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AAAE Issue Alert - Attempted Security Breach at GA Facility (fwd)
From: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2004 19:09:03 -0400
Begin forwarded message: From: "J. Paul Reed" <preed () sigkill com> Date: August 12, 2004 7:05:59 PM EDT To: David Farber <dave () farber net>Subject: Fwd: [BAFlying] AAAE Issue Alert - Attempted Security Breach at GA Facility (fwd)
Dave: For IP if you wish; basically, NBC employees attempted to hijack an aircraft at a GA airport (after takeoff) to do a story on "how easy it is to hijack GA planes"... except, the diligent people at the airportnoticed the ploy, called the FBI, and the NBC employees were arrested (but
later released). Think NBC will run a story on "how it's actually not-so-easy to hijackgeneral aviation aircraft?" That doesn't exactly grab people and keep them
in their seats.It also makes you wonder if they're going to try it again (the email seems
to suggest that they will...) Later, Paul ------------------------------------------------------------------------ J. Paul Reed -- 0xDF8708F8 || preed () sigkill com || web.sigkill.com/preed Math, my dear boy, is nothing more than the lesbian sister of biology. -- Peter Griffin, Family Guy I use PGP; you should use PGP too... if only to piss off John Ashcroft ----- Forwarded message -----
AAAE ISSUE ALERT Transportation Security Services & Non Hub/General Aviation Committees www.airportnet.org/security To: AAAE Transportation Security Services Committee AAAE Non Hub/General Aviation Committee AAAE Regulatory Membership From: Rebecca Morrison <mailto:rebecca.morrison () airportnet org> - Staff Vice President, Transportation Security Policy Department, AAAE Re: Attempted Security Breach at GA Facility Date: August 11, 2004The following is a description of an incident that occurred today at theSt. Louis Downtown Airport, a large GA facility. We are sharing this story with you as there are indications that it might be repeatedthroughout the country. We would like to thank Bob McDaniel, the Director at the St. Louis Downtown Airport, for sharing the details of the incidentoutlined below.Earlier today two Middle Eastern men attempted to penetrate our security.They telephoned one of my helicopter FBOs and asked about a charter flight. After discussion of price and directions to the business, theyarrived an hour later. When the office agent asked how they were going to pay for the flight they produced cash. When asked for ID, they produceddriver's licenses from two different states and they were driving a car licensed in a third state.Things didn't smell right so the mechanic took them into the hangar to see the aircraft while the office person called the FBI and local police. The helicopter they were going to fly was blocked in by other aircraft so the mechanic was able to stall them by having to slowly shuffle the blocking planes. Meanwhile the two men got their backpacks and odd-shaped luggage out of their car. Soon the local police arrived and they were hauled offto jail in handcuffs. After a little time behind bars, the FBI verified that the two men wereemployed by NBC New York and were on assignment to get a story of how easy it is to charter a helicopter for a terrorist attack. The men had stayed in a local hotel and purchased box cutters, leather-man knives, and otherpotential weapons at the local Wal-Mart using a credit card. The boxcutters had been hidden in the lining at the bottom of the back packs andthe other weapons were hidden throughout their baggage. They hadaudiotaped the telephone conversation with Arlene and were going to use it as part of a national news story about how easy it is to get informationand directions to the location of the helicopter and then hijack it to commit a terrorist attack. I doubt they will be back at our airport soon and this is a story thatwill never be seen since they were caught. A very "well-done" to my FBOand staff and the local FBI and police response forces. We have sincelearned that we were the first airport where this had been attempted andNBC planned to attempt similar penetration stories around the country. Please helm me spread the word to other airports. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or comments. ********************************** Rebecca K. Morrison Staff Vice President, Transportation Security Policy American Association of Airport Executives 601 Madison Street, Suite 400 Alexandria, VA 22314 703 797-2524 Fax: 703 820-1395
----- End forwarded message ----- Later, Paul ------------------------------------------------------------------------ J. Paul Reed -- 0xDF8708F8 || preed () sigkill com || web.sigkill.com/preed Math, my dear boy, is nothing more than the lesbian sister of biology. -- Peter Griffin, Family Guy I use PGP; you should use PGP too... if only to piss off John Ashcroft ------------------------------------- You are subscribed as interesting-people () lists elistx com To manage your subscription, go to http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/
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- AAAE Issue Alert - Attempted Security Breach at GA Facility (fwd) David Farber (Aug 12)