The ORIGINAL 1000+ Posts Club

[MaineWriter]

Another cold morning here with a big whopping zero degrees. This is getting really old, really fast, folks...

L

[David]

Yahoo! Canada News
Tue Mar 6, 7:11 PM

LOS ANGELES (AP) - An Iraqi immigrant with a "suspicious device" stuffed into a body cavity was detained at Los Angeles International Airport on Tuesday and a Philadelphia-bound jetliner was diverted to Las Vegas because his luggage was aboard, authorities said.

The device and the luggage were cleared by bomb squads in Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

"There never was a threat," said Larry Fetters, security director at Los Angeles International Airport for the U.S. Transportation Security Administration.

Fadhel Al-Maliki, 35, of Atlantic City, N.J., was held for a mental evaluation and a possible immigration violation, federal officials said.

Al-Maliki is a permanent legal resident who arrived in the United States in 1994.

He had flown into Los Angeles from Philadelphia on Monday and was booked for a Tuesday return flight when he was chosen for extra security screening. He triggered an alert during the secondary screening and immediately told screeners about the device he was carrying, FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said.

"He initially said it was therapeutic," she said.

The device had a wire and what may have been a magnet concealed in his rectum, officials said.

It did not contain any explosives, Eimiller said.

Al-Maliki said he had flown to Los Angeles for a visit but details were unclear, Eimiller said.

The terminal remained open during the incident and no takeoffs or landings were affected but a US Airways jet en route to Philadelphia was diverted because Al-Maliki's checked luggage already had been screened and put aboard the plane.

Flight 1422, carrying 143 passengers and six crew members, landed at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas about 8:30 a.m. local time.

The Airbus A320 was searched in a secure area away from terminals and cleared about noon to continue to Philadelphia, said Chris Jones, an airport spokesman. Passengers were given options to resume their flight aboard the jet, stay in Las Vegas or return to Los Angeles, he said.
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[opinionista]

Yahoo! Canada News
Tue Mar 6, 7:11 PM

LOS ANGELES (AP) - An Iraqi immigrant with a "suspicious device" stuffed into a body cavity was detained at Los Angeles International Airport on Tuesday and a Philadelphia-bound jetliner was diverted to Las Vegas because his luggage was aboard, authorities said.

The device and the luggage were cleared by bomb squads in Los Angeles and Las Vegas.

"There never was a threat," said Larry Fetters, security director at Los Angeles International Airport for the U.S. Transportation Security Administration.

Fadhel Al-Maliki, 35, of Atlantic City, N.J., was held for a mental evaluation and a possible immigration violation, federal officials said.

Al-Maliki is a permanent legal resident who arrived in the United States in 1994.

He had flown into Los Angeles from Philadelphia on Monday and was booked for a Tuesday return flight when he was chosen for extra security screening. He triggered an alert during the secondary screening and immediately told screeners about the device he was carrying, FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said.

"He initially said it was therapeutic," she said.

The device had a wire and what may have been a magnet concealed in his rectum, officials said.

It did not contain any explosives, Eimiller said.

Al-Maliki said he had flown to Los Angeles for a visit but details were unclear, Eimiller said.

The terminal remained open during the incident and no takeoffs or landings were affected but a US Airways jet en route to Philadelphia was diverted because Al-Maliki's checked luggage already had been screened and put aboard the plane.

Flight 1422, carrying 143 passengers and six crew members, landed at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas about 8:30 a.m. local time.

The Airbus A320 was searched in a secure area away from terminals and cleared about noon to continue to Philadelphia, said Chris Jones, an airport spokesman. Passengers were given options to resume their flight aboard the jet, stay in Las Vegas or return to Los Angeles, he said.
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So, security personnel actually thought this guy had a bomb on his ass? LOL I know this is tragic and shows how ridiculous the fear of terrorism has become, but I can't help laughing. Poor guy really.

[David]

So, security personnel actually thought this guy had a bomb on his ass? LOL I know this is tragic and shows how ridiculous the fear of terrorism has become, but I can't help laughing. Poor guy really.

Well,  the guy set off the metal detector and had wires hanging out his ass.     That is more than enough evidence to suspect him of carrying a suicide bomb.   It was (and should) be treated as a bomb until proven otherwise.      Nobody would ever have thought that a shoe was dangerous either until Richard Reid stuffed his with C4 explosives and tried to take down his plane over the Atlantic ocean.   That is why we now have to have our shoes removed to be x-rayed today.     That bottle of Gatorade looked harmless too.    But Ramzi Yousef used liquid explosives to make a bomb and killed a Japanese businessman in a practice run.    Look up "Bojenka Plot" on the web.

tragic and ridiculous fear of terrorism?      Nope.  It is a very real threat.  And until another plane comes down or city buses start blowing up here in North America, the public will continue to think we are over reacting. 

I don't feel sorry for the guy.  Even though it was sexual aid he should have taken it out and packed it in his checked luggage for the flight.

You can't imagine how many people travel with Dildos and vibrators in their carry on bags.    How stupid is that?    Random bag checks are common.   Do you really want your travelling companions to see your latex friend?

[opinionista]

Well,  the guy set off the metal detector and had wires hanging out his ass.     That is more than enough evidence to suspect him of carrying a suicide bomb.   It was (and should) be treated as a bomb until proven otherwise.      Nobody would ever have thought that a shoe was dangerous either until Richard Reid stuffed his with C4 explosives and tried to take down his plane over the Atlantic ocean.   

I didn't mean to upset to you but I think the fear of terrorism is being taken out of proportions. That's my opinion. They are making everyone and their brother a suspect, and are giving people a hard time when travelling. Sometimes it is even humiliating. I am especially sensitive to this after seeing how my brother is always considered a suspect and treated like so every time he travels just because of the way he looks or chooses to dress, even if he doesn't make the setting the metal detector. And it doesn't happen only at airports. When I was in New York, my friend and I were ordered to show the contents of our belonings at the subway. A police thought we were terrorist because we got into a platform that was closed to the public. We somehow missed the sign and didn't know. This is unfair, cruel and utterly humiliating.

Don't get me wrong I agree that a certain level of security is necessary, especially in a case like the one you posted. A man with wire coming out of his ass, that's weird and unheard of so I can understand they took action about it. But regardless of it and the few cases in which actual potential terrorist has been caught thanks to these measures I still think this whole issue is being taken out of proportion and the saddest thing is they don't really solve the problem. If they want terrorism to stop, the US and its alllies should leave the middle east alone and mind their own business. Making regular citizens a target is not the solution and can led to tragedy like the case of the brazilian immigrant who was confused with a terrorist in London and was shot to death by the police. He was just another subway traveller.

[Jeff Wrangler]

I don't think anybody was over-reacting, David. I mean, what kind of idiot travels with a "device" up his ass?

On the other hand, Natali has a point, too. If we allow terrorists to turn us into perpetually fearful, suspicious, paranoid people, they've won. It's complicated, finding just the right balance, and of course it's only the extreme or ridiculous cases, like this doofus with the wire hanging out the wazoo--or genuine attempts at terrorism--that make the media. (And please note: It was the doofus who was ridiculous, not the security people.)

Tell you what, since 2001 we have periodic uproars here in Philadelphia over protecting the historic buildings in the city, in particular Independence Hall. The park service wants to close Chestnut Street, which runs in front of the building, permanently, and the city says that would be bad for the city.

My take? Important Things happened in Independence Hall. It's a lovely Georgian building constructed in the 1730s. But if we elevate the bricks and mortar to greater significance than the ideas that were expounded there, the terrorists have won.

People seem to have difficulty accepting that you cannot eliminate risk from life. It's just not possible. God forbid Independence Hall should be destroyed in a terrorist attack, but my thinking is, What would we do if the building were bady damaged or destroyed in a "natural catastrophe," like a lightning strike and fire, or a natural gas explosion? We'd repair or rebuild it--rather like many of the buildings in Colonial Williamsburg--that's what we'd do. Bricks and mortar are not as important as ideas.

And that's my slightly OT rant for this morning. ...

[David]

Unfortunately we cannot profile people.     The American civil liberties union  (ACLU) says that is unfair, so we must treat everyone as a potential terrorist.

But in all reality we cannot be complacent to think all terrorist threats look like muslim extremists.    Timothy McVey was a clean cut looking american boy.    If he walked up to you at the airport and asked if you would save him a cubside parking space for his Ryder Rental truck full of explosives made from diesel fuel and fertilizer you would probably not think twice about it.

If we pull out 100% from Iraq, would the locals all keep blowing themselves up until there was nobody left?    Would that solve the problem?       

I don't think there is an easy answer.     After Hitler died in WWII and the Allies occupied Germany, what would it have been like if his underground supporters continued to keep shooting our troops?    blowing up neighborhoods?       Would the world say "Gee you guys shouldn't be here, look what you've done".

Thousands of people died on September 11th 2001 because we felt safe here at home.

If you were on an airplane and a terrorist stood up and said :"I have a bomb!   And security let me through because I complained that the wire up my ass was just a stress relieving aid".      I'll bet alot of people on that plane would be mad.

The Jet that was flown into the Pentagon was filled with elementary school children.   How is that justified as a protest?

Yes it pains me to read that another one of our troops was killed in Iraq.    I wish we would get out of there and let them kill eachother instead.    But all of our boys and girls there are there voluntarily.  None were drafted.  Many are thanked by the locals for being there to help.

How about this?   We recall 100% of our troops.  Then the Peace Corps can send in College student volunteers to help rebuild roads, schools and hospitals.   

[MaineWriter]

You can't imagine how many people travel with Dildos and vibrators in their carry on bags.    How stupid is that?    Random bag checks are common.   Do you really want your travelling companions to see your latex friend?

Short trip, no bags to check, all a person has is a carry on. Business trip, staying in a nice hotel, room service, wine, maybe a little soft core porn on pay-per-view. Latex friends are stupid? What, terrorists are turing us into traveling Puritans, too?

L

[David]

Short trip, no bags to check, all a person has is a carry on. Business trip, staying in a nice hotel, room service, wine, maybe a little soft core porn on pay-per-view. Latex friends are stupid? What, terrorists are turing us into traveling Puritans, too?

L

HA HA HA!    Puritans?   No.       But the point I was trying to make is that people shouldn't think that there is no chance that their latex friend will not be seen if placed in their carry on bag.       

I am in favor of friends travelling with toys.    But I don't see the need to use one while in flight.   The turbulance is bad enough without something jammed up your ass.    Then again......    LOL

[MaineWriter]

HA HA HA!    Puritans?   No.       But the point I was trying to make is that people shouldn't think that there is no chance that their latex friend will not be seen if placed in their carry on bag.       

I am in favor of friends travelling with toys.    But I don't see the need to use one while in flight.   The turbulance is bad enough without something jammed up your ass.    Then again......    LOL

Very true David...on both points.

Thanks for a good chuckle this morning....