FBI: Plane-Security Perpetrator Located

This is coming at a crucial time
for the Bush Administration. Just about the last thing they need is to
appear weak on Homeland Security (to coin a phrase). I expect that
they're downplaying this particular saga and hoping it'll go away as
soon as possible.

The government on Friday ordered intensified security
checks of the entire U.S. commercial air fleet after small plastic bags
containing box cutters and other suspicious items were found on two
Southwest Airlines planes. The FBI announced later it had found the
perpetrator. A 20-year-old North Carolina man was being questioned in
Baltimore � site of a major Southwest hub � by the FBI in
connection with the incidents, according to a congressional official
and a senior law enforcement official, both of whom spoke on condition
of anonymity. The congressional official said the man, described as a
college student, had informed the Transportation Security
Administration that he planned to put packages on planes in an effort
to expose gaps in aviation security. An FBI statement issued later
Friday said only that agents had "located and interviewed the
individual believed responsible" for placing the bags and that the
person poses no further threat to airline security. The person's name
was not released. No charges were immediately announced, but the
statement said legal proceedings were expected Monday in federal court
in Baltimore. "It doesn't appear to be a terrorist event," FBI Director
Robert Mueller said. "I think it is safe to fly."

Incredibly, this isn't on the front page of nytimes.com or washingtonpost.com.
The optimist in me realizes that it's midnight on a Friday night, but
my devout Orwellian side is desparately searching the room for a mugful
of synthetic gin. One would think that this flagrant, terrifying breach
of security would be at the forefront of our collective consciousness,
but as of now it's just another piece of paper down the memory hole..

Posted by flow Frazao on October 17, 2003 at 11:58 PM | Permalink