Casual reminder: Materials such as magnesium or PETN are perfect for smuggling through airport security. Reason being, they only show up as an anorganic material in the x-ray thanks to their density. They lack any sort of smell that dogs could detect as well. Israel and Russia have used both of these successfully for terrorist attacks in the past, all of the explosives have been smuggled successfully through the security theater. Israel sent pagers with 2g of PETN in the batteries to Hezbollah and Russia wanted to get a magnesium explosive onto an DHL aeroplane to make it detonate during flight.
In both of these cases, the airport “security” did absolutely nothing to stop this. Better empty your bags everyone, because you are the security risk. Once you start allowing this type of nonsense, it will stick around forever.
Edit: I should mention, while the explosives for the Russian terrorist attack successfully got through airport security, because of a delay in loading the aeroplane, it never got on it and instead detonated in the container on the ground, luckily.
And also, if someone wants to come at me with some safety-security nonsense, this is all public knowledge. This has happened factually.
TSA is moving away from ion mobility detection to mass spec detection. Mass specs are great at detecting it.
I’m doubtful that this would solve anything, because for example in the case of Israel, the explosives went through multiple independent security theatres, and the PETN still successfully arrived at the victims. Like, if it happens once, okay, maybe it’s a fluke, but if it happens multiple times throughout the supply chain and every single time it’s A-okay, that’s a problem. Israel heavily relied on regular commercial transport for their bombs. There were countless instances where they could have been stopped, but they weren’t. And that is a worrying signal.
And even if all explosives would be detected with perfect accuracy, from now on, it still would be vulnerable to other points of attack. Just pay off a throwaway goon squad, let them smuggle ceramic weapons in their trousers into an aeroplane, and there you go. And I do believe Mossad and the FSB can come up with better ideas than that. IMO, there needs to be a more effective alternative, than this security theater nonsense.
Edit: And the reason why I’m against it is not only because it has been disproven so many times that it’s impossible to enumerate. It’s also the principle of “guilty until proven innocent”, that is slowly but surely infesting our society.
Years ago, my now deceased grandfather and uncle were flying together. My grandfather had a full ass pair of scissors in his fanny pack, because he was a practical man and having scissors on your person at all times is useful.
My uncle scanned the row of x-ray machines, and picked the line with the TSA agent that was inspecting booties closer than the x-ray screen.
My grandpa successfully made the trip with his scissors.
That reminds me of when the Los Angeles Clippers (an NBA team, originally from San Diego, named after the famous clipper ships) had a mascot named “Scissors”. Very popular mascot up until they started using him to promote exercise programs for children, including the now-infamous “Run With Scissors”.
I had an online disagreement in the TSA subreddit about how moronic taking shoes off was. Those fascist pawns believe that shoe bomber reaction for years was justifiable.
Annoying part about the kabuki theatre that is TSA is that they are inconsistent airport to airport. Shoes gotta come off, shoes can stay on. Laptop by itself in a bin, or with other things in a bin. Other electronics (e-reader, battery pack, etc.) in a bin, or in your carry on. But if you make the wrong choice they will let you know… loudly.
Inconsistent within the same airport.
One time the line split into two, with announcers for each line shouting different instructions. One had you take all electronics out of bags, the other didn’t. One lines instructions included taking your shoes off, the other didn’t. The line without shoes off instruction had agents insulting people for taking their shoes off for not listening to instructions. 10M away there is an agent shouting at people to take your shoes off.
Almost like security isn’t the point…
It isn’t wholely the point. It’s also a massive jobs programs.
But specifically for not knowing what to expect is a feature not a bug.
If you don’t know the exact procedure every time - then you can’t plan for every countermeasure. You cannot plan 100% when the variables are always changing.
It also distracts any would-be bomber because they need to waste attention on following whatever rules they decided apply today only.
It used to be consistent for years post-9/11. Rules were enforced more or less consistently. Especially the liquids rules. Some variations but not to the degree that it is at today. This chaos is only the past few years.
Strongly suspect it has nothing to do with security and everything to do with the system breaking down due to abysmal leadership.
Also probably the paid extortion programs like CLEAR which have separate relaxed rules standards for people who pay the extortion fee.
they are inconsistent airport to airport
Forget TSA, international travel with my baby for the first time, anxiety problems, little time between connections, laptop and pram fucking freaked me the fuck out.
And if it’s busy and you’re in hurry say goodbye to your small electronics in the bin
In Amsterdam, I just had to put my feet (with shoes on) through a machine that took a second or two
no need to take off the shoe
Then I was given a little question and answer, the Danish (*I’m an idiot Dutch… y’all look the same to me anyway) officer looked me up and down and then let me board the plane. I felt much more sure that they were being diligent and actually screening people, unlike TSA that always feels like security theater.
Especially when they decide they need to pat you down and then actually move your dick “to be sure I wasn’t hiding anything”
Like thanks for thinking my dick is so big I am actually hiding something but come on… you just wanted to get a feel of my cock Mr TSA
Upvoted for the Danish officer in Amsterdam!
Upvoted for touching dick story
We are not the same
Wait what? You guys had to take your shoes off? Never encountered that even though I already reached my plane limit for my life
