Massive Search of Airliners Underway

Who know's what this is all about but it does show you how lax our aviation security regimes really are. This will take thousands of man-hours.

Authorities are searching every commercial airplane in the United States on Friday after someone left bags filled with claylike material, bleach and boxcutters on two Southwest Airlines flights, officials told Fox News.

Whoever left the bags on planes in Houston and New Orleans left notes that said the writer was concerned about security on airplanes. It is unclear when the bags were left on the planes.

The Transportation Security Administration has directed that all commerical aircraft in the United States be searched withing the next 24 hours.

www.foxnews.com...

[Edited on 17-10-2003 by kukla]

About late to start searching now....if someone had wanted to do some damage it would have been done by now. I think it may be the powers that be just trying to stir up things.

Here's another link but not much more on info.
You would think that if they took this as a credible threat, they would halt traffic.

www.news24houston.com...

Could this be the work of Red Cell?

www.shadowsource.org...

DALLAS, Oct. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- While performing maintenance on an aircraft lavatory in New Orleans last evening, several items were discovered in a lavatory compartment. The items, inside a small plastic bag, included a small number of boxcutters and other items intended to simulate a threat.

A similar discovery was made in Houston last night on another aircraft during a scheduled maintenance inspection (C check).

A note in both packages indicated the items were intended to challenge the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint security procedures.

biz.yahoo.com...

This could be rather bad but the stupidity of it all just makes you want to laugh.

I mean, if you discover it then why the hell did they just leave it there?

Scare tactics before something big happens, but that's just my guess. Sounds like a huge distraction also.

Nerdling, I think the packages were planted to make a point. The maintenance crew found it then reported it.

But who planted the bags? Is this a scare tactic directed towards the public, os the TSA? The bags could have been left by people from U'Haul or Penske, Amtrak, Ford, Daimler-Chrysler or GMC. I fly on planes all the time and I always get everything searched, how do you get stuff like that (boxcutters, explosive resembling material) through without help?

I know airlines aren't faring well, but isn't Southwest the only airline keeping it's head above water? Maybe it was planted by United or US airways ground crews in oreder to divert customers towards their airlines.

Coincidently, there's another security alert out.

The Department of Homeland Security has warned airlines, local police and emergency personnel across the country to be on heightened alert after U.S. intelligence recently received "multiple reports [that] indicate terrorists may be poised to conduct simultaneous attacks in the near term against US interests" here or overseas, according to an agency memo.

www.washingtonpost.com...

I can't think that Bush & Co would want to embarrass themselves with these security lapses. Could be another agency poking Bush in the eye.

[Edited on 17-10-2003 by kukla]

Hmm..something may be brewing. First we have a security alert issued. Then all airliners are being searched by HSD and FBI. And now it would seem the "black helicopters" over DC are going to 24/7, thanks in part to MSNBC. Also in the news, Missle Defense Brigade activated at Peterson AFB.

"PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE (AP) - The Army activated a brigade Thursday charged with command and control of a $22 billion system intended to protect the nation from a ballistic missile attack.

Some of the soldiers assigned to the Midcourse Defense Brigade, which will have at least 60 Colorado National Guard and active-duty soldiers, will work inside Cheyenne Mountain, home to the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD."

www.trib.com...

"WASHINGTON, Oct. 17� The civilian Blackhawk helicopters deployed in January to help defend the skies over the nation�s capital are on round-the-clock coverage in the wake of an MSNBC.com story that described how the choppers were only providing partial coverage."

www.msnbc.com...

Originally posted by kukla
Hmm..something may be brewing. First we have a security alert issued. Then all airliners are being searched by HSD and FBI. And now it would seem the "black helicopters" over DC are going to 24/7, thanks in part to MSNBC. Also in the news, Missle Defense Brigade activated at Peterson AFB.

"PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE (AP) - The Army activated a brigade Thursday charged with command and control of a $22 billion system intended to protect the nation from a ballistic missile attack.

We have active missile defence now?????

Looks like we have some form of missle defense up. Rather strange timing to announce the activation since the thing is still a work in progress. Rumsfeld hinted at the beginning of the year, that they may roll out some form of md and continue to improve it while active. I figured it would be much closer to the elections. I wonder if this is related to NK latest statement regarding thier nukes?

As far as effectiveness, I wouldn't put too much stock in it right now.

"But a report from the General Accounting Office released last month warned that only two of 10 technologies in the defense system are ready.

John Pike, director of Globalsecurity.org, a defense think-tank, said the military has shown that shooting down incoming missiles is ''physically possible,'' not that it can work in a realistic attack scenario.

''If the only thing standing between an American city and a North Korean missile is this (technology), we are in trouble,'' Pike said."

I wonder if it could be THAAD protecting DC and its surrounding area.

(Theatre High Altitude Area Defence)

Obviously, there is a joker somewhere who feels the need to display his intellect, as well as the need to see it on the news... That's all this is...I'd bet on it. He simply thought of a way to get them aboard and did so purely to show that he could do it...that's all. (it really wouldn't be all that hard of course...) I'm so glad someone thinks it's "fun" to slow air travel for a day... As one who travels often for a living, such things can be extremely inconvenient.... maybe they should think of others the next time they feel the need to feed their ego....

We have active missile defence now?????

Of course...have for decades... Improved Patriots (though not actually Patriots anymore), and THELs (Tactical High Energy Lasers).... Something similar to Phalynx is also present in many locations, but not as effective... There are far more lines of defense planned, (and likely in place), but the ones I mentioned are the ones they've at least hinted enough about....

[Edited on 17-10-2003 by Gazrok]

Sky news was reporting that it was planted there
to test security...

But they are still saying all planes will be checked on friday?
sounds odd to me

also head of mi5 here in the uk has said we are on terror alert,
there may be a possible attack on supermarkets, eletric companys ect...

*edit*..misread your post asala..



[Edited on 17-10-2003 by kukla]

THAAD ARTICLE:

If the THAAD system were fully funded, it would be used with the current Patriot system to allow for short and medium-range high altitude defense against ballistic missile attacks. While the Patriot system is designed as a defense against tactical ballistic missiles within the atmosphere, the THAAD is capable of engaging and destroying missiles beyond the atmosphere.

"Comparing a Patriot to a THAAD is like comparing a moped to an Indianapolis race car," said Chief Warrant Officer Eddie Atkins, electronic maintenance officer from the 1st Battalion, 6th Air Defense Artillery. Atkins said he has worked with both systems and "I just cannot say enough good things about the THAAD. Its range is what is absolutely amazing."

The THAAD system consists of missiles, launcher, radar, battle management/command, control, communication, computers and intelligence units, and support equipment. This entire system, operated by soldiers from A Battery, 1st Battalion, 6th Air Defense Artillery, was transported from Fort Bliss to Washington, D.C., for several demonstrations.

After being on display at the Capitol, the THAAD was set up May 7-10 on the national Mall for Public Service Recognition Week and it will be at Andrews Air Force Base, Md., for the Armed Forces Day joint-service open house May 15-17.

The THAAD's overall price tag of $14 billion includes the total cost of the system from development through procurement, according to Lt. Col. Lloyd McDaniels with the Army's Research, Development and Acquisition office in the Pentagon. He said about $3 billion has been spent already in the development phase of the system.

"The system is good all the way around," said Sgt. Daniel Kopta, THAAD launcher crew chief, "but the range is the greatest asset. It can actually intercept a fired missile in outer space, and it travels so fast by using kinetic energy, that the intercepted missile and the THAAD will be destroyed as soon as they come into contact."

Kopta said there would be no debris falling to the ground with the THAAD because it would burn up as it enters the earth's atmosphere. He said this would be true even if the ballistic missile carried chemical, biological or nuclear elements in its warhead. With the Patriot, debris would sometimes fall to the ground because impact occurs at a much lower altitude. In addition, the Patriot does not always directly impact its target, as it explodes when sensors indicate it is near another missile.

Kopta said there are some other distinct advantages to the THAAD.

"Once the system (launcher and missiles) is set up, the soldiers won't be with the system, they will be back at the TOC (tactical operations center), and will only have to go back to the system if something goes wrong or to do required maintenance," he said. There will be a computer system set up at the missile site that will tell the system what to do, by reading information to and from the TOC.

The communications center at the TOC will read the radar, track any incoming missiles, and relay information to the THAAD missile. A big plus is that the THAAD can be placed on automatic or manual firing, be put on hold once it is fired or stopped after launching. If the missile is stopped, it will destroy itself.

A battery will run the computer system at the launch site, and the computer will tell itself when the battery is low, in which case, the system will automatically turn on a 10-kilowatt quiet generator to recharge its battery.

The concept for the system began 33 months ago and has gone through several flight tests at White Sands. At the test Tuesday morning, the THAAD missile apparently went out of control shortly after launch and analysis of the flight data is underway to find the reason for the malfunction. The THAAD is the first weapon system designed to specifically defend troops against ballistic missiles. DoD officials said the Patriot system was originally designed as an anti-aircraft system and modified during Desert Storm to defend against SCUDs.

Soldiers have been trained on the THAAD prototype equipment and currently are performing selected tasks during flight-testing and are assisting contractor personnel on all equipment. Soldier involvement during the current flight test program will support the smooth transition for the Congressionally mandated User Operational Evaluation System, which will support operational assessments of the systems as well as provide an early warfighting capability in the event of a national emergency.

Rep. Curt Weldon told the group at the display that the problems with the prior flight tests all involved quality control problems and have been fixed. "Congress is committed to providing effective theater missile defenses in place to protect U.S. troops," Weldon said. "We cannot defend a single attack from a missile to date. Over the past five years we have made tremendous progress...the THAAD is an example of how far we have come."

"This is the best radar acquisition system, it's the best high altitude defense system we have to defend an area. With this system, we will be able to intercept at supersonic speed any incoming missile, so it is not a threat to the soldiers on the ground," Lt. Gen. Paul Kern said. Kern is the military deputy to the assistant secretary of the Army for research, development and acquisition.

Whem I was with my patriot missile battery we heard alot about THADS, and newer recruits were beginnign to recieve THADDS trainign while in school. I knew they were almost done with it completely.

For the record, tho, the patriot missile was orginially designed to take out aircraft, not missiles. During the gulf war, it had a relatively low sucess rate intercepting missiles, and during my time in, they basically spent the 90s overhauling the system, adding GPS and tweaking it, to make it better at taking out missiles too. It seems they did a relatively good job as compared the the original gulf war record.

But the fact that we are employing it so readily and stepping up on our military defense tells me the fears of world war 3 and the htreats from the EU and China arent just the paranoid ramblings of a few, but the big fukers in DC are taking them serious enough.

Box cutters, i still laugh at that one. A couple of Arabs with little bitty box cutters can commandeer a jet? Like a box cutter is a serious weapon against a whole friggin passenger load? Puleeze, i still cant believe they play with that one.

just heard this on the news...

FBI say they have located a person in connection with the box cutters..

how do you get stuff like that (boxcutters, explosive resembling material) through without help?

I'm with Kukla. If you wanted to send a message to any terrorists planning to do anything with the airlines during Ramadan, what a better thing to do than to plant a "test" and have it discovered. This justifies further security measures in the eye of the public. Instill fear, pull the strings a little tighter.

And of course they've already captured a patsy to take the fall. Sounds like an inside job to me.


[Edited on 17-10-2003 by MKULTRA]