[lit-ideas] Dynamite on a Plane

  • From: "Andreas Ramos" <andreas@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Sat, 26 Aug 2006 17:09:42 -0700

A few days ago, a 21-year old student returning from South America had a stick of dynamite in his checked luggage. This was found at US Customs, after he arrived.

The guy worked in mining and, for whatever reason, brought some dynamite along with him. He probably didn't see it as a big deal to put the dynamite in his luggage; my dad once worked in the oil industry and dynamite was as common as chewing gum.

However, fact of dynamite in his luggage is pretty bad news. Without sleeper cells, collaborators, in-country assistance, advanced training, or whatever, there is no difficulty in putting dynamite in luggage.

To put it bluntly: all the security precautions, security systems, surveillance, profiling, etc., is completely useless.

The student is under arrest, and doubtless will be indicted and prosecuted. But no one in government will draw the correct conclusion: the security system doesn't work. Nothing will be done about that.

We are no safer than before 9.11, not one bit, and because of the attacks on the Arab world, we are at greater risk of further attacks.

yrs,
andreas
www.andreas.com


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