Cited for Flashlights

[Optimistic Paranoid]

http://cbs5.com/localwire/localfsnews/bcn/2006/09/02/n/HeadlineNews/AIRPORT-SCARE/resources_bcn_html

cbs5.com - Bay City News WireCBS 5 - San Francisco Bay Area's source for news, weather, traffic and sports: Bay City News WireSearch

Bay City News Wire FLASHLIGHT DEVICE PROMPTS BRIEF EVACUATION AT MINETA AIRPORT
09/02/06 9:35 PDT
SAN JOSE (BCN)
Around 100 passengers and staff at Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International
Airport were evacuated for 30 minutes this morning after Transportation Security Administration officials noticed a suspicious article in a passenger's carry-on baggage, airport spokesman Rich Dressler said.
An outbound passenger passing through the security checkpoint in Terminal C
around 8 a.m. had rigged together and stored in his bag two flashlights that
were "an odd shape that caused the TSA to be somewhat suspicious," Dressler
said.
San Jose police and the FBI were called and the south end of the terminal was
evacuated onto the tarmac as a precautionary measure, he said.
Planes leaving from Terminal C are boarded on the tarmac.
Security officials quickly determined that the flashlight contraption was not an explosive device - and when the TSA pulled the man aside, he told security
officials that he used the flashlights while jogging, according to Dressler.
But authorities believed that because of the way the device was rigged, it was "somewhat suspicious" and the man was cited, Dressler said.
"I don't know what his actual motivation was. But it was enough that they did
cite him," he said.
The south concourse re-opened about 8:30 a.m., and the brief security action
didn't result in any flight delays, Dressler said.

 

[JonJ]

Hoax device.

 

[dwarven1]

They won't be happy until they can neuter every passenger before boarding.

 

[JonJ]

They won't be happy until they can neuter every passenger before boarding.

Well when a dope wants to try and fool the TSA, he'll gets what he deserves.

 

[Executive]

NOTICE TO BOARDING PASSENGERS!
DUE TO INCREASED STATE OF SURVEILLANCE,
NOTHING WILL BE CARRIED ONTO THE AIRCRAFT!
EVERYTHING, CLOTHES, SHOES, CARRY-ONS, ELECTRONICS,
JEWELRY, WATCHES, CAMERAS, GLASSES, LIQUIDS:
ALL ITEMS MUST BE CONTAINED IN CARGO LUGGAGE.
VIOLATORS WILL BE SUBJECT TO PROSECUTION.
YOUR COOPERATION IS APPRECIATED.

View attachment 244


Chris

 

[Finalygotabeltfed]

You beat me to it!!! "Naked Airlines".......all you wear is a smile!

 

[Jose]

Cited for what?

Do these TSA f***sticks make up the law as they go now?

God do I despise that worthless agency and their worthless cabinet department (DHS)............

 

[Weerd Beard]

Cited for what?

Do these TSA f***sticks make up the law as they go now?

God do I despise that worthless agency and their worthless cabinet department (DHS)............

yarrr, and this is why I don't belive in any of this Ethnic Profiling BS. There are just so many people who "Look like Arabs" to the average joe, who aren't. And Frankly pleanty of uber-dangerous terrorists who don't look Arab. Plus how easy it would be to change one's appearence to make them appear to be a compealty different ethnicity.

All these factors and you want the TSA to do it????

It's gonna be bad enugh to explain to them why there was traces of gunpowder on my shoes.

"Well I was pulling bullets from this Chinese surplus ammo that had bad primers...and I spilled some...."

Arrrrr

-Weer'd Beard

 

[drgrant]

Well when a dope wants to try and fool the TSA, he'll gets what he deserves.

It's not clear from the article that his intent was to try to "dupe" the TSA
or build a device which would cause a ruckus.

My boss has a contraption like that for his bicycle. It involves a headlamp, a
switch, and some wires going to a battery. Some TSA droid might think
that was a bomb, too.

-Mike

 

[JonJ]

I totally understand. I 'd like to think that after the TSA called in the San Jose police and the FBI that someone between the three agencies would have enough smartsies to see that it was more than a funky bike light.

 

[Len-2A Training]

I think that I've seen some of these contraptions in places like EMS.

Light on a headband in front, wires run around to the rear and a battery pack sits on the rear of the band.

They aren't real common. I'd think it is something that mostly "professional" cyclists would use . . . those that trek out on 50-100 mile bike rides.

I could only imagine what this would look like on an x-ray!

If that is the case, I could see them getting bent out of shape and deciding to prosecute. And if so, I could see the prosecution blowing up in their faces if the defendant's lawyer brings a professional cyclist gear catalog in for the judge to review!

 

[KMaurer]

I picked up one at Wal-Mart for my daughter a while back --- 3 LEDs and a small battery pack on a headband. She and her husband do a lot of camping and I thought it might come in handy. She says it's the greatest thing since sliced bread, since they often end up setting up camp or cooking meals after dark. Hands free light without the need for a major lantern.

Ken

 

[dwarven1]

I've got a little light that clips onto the visor of my ball cap; it's a flat unit with three LEDs on the front of it. I love it for when I have to work in wiring closets that aren't real well lit. $10 at Walmart.

Everyone laughs at it and calls it geeky... until I turn it on and manage to still have two hands to work with while having my workarea well lit.