WASHINGTON -- Government screeners every day confiscate four to five guns -- some of them loaded -- packed in carry-on luggage at the nation's airports, a sign that travelers "are not focused on the security protocols," the head of the Transportation Security Administration said Wednesday at a Senate hearing.
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| Hey, look, another loaded gun! |
TSA Administrator John PIstole testified before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs about the state of aviation security 10 years after the TSA's creation in the wake of Sept. 11, 2001. He confirmed the daily weapons haul in response to a point raised by Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, the ranking Republican on the committee, who noted a loaded gun was found Tuesday on a passenger at Bradley International Airport in Hartford, Conn. "We face a determined foe," she said.
TSA officers have prevented more than 940 guns from getting on board planes at checkpoints nationwide this year alone. Pistole did not specify whether people caught trying to bring guns aboard aircraft did so with ill intent, were unaware that guns were prohibited, or had forgotten they had packed them.
"Your people are finding four or five weapons a day, and not in checked bags," said Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), who chairs the committee. "Just think about what could be done to the other passengers. So what the TSA officers are doing is for the protection of the general public."
Emphasis added. Read the rest.
Ok. Joe Lieberman is a disgusting fearmonger and statist, but I knew that before I read this article.
"We face a determined foe"
Note how there are no specifics. The first paragraph actually only references travellers, not terrorists.
How many were legally owned by permit holders? How many were known criminals with no intent?
How many were terrorists? What background does each have?
Uh, that knife I had to throw out in Fort Lauderdale airport, because I had no time to mail it home, late for the flight...I forgot it was in my pocket....
Am I in the statistics as someone stopped at security with a knife?
On critical analysis, this testimony is typical fed.gov obfuscation to keep up the illusion that Das Blauen Hemden, er, I mean, the Blue Shirts are necessary, doing a bang-up job, and most importantly, deserve their budget.
