TSA Planning New, Even More Invasive Security Measures In Response To 'Threat' Of Implanted Bombs
from the security-theater-is-reactionary dept
One of the main problems of the TSA’s brand of security theater is that it’s totally reactionary. Nearly every bit of it is designed to stop the last threat, rather than face the larger issues of identifying threats in general. A group supposedly planned to use liquid explosives? You can’t bring liquids through security any more! Some jackass tried to light a shoebomb on fire? Everyone remove your shoes! This has resulted in people guessing just how far this will go. Years back, this even led Bruce Schneier to run his movie threat contest, in which the goal was to come up with all sorts of movie-plot style threats, which would then render the TSA helpless.
And, now, for all the talk of the ridiculous new naked scanners and gropings, people have realized that won’t do any good if someone has a bomb implanted within them. So… guess what? The TSA is now claiming that they have reports that terrorists are planning to implant bombs inside people to blow up on flights… and that the existing scanners won’t spot them. So they may start implementing brand new security procedures which they won’t tell anyone about just yet.
Somehow, none of this makes me feel any safer… and my bigger concern here remains the TSA over terrorists. Nothing in what’s being done suggests that the TSA is even close to focusing on who is getting on flights, and instead continues to focus on what is being brought on flights, which is a pretty pointless endeavor when you realize that there are always ways to get the next thing on board.
I certainly agree that it would be incredibly tragic if someone had an implanted bomb and it blew up a plane. And, contrary to the claims of some, I’m not advocating that we do away with security altogether. I’d just like to see security that actually focuses on trying to stop a real attacker, not on finding the lady with 4 ounces of liquid in her purse.
Filed Under: implanted bombs, scanning, search, tsa
Comments on “TSA Planning New, Even More Invasive Security Measures In Response To 'Threat' Of Implanted Bombs”
Just in her purse?
not on finding the lady with 4 ounces of liquid in her purse.
Or those old ladies with four ounces of dried liquid in their diapers …
D?j?-vu... all over again...
Change the players and this sounds pretty much like the plot of Tim Cushing’s post “Iran Declares Victory Over Internet-In-A-Suitcase” (http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110702/17562214956/iran-declares-victory-over-internet-in-a-suitcase.shtml)
Re: D?j?-vu... all over again...
Agreed.
More practically, there is almost no way this is a credible threat. I read some years ago that the amount of explosive you would have to implant would be MUCH larger than you woulds, say, wrap around yourself, because of the damping effect of the human body getting in the way. Some guy who has just been surgically implanted with C4 is not going to feel well or act normally, and I even wonder if it’s possible to put enough in a person to actually bring down a plane (vs tearing a small hole, or killing a few very nearby passengers).
At this point the “terrorists” must just be jumping up and down giggling at how stupid we are…
Re: Re: D?j?-vu... all over again...
But what if it’s only “implanted” a few inches inside a convenient orrifice? Deep enough to avoid detection but able to be retrieved before detonation?
Mike's pattern: Rant, then play up the fear.
“I certainly agree that it would be incredibly tragic if someone had an implanted bomb and it blew up a plane.”
But, Americans are able to ignore the hundreds of thousands being killed with their bombs in countries that didn’t attack us.
Re: Mike's pattern: Rant, then play up the fear.
Yes, because the powerless serfs who make up the unthinking biomass of America have the ability to exert their collective will in some way which will not result in bloody revolution…
/acidic dripping sarcasm
Re: out_of_the_blue's pattern: Rant, then play up the fear.
You need to add more reader comments. Expound at length on your points, or any other points, for that matter. Each new comment can take up where the previous one left off. Or even go off in a completely different direction. It might not make your position clearer, but you can make up for that with voluminous prolixity.
Ohhh I hope means I get a finger in my ass with my next pat down! I’ll have to think of a good one liner for the moment though…….hows “don’t worry that only goes off when its packed with C4skin” ?
Re: Re:
No need. From this Wired article:
“Already, airport security companies cackling at the chance to develop new detection tech for surgically implanted bombs. An Indiana company claims to have developed an imagery machine that can find ?explosive materials, narcotics, and low-density plastics hidden inside or outside of the human body,? according to its CEO, by analyzing X-rays scattered or refracted from the body?s soft tissue.”
Sorry, no joy for you! 😉
Re: Re: Re:
Well I certainly feel safer, nothing quite like radiation to ensure people’s safety.
/s
well this serf at least, because I’d love to see a bloody violent revolution for the fascist regime in the USA!
Re: Re:
Well, here’s your gun, go to the frontline. Oh wait, you want somebody ELSE to do that. Maybe the army? Hmm, wait, I have a feeling they won’t want to help you.
Re: Re: Re:
I WOULD like the army to go through airport security for me, if that’s cool. Or, more likely, the Navy, I guess, given the invasiveness of TSA searches. Sailors are uniquely qualified to cope with that.
Re: Re: Re: Re:
“Sailors are uniquely qualified to cope with that.”
that’s only the submarine crews
Re: Re: Re:2 Re:
100 men go out, 50 couples come back? That what you’re getting at?
Re: Re: Re:
Go to the front line? Do you actually think invading countries LESSENS the threat of terrorism? Seriously? That has NEVER been the case, it is in fact the OPPOSITE of what we know to be true. Since 9/11 there has been an exponential increase in “terrorism” and the more countries you stick your nose into, the more there will be. In my opinion the whole war on terror is just a construct to allow the military industrial complex to flourish. They don’t want less terrorism, they want MORE.
Re: Re: Re: Re:
I believe the frontline mentioned is the frontline of a civil war, given the context from Deane
Re: Re:
me too.i want to see all the dems and reps get what is coming to them.
FREE SEXUAL CONTACT FOR EVERYONE!
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110623/06410014825/tsa-chief-pistole-maybe-we-can-stop-petting-your-children.shtml#c17
Called it weeks ago. We’re now one step away from taking the hacksaw to Snoopy.
Yeah, groping wasn’t enough – they want a FULL feel up now.
Yay money...
Lobbyists for xray machines have a huge grin on their face right now. Wonder how many people in congress are buying shares in these companies this very moment.
Another interesting article on security theater: http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/11/the-things-he-carried/7057/
Re: Re:
Fantastic link. Thanks.
Re: Re:
Wow. Just wow.
unreasonable
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures…
Is it unreasonable enough yet?
Re: unreasonable
Actually wanna read something funny …
lets follow the money and see who profited off of the naked scanners.
Re: Re: unreasonable
Ignore the previous link here is the correct link for
Follow the money
Re: Re: Re: unreasonable
“Actually wanna read something funny … “
you have an odd sense of humor. The only thing funny in there is that the company is named Rapiscan, which continues to make me giggle
Re: unreasonable
first TSA employee who tries to stick his/her hand up my rear is gonna be missing a hand the next time they show up for work
Every time I hear of the latest threat that the TSA is using as an excuse for newer and usually more offensive sexurity procedures, I picture two terrorists sitting in a bunker somewhere laughing they’re asses off.
One of them says, “what should would we “leak” next time?” The other responds, “um… let’s say that we’re planning on lining the anal cavity of our suicide bombers with explosive substances and that we’re using American-looking white males as the bombers!”
Three weeks later, the press release states, “the TSA is stepping up their non-invasive and completely necessary security procedures to include anally probing white male passengers for explosive substances. A credible report states that terrorists are using the anal cavity to smuggle explosive materials onto the planes. All patriotic citizens should willingly submit to anal probing to ensure the safety of all passengers. Remember, it’s a sure sign that you’re a terrorist if you express discontent with our security procedures!”
Where does it end?
And what will happen when someone discovers that people are planning on using Korans, Bibles, or blue jeans converted to gun cotton to blow up planes?
Are we all then forced to get on the planes without clothes, bibles, korans, magazines, cloth bags, playing cards, and anything else made from cellulose? (wood, paper, etc)
I mean where does it end?
At this rate, all they need to do to cause the US government to destroy all civil liberties, and turn us into a police state, is publish “a book a day on how to” …
… Do this nasty thing
… Do this other nasty thing
… Do this to thing to elementary schools
… Do that thing some place else
If the goal is to cause fear and anxiety, and cause western society to destroy itself, then its easy to accomplish. Ronald Regan used a similar technique to destroy the soviet union with the star wars program (SDI).
/rant
PS I heard the gun cotton thing on some radio, TV show, or movie. Its not my idea.
Re: Where does it end?
your gun cotton stands will never pierce my spider-goat silk armor
http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/End%20of%20the%20World/Genetics%20Nightmare/spider_goats.htm
Re: Re: Where does it end?
Damn …. goats milk with drop line spider silk in it. I wonder if that would be considered ruffage? Also how hard would it be to cut a wheel of cheese made out of that stuff?
Re: Re: Re: Where does it end?
I didnt actually read through the link I posted(past making sure a jesusfreak.com was actually talking about spider-goats and not how they are an abomination), I heard about this years ago.
From my understanding the military was planning to make lightweight(like silk) bulletproof armor. So I imagine the cheese wouldn’t be very tasty…or edible. I don’t think its so much goats milk with spider silk in it, but rather they replaced the gene that makes milk with a gene that makes silk so its goats spurting pure silk.
But since spider silk is as strong as steel and like a million times lighter (a strand that wrapped around the earth would weight about 18 ounces) if they are actually able to mass produce this stuff it would be awesome. You could literally build a skyscraper that you could pick up and dust under, or a spruce moose that can fly.
Re: Re: Re:2 Where does it end?
nevermind it appears it is still in milk
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BioSteel
Re: Re: Re:3 Where does it end?
It’s kind of creepy though. So does the goat have eight legs? 😉
It reminded me of this story
http://keboch.wordpress.com/2008/11/09/please-accept-this-spider-as-payment/
Re: Re: Re:4 Where does it end?
thats from this guy:
http://www.27bslash6.com/
all his shit is hilarious, but i recommend this one
http://www.27bslash6.com/massanutten.html
Re: Re: Re:2 Where does it end?
Silly HothMonster … spruce moose ….. its “goose”.
Re: Re: Re:3 Where does it end?
Goose moose?
Re: Re: Re:3 Where does it end?
DAMN YOU SIMPSONS!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58JsLdb2wHw
So thats how ObamaCare saves us money!
Free prostate/colon exams with the purchase of any airline ticket.
I hope no one at the TSA watches South Park, imagine what they will want to do after seeing this:
http://www.southparkstudios.com/guide/episodes/s11e04-the-snuke
Re: So thats how ObamaCare saves us money!
No agent McDuggle, I wasn’t planning to fly today. The plane ticket was just cheaper than what my doctor charges for a prostate exam.
The TSA needs a scanner like the one from the movie Total Recall.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CX9Agzeh-c
Re: Re:
Yeah, but that was just for the subway. Ahnold was able to get to Mars wearing a prosthetic head. Apparently in the future the TSA gives up on the security theater for interplanetary travel at some point.
Re: Re: Glass Bottle
Naw, that was “government issue” glass, which is always overpriced and pretty much next to useless.
Re: Re:
It’s being worked on as we type. I posted about it above.
Science Fiction Predicted This in 1957
For details, read Eric Frank Russell’s celebrated novel Wasp.
Somewhere in hell Bin Laden’s ghost is grinning and saying “I love it when a plan comes together.”
I’m not to sure it’s the terrorists doing the planning. The reactions of the TSA has always been ‘shut up, we’re doing our job by the book so it’s ok. When they finally get their tail in a crack to where it is no longer hidden then it is, ‘we’ll re-evaluate the process’ but nothing really changes visible to the fliers.
TSA has been all along groping for new ways to be offensive and for new territories to become necessary for their questionable services.
The only reason they are not a presence at trains is a lack of funding. It’s not they don’t want to be there, they just can’t yet fund the machines or have enough people to man them.
For my part, I refuse to fly. I won’t put up with sexual gropes. It offends me that as a paying customer I would have to deal with this. I spend my money like a vote. If I don’t like it, whoever it is doesn’t get my money by my choice. I will drive and have a chance to see the countryside while doing it. I’m not in that big of a hurry.
So when does the next potential threat include the trains to justify them being there? You can be sure buses follow and then random checks on the highway. I am surprised the government isn’t making them wear a swastika on their sleeves and do an un-natural salute.
Re: Re:
They’re already checking trains and buses.
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110621/02225414782/tsa-takes-security-theater-road-mobile-groping-teams-can-pop-up-anywhere.shtml
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20110702/01460214949/tsa-can-grope-dying-old-ladies-cant-catch-guy-boarding-flight-illegally.shtml#c999
I’m sorry guys, I didn’t think they were reading this.
Useless measures
Just last week I flew on a major US airline through a major US terminal. I was subjected to the standard screening, to ensure I didn’t carry any hazardous materials on board. Once I was begrudgedly permitted to continue towards the concourse, I stopped at the convenient (yet offensively overpriced) snack bar and purchased a tasty name-brand iced tea product in convenient 20 oz packaging, and passed through the gate, container openly displayed for all to see. I sat in my seat, and pondered the many different ways a GLASS BOTTLE was infinately more dangerous than nail clippers. Security really is a joke…
turn them inside out?
If everyone on the plane is dead, noone can blow it up.
jee a bomb inside a person.
Was that not covered by the Joker in a Batman movie?
so what we need to invent is a single occupant blast proof chamber which you step in briefly that transmits some sort of frequency that would trigger explosives and cause bullets to explode in smuggled guns to take care of those problems right there. Then no one would have to go through any imaging. You could just have a normal metal detector to look for knives, but locking the cockpit soves that danger. Also the oxygen pulldown masks on planes should be kitted out to protect you incase they moved from explosives to a toxic gas. Problem solved.
Re: Re:
Yeah, I trust the TSA to find some new “safe” way to irradiate me. Despite my jokes I don’t take the pat-down because I like grown men touching my balls.
The Last Threat
No kidding about them only stopping the last threat.
Did they just now watch The Dark Knight? Will they try to protect us from exploding river ferrys next?
In a word: “Profiling”.
Though it has been miscast as “politically-incorrect”, it has been in use *continually* since the first peace-keeper asked the obvious question, “what did the robber look like?”
The Israelis have proven it’s effectiveness over and over.
We should be DEMANDING that the TSA use profiling techniques overtly.
But we won’t. We have become a nation enslaved to the god of political correctness in most any aspect of our society. You fucking liberals demanded political correctness because you were too big of a pussy to defend yourself when you were offended. So, you had to have your nanny-state government (your true religion) outlaw being offended. That slippery slope led to the TSA mindlessly groping the 90-year old cancer patient because they aren’t allowed to focus on the specific threats we face. We would offend rag-heads if we pointed out that *they* are 98% of all terrorists in the last twenty years (if not more).
Fucking left-wing/liberal/demoncrats/progressives have done more damage to the U.S. than they could ever hope to help, and the bulk of that damage has been due to unintended consequences. Or maybe they intended to fuck it up for everybody. I can’t tell anymore. They always seem to want everybody to be equally miserable. Fuck em.
Re: look a bigfoot! oh, just another bigot
First off let me guess you’re a white male?
Second, if we had a list of features that we profiled and everyone else was safe what do you think the next guy trying to blow up a plane wouldn’t look like?
“We would offend rag-heads if we pointed out that *they* are 98% of all terrorists in the last twenty years (if not more). “
So do you live in a fantasy world entirely or does your racism just not allow you to view the whole truth?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestic_terrorism_in_the_United_States
Re: sorry i need to feed this troll some more
“Though it has been miscast as “politically-incorrect”, it has been in use *continually* since the first peace-keeper asked the obvious question, “what did the robber look like?””
That isn’t profiling, that is trying to identify a suspect after he has committed a crime. Profiling is trying to identify a suspect, based on superficial characteristics, before he commits a crime.
“The Israelis have proven it’s effectiveness over and over. “
I know I wake up every day saying, ” I would sure feel safer if the US was more like Isreal.”
“You fucking liberals demanded political correctness because you were too big of a pussy to defend yourself when you were offended. So, you had to have your nanny-state government (your true religion) outlaw being offended.”
You realize how retarded these sentences are right?
We were too afraid to do anything about being offended so we stood up and got government to do something. If we were so afraid wouldn’t we have done nothing?
Then we are so offended we outlawed being offended? So we made ourselves outlaws, so you won? Who is we by the way people that aren’t racist?
“That slippery slope led to the TSA mindlessly groping the 90-year old cancer patient because they aren’t allowed to focus on the specific threats we face. Fucking left-wing/liberal/demoncrats/progressives have done more damage to the U.S. than they could ever hope to help, and the bulk of that damage has been due to unintended consequences. “
Wait was this caused by liberal policy or the Republicans that profit from rapiscan machines? Also the TSA was a republican invention.
“They always seem to want everybody to be equally miserable. Fuck em.”
I think its your psychological problems making you miserable, you ever see the beginning of die-hard 3 where Bruce Willis is wearing the sandwich board sign? I suggest you try that as therapy.
On a lighter note, I got in a discussion with a Florida highway patrolman a few years ago about profiling. He said the group they were told to target the most, can you guess?, was 2 white males age 18-25 driving out of Florida and doing the speed limit. They are the most likely to be hauling drugs (because racists like this guy would probably just want to pull over everyone who isn’t white) and the greatest suspicion is that when do young white kids drive the speed limit.
Re: Re:
that’s funny … oh wait, you’re serious?
Return to good old days with modifications to add competition
Why hasn’t the US gov (with gains to the sponsoring Senator or Rep) created a competing system to the TSA to measure results?
One example would be to keep the stronger cockpits and some other measures but revert to pre TSA days.
Perhaps the flight routes could not pass near certain places in the US (not a problem for most air travel) or would have to avoid certain airports or entry angles.
We have 21st century computers to resolve the logistics of this two-tier system.
We’d get competitive data points by which to measure the TSA costs and effectiveness. We’d save tax dollars and have many happier flying customers.
Pilots crashing on purpose (or by accident) would be no higher of a threat than is the case now, for example.
Essentially, the people on board would know the risks ahead of time, and they’d have paid for this. The people would know to fight off on board attacks. We’d still avoid most threats as we did in pre-2001 days. AND, to neuter the only argument possibly against this, we’d do a great job or eliminating the threat altogether of using the plane as a controlled missile to create national chaos.
This “revolutionary” addition basically already worked for many many decades, giving airplanes the reputation for being the safest way to travel.
It’s only a matter of time until we do the obvious. I wonder who will get credit.
Passenger 51
The only people that have stopped a plane bomber were passengers. As long as airlines still allow those then I think we’re good.
CT Scan
It’s a portable CT Scanner.
That’s the way there’re going to find implanted devices.
On the plus side, people with cancer who don’t know it might be able to get that diagnosis… They might also get cancer from constant radiation exposure but, hey, that hasn’t stopped the TSA before.
For the record, the extra exposure is minimal but you know how the crazies are with their conspiracy theories about the harm these machines do.
Re: CT Scan
Actually, every ionizing particle you recieve is like a lottery ticket – each carries a tiny chance you will “win” a DNA damage that causes cancer.
Statistically, it takes doses well over the safety thresholds to have a reasonable chance of getting cancer. Just as statistically you need to buy a lot of lottery tickets to have a reasonable chance to win.
But just as with lottery tickets, you could get it on the first ticket, or any one ticket after that.
So it is a good idea to, when reasonable, avoid any form of radiation capable of breaking the molecular bonds in DNA.
Unless you are feeling lucky.
I’m really afraid of the media’s inability to attack TSA’s faulty logic:
Fliers: Do we have to feel up the elderly, handicapped and infants?
TSA: No, a single hole is what will get exploited by the terrorists, rendering the system useless.
Fliers: These scanners don’t get for internally planted bombs, or bombs inside fat rolls, etc. Your invasive system has weaknesses in it.
TSA: These scanners are necessary for the security of our nation….
I heard a guest on NPR (Diane Reahm) this morning stating this same BS logic, and his argument was the argument against these scanners didn’t hold much water. WHAT!?
Damn them, what they’re doing to us is wrong. Damn them to hell for stepping on the constitution and getting away with it.
Terrorists routinely bomb security check points
We know this. This is done every day. It doesn’t require any surgery or any complex planing. It is done all the time, so it is quite understood by the terrorists we intend to thwart.
But despite this knowledge, TSA forms large lines that wind about themselves to make dense groups of people prior to screening.
Really smart. I feel so much safer, knowing that my security is in the hands of idiots.
Who is on the plane doesn't necessarily solve the problem either
I understand that the rest of the world deals with airport/airplane security by concentrating on “who is flying” instead of “what they bring on-board.” However, in the U.S. that probably won’t work as effectively. Specifically because, it will still be a government ran agency making the determination.
For example, would you agree to a credit check before you boarded a plane? The first time it appears that someone who was in “massive debt” (ie: most everyone in America) took payment to bring something on a flight, it will happen. Are you unemployed, and flying to a job interview somewhere? Sorry about you luck, you’re now a security risk!
How about your driving record? Get a speeding ticket on the way to the airport? Sorry, you’re reckless and distracted. You must be a terrorist!
Taxes? Are you about to be audited? What do you have to live for? You must be a terrorist!
How about medical records? Just diagnosed with a fatal condition, and want to spend your remaining days with family? What do you have to live for? You must be a terrorist!
No, “who” over “what” doesn’t solve the problem, as long as the deranged puppet masters of this security theatre are still making the rules.
Government has to solve the problem, that’s what government is there for. However, the mentality and approach used to determine who is a threat has to change. Ignoring humanity, and liberty to appease the paranoid will achieve nothing.
Shane
The jews do security right and they haven’t lost any planes in a long time.
So they may start implementing brand new security procedures which they won’t tell anyone about just yet.
Based on the fact that they refuse to say what it is they’re going to do, I’m going to assume that it involves performing surgery on people at random to “check for bombs”.
Sounds insane? So does groping little girls, but they’re already doing that.
People are far more likely to die in a car crash on their way to the airport than being blown up in a plane. So why hasn’t the US Government banned cars yet?
It’s interesting that you mention Schneier because what he often points out is that identity-based security, what you’re suggesting, doesn’t work.
I guess we’re now going to start seeing “routine” disembowelings at airports. For our own protection.
pucker up
Do I at least get a kissed?
False Positives, anyone?
False Positives, anyone?
Blow a few soap bubbles to entertain your grandkid before the family leaves for the airport, then change the kid’s diaper.
Congratulations, you are now a walking false positive for nitroglycerin, able to set off every explosives detector in the airport!
But… the terrorists!
Is there any correlation between the increase in TSA anal probing and the decrease in alien abductions?
How do they propose to find these hypothetical implanted bombs? They already X-ray everybody that’s going to get on a plane. If that isn’t considered good enough, what is? Exploratory surgery?