There is an increasing concern that America’s airports are vulnerable to “insider threats” by would-be “lone wolf” attackers with access to secure areas, according to a new report by the House Homeland Security Committee.
“America’s airports and aircraft remain vulnerable to attack and exploitation by nefarious individuals,” the report says. “Current security standards would likely fail to prevent a determined adversary with insider access from causing harm to an airport or aircraft.”
Most of the 900,000 people who work at airports across the country can bypass normal security screening on a regular basis, according to the committee. Only three airports — Miami, Orlando, and Atlanta International -– screen 100 percent of employees (and their baggage) before allowing them to enter the airport’s secure areas.
Many of the rest rely on scattered random screening and credentialing, exposing worrisome “security flaws” that could be exploited in “‘lone wolf’ attacks being inspired by terrorist groups like ISIS,” says the report.
Investigators cited in the report say the best random screens are unpredictable, which could help deter would-be terrorists who would otherwise find a way to work around regular security checks. And yet, vulnerabilities remain.
Over the past decade, several airport workers with access to secure areas -– including a cart driver at Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport and, several years later, a jet fueler at the same airport –- have joined terror groups like al-Shabaab and ISIS abroad. One contractor at Dallas-Fort Worth even bragged to an undercover FBI agent that he could smuggle a bomb onto an aircraft for a $4,000 fee. (He was later arrested, convicted, and sentenced to 15 years.)
Perhaps even more concerning, an inspector general’s report released in 2015 found 73 aviation workers with possible ties to terrorism that were not revealed on background checks.
To combat the insider threat, the Homeland Security Committee report recommends airports “examine costs and feasibility of expanding physical screening,” increase covert testing, consider biometric access credentialing (fingerprints or retina scans), conduct continuous background testing, and quickly deactivate badges when they’re lost or the employee is let go.
“Industry infighting, jurisdictional battles, inconvenience, and cost concerns are not justifiable reasons to cause delays to enhancing the security of the American homeland and our aviation system,” the report concludes.
“TSA appreciates the House Homeland Security Committee’s efforts to help secure America’s airports,” the TSA said in a statement. “We are reviewing the report and will continue to work with the committee as well as our industry, intelligence community, and law enforcement partners to ensure all modes of transportation remain secure.”
(AP)
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7 Responses
Airports must stop letting just anyone work there. They’re letting in so many bad hombres. Only US-born citizens whose parents were also born here should be allowed to work in airports (ideally all grandparents should have also been born here). Doesn’t anyone care about American lives?!!?
Insider threat – anyone surprised? According to the FBI Director James Comey, Obama and the CIA supported the existence of ISIS terror organizations in all 50 States!
What would it need for the American people to finally wake up and see the atrocities Obama left behind?
When will they start realizing the fools they were for even thinking of voting for Obama-in-a-dress?
There is an important fact missing from this report: the number of “insiders” who have engaged in terrorist activity in airports in the last 5, 10, 15 or 20 years. I do not know what the number is, but until I do, I would not start requiring airport employees to be third-generation American born.
Arye, I am happy someone here has the courage to say what you did. As I understand it, Obama actually recruited loyal activists to start ISIS cells in every state, and used taxpayer dollars to fund initial startup costs. Then, through the CIA, he instructed these small ISIS groups to work together and kill all practicing Christians and Jews. I have this all on very good intel. Thankfully we have someone like Arye that really understands what’s going on and is not listening to what we’re being told by politicians.
The one thing that I’m nervous about is that the same intel told me that these ISIS groups are the ones that made sure that Trump got elected. Since no one will believe that Trump is working for ISIS, he’s the perfect foil to bring down the US government, first by cutting off relationships with all of our friends, then by appearing to join forces with our old friend Russia, and then he’ll send tens of thousands of troops to go HELP the ISIS fighters. Again, this comes from very reliable sources, so I’m a bit nervous.
#4 Your entire 2nd paragraph shows that you have no inkling who Trump is. In one word, President Trump is the first US President with morals and values. If you’ll stop listening to Fakestream News and only go to real media you’ll have nothing to be nervous about because Trump is 100% trustworthy, honest, loyal and reliable – a real mentsch. Eventually even the liberals will have to admit it.
Thank you Arye for those reassurances. I guess it’s possible that my intel source was wrong about this one. You’re probably right. I think that the vulgar, self-centered, petulant, vengeful, impulsive, behavior that we’ve witnessed of our president time and again is probably just a front. Maybe he’s one of those lamed vavnikim, who just appears to be self-centered, vengeful, impulsive, vulgar, etc so that we don’t know he’s really a hidden tzaddik. Interesting idea…
#6 I don’t see him as self-centered, vengeful, vulgar and the rest of your description. He was raised in a very good home and he had lots of respect for his parents – something not seen today. Because he’s such a mentsch, it irks him the lawlessness in the country and the irresponsibility of the government. So he simply wants to make America great again with morals and values, not for money and not for honor, if only the people would let him.