09 at 01:36 AM

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 12/27/09 at 1:43am

Not that it should provide much comfort, but this was an Amsterdam airport that missed this guy.

Get ready for the full body image screening at the airports.

[best12bars]

Posted: 12/27/09 at 1:45am

"Get ready for the full body image screening at the airports."

... and the health report ten years later, showing us the consequences of such scannings.

[tazber]

Posted: 12/27/09 at 1:48am

I can't figure out why he was going to blow it up on the ground.

The dude is so stupid he can't even committ a suicide bombing right.

[Jane2]

Posted: 12/27/09 at 1:49am

Oh, thanks YWIW, I didn't hear that mentioned on the radio.

But yes, Besty, what I DID hear just now is that most likely they WILL institute full body screening. And patting down.

That's the end of MY flying!

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 12/27/09 at 1:54am

Jane, it is actually surprising since the EU is pretty experienced with terrorism. The fact that this guy was on a watch list (if not a no-fly list, I am not sure of the differences), and still got on the plane makes me think that personal vigilance will be important in the foreseeable future whenever one travels.

[Jane2]

Posted: 12/27/09 at 11:21am

Yeah, and since the detector gates don't pick up certain powdered explosives, he was able to get on the plane.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 12/27/09 at 11:40am

I already pick my airport screening line by the woofiness of the screeners. Add pat downs into the mix and it's even better.

[Jane2]

Posted: 12/27/09 at 12:26pm

And we all better start wearing pampers on the plane because now you can't go to the bathroom starting an hour before landing.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 12/27/09 at 12:41pm

And Obama can't be bothered to leave his taxpayer funded Hawaiian vacation to tend to the matter of a terrorist attack on the USA.

[Jane2]

Posted: 12/27/09 at 12:55pm

It is kind of remarkable that no mention has been made of the bravery of some civilians on that plane, which could have ended up taking the lives of 300 people on Christmas. Maybe the praise is coming later on.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 12/27/09 at 12:56pm

Napolitano does not like the term terrorist attacks.As we all know, there is no one terrorism & it was all hyped.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 12/27/09 at 1:08pm

Goth: to do what, precisely?
Roxy: link, please, to Napolitano's denial of this being a terrorist incident.

Thanks, both.

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 12/27/09 at 1:29pm

I think they referred to it as an "attempted act of terrorism".

Jane, I have been hearing and reading about the filmmaker who jumped on the guy and helped put out the flames, so some info is getting out.

And Goth, really? You have no idea what he is, or is not doing, but what exactly do you expect him to do? Do you really think he is not in the loop of major developments? He has been briefed, and is aware of what is going on. This response seems similar to the reaction to Richard Reid's failed terrorist attack in December, 2001.

Or, maybe there is a country we can invade just for the hell of it. Lieberman is already talking about going after Yemen, maybe we need to start another war. Will that make you feel better?

[uncageg]

Posted: 12/27/09 at 1:45pm

Yes, Obama has been working on this while on vacation. He just ordered a review of airport security. Even though this "breach" of security didn't happen in the states, it is probably a good idea. Even after 9/11, we have had reports here of of security people not doing their jobs properly and reports of in-fighting.

Taz, I suspect he planned to detonate the device when he did to not only cause deaths on the plane but on the ground also.

[Yawper]

Posted: 12/27/09 at 2:27pm

"I can't figure out why he was going to blow it up on the ground.

The dude is so stupid he can't even committ a suicide bombing right."

It wasn't on the ground. They were over metro Detroit a few minutes out from the airport when he initiated the procedure. The plane was supposed to blow in the air at a lower than cruising altitude over the city. He had a very small window to work in because that flight approaches over Canadian airspace and spends little time over the US unless stuck in a holding pattern. The airport is within 25 miles of the Canadian border.

One potential mistake made by plotters is that one of the largest mosque and Islamic learning centers in the US is about five miles away from the airport and quite possibly on the approach pattern. Local Muslims here are rather pissed off right now. Updated On: 12/27/09 at 02:27 PM

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 12/27/09 at 2:28pm

"And Obama can't be bothered to leave his taxpayer funded Hawaiian vacation to tend to the matter of a terrorist attack on the USA."

My Pet Goat.

[adamgreer]

Posted: 12/27/09 at 2:41pm

And Obama can't be bothered to leave his taxpayer funded Hawaiian vacation to tend to the matter of a terrorist attack on the USA.

1. This was not a terrorist attack. It was an attempted attack, that was thwarted because of some brave and courageous civilians.

2. You're forgetting about all the taxpayer funded vacations W took to Crawford, Texas, aren't you?

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 12/27/09 at 2:46pm

I'm sure Goth will be back to respond in just a moment.

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 12/27/09 at 3:33pm

Better yet, perhaps Obama can personally deliver a birthday cake to John McCain while one of his major cities is in the middle of a catastrophic flood...

Today's GOP is a joke. This incident was used by part of the GOP to attack unions, the closing of Gitmo, and was somehow related to Fort Hood. Now, some members of the GOP claim that they "inherited" 9/11. At some point, before it is too late, some on the right will wake up and work to form a viable third party with moderate democrats. When the GOP is not a fact-based group, they become difficult, if not impossible, to work with.

Truth is, the screening in Amsterdam was insufficient, and our many databases still do not interface as well as they should (which at this point, is not on Obama, but if it is still bad in 3 years, will be his to own) and we got very, very lucky. This may usher in more personal x-ray screenings, which is just one more piece of privacy you leave at the terminal gate.

But, my thought is that no matter how you try to build a better mousetrap to stop terrorists, preventing terrorism is going to come down to personal vigilance and responsibility.
Updated On: 12/27/09 at 03:33 PM

[blaxx]

Posted: 12/27/09 at 3:36pm

What surprises me is the lack of imagination on the terrorist's part.
If they REALLY wanted to commit an act of terror, why do they keep trying with airplanes when they know that's where everyone is the most aware? You'd think they would have tried other methods by now - these terrorists don't strike me as being very smart, or they must have a bizarre airplane obsession.

[YouWantitWhen????]

Posted: 12/27/09 at 3:47pm

Seriously - I can think of a few other things that would have a much longer impact on the infrastructure, be as dramatic if not more, and would seemingly be easier.

[Yawper]

Posted: 12/27/09 at 3:57pm

"why do they keep trying with airplanes when they know that's where everyone is the most aware"

Despite what the media is feeding citizens this guy only failed because his equipment failed. No one suspected him at all until his detonator didn't work properly, resulting in fire instead of a blast.

Planes are easy to take down and get a lot of meida coverage because the crashes are so dramatic.

[tazber]

Posted: 12/27/09 at 4:23pm

"Seriously - I can think of a few other things that would have a much longer impact on the infrastructure, be as dramatic if not more, and would seemingly be easier."


well, we're talking about al queda here - not the smartest people on the marble.

[Jane2]

Posted: 12/27/09 at 9:20pm

"1. This was not a terrorist attack. It was an attempted attack, that was thwarted because of some brave and courageous civilian

Oh, please Let's not quibble over semantics. This was a terrorist who planned an attack, and started it in motion. That's a terrorist attack.