A ‘Dry Run’ by Terrorists or TSA Confusion?

Travel Blog  •  Jim Benning  •  07.26.07 | 2:48 PM ET

imageThe threat of more terrorist attacks involving planes in the United States couldn’t be more real. Public trust in the Transportation Security Administration is obviously critical. Which is why new conflicting reports about those so-called possible “dry runs” noted in a recent a TSA bulletin are so troubling.

In warning of suspicious objects trying to be passed through airport screeners, the TSA cited, among other examples, two ice packs wrapped in duct tape that turned up at San Diego’s Lindbergh FIeld airport. Wrote the TSA in an intelligence bulletin to airport screeners: “The ice packs had clay inside them rather than the normal blue gel.” But the TSA’s own security director at Lindbergh Field says that’s simply not the case. After further inspection, according to the director, officials found the packs indeed contained gel, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. And that’s not the only bit of conflicting information.

Reports the Union-Tribune:

The July 20 bulletin was leaked to NBC News earlier this week. It also reported suspicious incidents at airports in Milwaukee, Houston and Baltimore.

Law enforcement officials said yesterday that the Baltimore incident—involving plastic bags, a block of cheese and a cell phone charger—proved to be innocent.

The TSA regularly issues internal bulletins. According to one official, more than 90 have been issued in the last six months.

Like all sane travelers, I’m glad the TSA is taking a close look at any questionable objects. It’s a thankless task. I just want to believe that any discussion of terrorist threats is based on credible, accurate information. That’s not too much to ask, is it?

Related on World Hum:
* World Hum Travel-Terror Fatigue Level: Still Totally Sick of This

Photo by dannysullivan via Flickr (Creative Commons).



3 Comments for A ‘Dry Run’ by Terrorists or TSA Confusion?

hotcp 02.20.08 | 2:46 PM ET

I wish the word terrorist wouldn’t be in our dictionary

Uri from Chile 08.29.08 | 11:28 PM ET

In Cuba’s airport, I had a verbal confrontation with a woman who tried to take my RING (yes, my ring), because it was “too big and it could be use as a weapon”).

Laurie 10.15.08 | 3:56 PM ET

I am still not sure how a government bureaucracy like the TSA has any hope of stopping well financed and highly motivated terrorists. :-S

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