Mr. Bin Laden, You're Clear to Fly

UncleDynamite · 2004-02-21, 01:40 AM

Long article, but it's an interesting investigation about airline security in general.

Osama bin Laden not on suspicious-passengers list

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First three paragraphs...

Imagine if the world's most notorious fugitive, Osama bin Laden, attempted to board an airliner in the United States. Suppose he were clean-shaven, sporting short hair, wearing a pinstriped business suit and looked like so many other travelers that no suspicions were raised. How far might he get? If he used aliases such as names of family members, he would be nabbed instantly and whisked away for questioning. That's because many of his relatives are on the FBI's secret "no-fly list," according to intelligence sources.

But suppose he boldly decided to use his own name. Would he be cleared to fly? Insight recently learned that scenario was tested at a U.S. airport in the South during January. The result was troubling: America's most-wanted fugitive is cleared to fly. According to airline-security documents obtained by this magazine, the name Osama bin Laden was punched into the computer by an airline official and, remarkably, that name was cleared at the security checkpoint all passengers must pass through before being issued a boarding pass.

The realization that Osama bin Laden made the cut sent shivers down the spines of airline-security officials who discovered the system gap....
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Discuss.

Ait'al · 2004-02-21, 01:44 AM

Oh well. Then he can come play solitare with me.

Rbstr · 2004-02-21, 02:24 AM

Airline security is a joke, if a person realy wanted to hijack a plane he could.

And why the hell would we care if osama came over here, what would one person do?

SkunkPunk · 2004-02-21, 02:27 AM

Nah, its probably because they know as soon as he got near the plane he would get raped by dharkbayne.

Dharkbayne · 2004-02-21, 02:38 AM

Originally Posted by SkunkPunk

Nah, its probably because they know as soon as he got near the plane he would get raped by dharkbayne.

Great, now am I the forum rapist?

Seer · 2004-02-21, 02:31 AM

I agree with Rbstr, but I have a hard time believing anyone that hasn't been living under a rock the past 3 years would give OBL a green light to fly.

So the fact that obl isn't on the list doesn't really send shivers down my spine. If their point is that dangerous people who should be on the list aren't, they should have used a less well known example--one that could plausibly pass through security without a pseudonym.

Veteran · 2004-02-21, 02:28 AM

Osama's soaking it up in some resort somewhere. For each American, there are 5 to 10 people worldwide who consider him a hero/superstar/mastermind.

He's not going to get on an airplane full of air marshalls and pissed off Americans.

Still, he kinda should be on the list.

Sputty · 2004-02-22, 05:12 AM

Originally Posted by Veteran

Osama's soaking it up in some resort somewhere. For each American, there are 5 to 10 people worldwide who consider him a hero/superstar/mastermind.

1.5 to 3 billion?
That's a generous estimate.

Veteran · 2004-02-21, 02:32 AM

Fredsama bin Ladenowski

Ait'al · 2004-02-21, 02:52 AM

Your a pirate and you walk around with your dick hanging out.

SkunkPunk · 2004-02-21, 03:06 AM

Originally Posted by Ait'al

Your a pirate and you walk around with your dick hanging out.

Um, yea thats pretty much right. :P

AztecWarrior · 2004-02-21, 10:14 AM

And by the way, Miami International Airport security is weak. I got a metal detector and a baggage check. That's all. No removal of shoes, nothing major. Nothing post-9/11.

Strygun · 2004-02-21, 10:48 AM

Originally Posted by AztecWarrior

And by the way, Miami International Airport security is weak. I got a metal detector and a baggage check. That's all. No removal of shoes, nothing major. Nothing post-9/11.

That surprises me. Miami is an Int'l airport.

However, about the same thing happens at Atlanta Int'l. All they do is 'scan' your shoes (there's a box thing you have to step on) and the baggage check, along with a metal detector. There's really not much more you can do.

worldvengence · 2004-02-21, 11:52 AM

god...the two wors airports are Chicago-ohare and Denver Intl.....they both go ape shit if anything sets off the metal detectors.....i had a belt buckle that did that..and they scanned everything and werent saticefied when the buckle was the only thing that set off the small detector...so they made me take off my shies, my belt, my coat...and searched them....was very close to a strip search...haha.

Retroactive · 2004-02-21, 12:33 PM

i dont see why the person that put his name in the computer didnt even bother to call security