You may have heard in the news recently about how a college student unintentionally closed down a TSA checkpoint with his science project. He had shipped it to Omaha, but decided to travel with it on his departure. Let’s be clear, it was completely innocent. He had no way of knowing his improvised mint tin would look like an improvised explosive device (IED) on our X-ray monitor. Most people wouldn’t realize it and the purpose of this post is to inform folks that homemade gadgets (however cool they may be) can look like improvised explosive devices to our officers on the X-ray monitors.
So when you pack your bags for a trip, you may want to think about what items you are placing next to others to avoid the hassle of unintentionally creating an X-ray image which could cause TSA to conduct a further inspection of your carry-on and checked bags.
A couple things to mention before we all debate in the comments:
- The TSA closed down a TSA checkpoint, not the student.
- It’s a mint tin, it’s not called an “improvised mint tin”.
- This item was in the student’s *carry on* not checked in baggage.
“Further inspection” is understandable, but that’s very different than sending in the FBI and BOMB SQUADS.
Based on what is reported here I don’t see any reason why the terminal was shut down.
If you have something the TSA wants to look at something in your carry on, they pull you aside and look at it, swab it, x-ray it. The person can explain what something is as it is being inspected (and the TSA can verify what they are saying with explosives testing equipment). I don’t see any reason why this would cause a shutdown of terminals based on how the TSA usually operates. “Further inspection of your carry-on and checked bags” is totally fine (and encouraged!) the FBI and bomb squad coming in?
There must be some missing information here, maybe the student got past the check point and they reviewed the x-rays later? If so, this makes more sense. They could also have a new policy that we do not know about where the TSA will pull everyone off a flight if they are holding someone because of a “device”. I’ve emailed the TSA blog contact and asked them to participate here on MAKE.
The Omaha Police Department’s bomb squad was called after a suspicious-looking item was found in a carry-on bag shortly before noon at the airport’s north checkpoint in Terminal B.
Screening operations were suspended, and the B concourse was evacuated. Operations were not disrupted in Terminal A, according to a Transportation Security Administration official.
The item was cleared and airport operations returned to normal about 2 p.m. Breault said the device was harmless, “but it did trigger the proper response due to its suspicious appearance.”
The item in question (above) – wires, battery, mint tin – yah, it looks like almost every single electronic project featured here on MAKE. The TSA knows people make and travel with electronics, they have tests for whether something is an explosive or not.
All that said, the TSA does say “Let’s be clear, it was completely innocent”. I’m posting this for the same reason the TSA did, to raise awareness when things like this happen. The TSA isn’t an enemy, they can do better, we all need to know what to expect when we travel with electronics, policies will change – I do think they’re doing the best they can and we as makers can help them do a better job.
I’ll just leave this right here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffb/2930434284/
@facebook-585017094:disqus i’ve traveled with dozens of project like that and never had any problems, more screening but never fbi and bomb squads.
@facebook-585017094:disqus i’ve traveled with dozens of project like that and never had any problems, more screening but never fbi and bomb squads.
Of note, less than a week later they shutdown again for a “home made firework.” They are now saying it was welding material wrapped in electrical tape. Here is that story:
http://www.ketv.com/r/28817169/detail.html
Of note, less than a week later they shutdown again for a “home made firework.” They are now saying it was welding material wrapped in electrical tape. Here is that story:
http://www.ketv.com/r/28817169/detail.html
Shutting down the airport is a bit much. But honestly that thing is indeed… suspicious looking. I’d expect an abundance of caution, and never would’ve taken it in my carry-on.
So while I’m normally pretty critical of their procedures, TSA gets a pass on this one from me. The guy who went through security with it… not so much.
Shutting down the airport is a bit much. But honestly that thing is indeed… suspicious looking. I’d expect an abundance of caution, and never would’ve taken it in my carry-on.
So while I’m normally pretty critical of their procedures, TSA gets a pass on this one from me. The guy who went through security with it… not so much.
@davidcdean:disqus yah, i emailed the TSA to ask why this would qualify for a FBI and bomb squad visit (and shut down). the student went through the usual check point, the device showed up on x-ray with him there. it should have just been screened there with their usual equipment that tests for explosives right?
@davidcdean:disqus yah, i emailed the TSA to ask why this would qualify for a FBI and bomb squad visit (and shut down). the student went through the usual check point, the device showed up on x-ray with him there. it should have just been screened there with their usual equipment that tests for explosives right?
I agree, that thing is ridiculously suspicious looking. If I saw it go through the x-ray scanner, I’d pull the dude aside, wave my red flag and press the giant red “I THINK THIS IS A BOMB” button and get the hell outta there.
I wouldn’t want to start poking at it, or even questioning the guy about it immediately. If it were a bomb, you’d up the chances that he’d just blow it then and there because he thinks he’s getting bagged.
A single mint tin with enclosed electronics and no big friggin’ box with leads going to it, sure, question that guy and find out what it is, but I’m with the TSA on this one.
@yahoo-FHEUQEVV6LLQQCXBDCTDA275TM:disqus *all* electronics are suspicious looking. trained professionals know this mint tin science project isn’t a bomb and they have screening procedures for this.
someone up to no good would likely make something appear very “professional” or part of something else. i recall there were printer cartridges or something with devices in them?
again, i am wondering why the fbi and bomb squad and a shut down happened. it never made it past the check point and the student was always there.
I’ll withhold judgement without seeing the x-ray. I never underestimate the stupidity of people, especially someone who’s up to no good. Sure there are pro’s out there, but there are also ignorant and overly cocky imbeciles who might try and luck their way through.
And they didn’t shut down the whole airport, just one of their terminals for a couple of hours. I’m with the Marine quoted in the linked article:
“Sean Callen, a former Marine from Nebraska who now lives in Texas,
wasn’t too put out by the delay. He said he had to sit on his plane
about 25 minutes after landing before passengers were allowed off. ‘I’d rather them look and not find anything than not look and wish they had,’ he said. “
I’ll withhold judgement without seeing the x-ray. I never underestimate the stupidity of people, especially someone who’s up to no good. Sure there are pro’s out there, but there are also ignorant and overly cocky imbeciles who might try and luck their way through.
And they didn’t shut down the whole airport, just one of their terminals for a couple of hours. I’m with the Marine quoted in the linked article:
“Sean Callen, a former Marine from Nebraska who now lives in Texas,
wasn’t too put out by the delay. He said he had to sit on his plane
about 25 minutes after landing before passengers were allowed off. ‘I’d rather them look and not find anything than not look and wish they had,’ he said. “
I’ll withhold judgement without seeing the x-ray. I never underestimate the stupidity of people, especially someone who’s up to no good. Sure there are pro’s out there, but there are also ignorant and overly cocky imbeciles who might try and luck their way through.
And they didn’t shut down the whole airport, just one of their terminals for a couple of hours. I’m with the Marine quoted in the linked article:
“Sean Callen, a former Marine from Nebraska who now lives in Texas,
wasn’t too put out by the delay. He said he had to sit on his plane
about 25 minutes after landing before passengers were allowed off. ‘I’d rather them look and not find anything than not look and wish they had,’ he said. “
ptorrone – I don’t agree with that at all. They’re not all suspicious looking. An organized project (circuit board, etc) is far less likely to trigger real suspicion than that. Whatever that project is, it could not have been better designed to arouse suspicion. A wooden case with two pens stuck in it? It looks like a movie prop — just jam some pens with wires sticking out of them into a block of something, and hey presto, you’ve got a bomb. I’ve also traveled with mint-tin projects through TSA checkpoints, but I removed it from my bag, put it on the bin by itself to allow the x-ray a clear shot, and I was ready to just mail it ahead if necessary. The bomb squad seems like the right call to me. Allowing the student to touch it again (and I understand that it was innocuous) would be a mistake if he didn’t mean well. It seems like, while this was certainly an inconvenience, trying to swab or otherwise tamper with a project like like this could be a real mistake. As someone who enjoys electronics, I can’t even venture a guess as to what that does without further reading. That’s why I agree completely with the caution used by the TSA agents here. It might be small, but I wouldn’t want to be around if it really were an IED.
ptorrone – I don’t agree with that at all. They’re not all suspicious looking. An organized project (circuit board, etc) is far less likely to trigger real suspicion than that. Whatever that project is, it could not have been better designed to arouse suspicion. A wooden case with two pens stuck in it? It looks like a movie prop — just jam some pens with wires sticking out of them into a block of something, and hey presto, you’ve got a bomb. I’ve also traveled with mint-tin projects through TSA checkpoints, but I removed it from my bag, put it on the bin by itself to allow the x-ray a clear shot, and I was ready to just mail it ahead if necessary. The bomb squad seems like the right call to me. Allowing the student to touch it again (and I understand that it was innocuous) would be a mistake if he didn’t mean well. It seems like, while this was certainly an inconvenience, trying to swab or otherwise tamper with a project like like this could be a real mistake. As someone who enjoys electronics, I can’t even venture a guess as to what that does without further reading. That’s why I agree completely with the caution used by the TSA agents here. It might be small, but I wouldn’t want to be around if it really were an IED.
ptorrone – I don’t agree with that at all. They’re not all suspicious looking. An organized project (circuit board, etc) is far less likely to trigger real suspicion than that. Whatever that project is, it could not have been better designed to arouse suspicion. A wooden case with two pens stuck in it? It looks like a movie prop — just jam some pens with wires sticking out of them into a block of something, and hey presto, you’ve got a bomb. I’ve also traveled with mint-tin projects through TSA checkpoints, but I removed it from my bag, put it on the bin by itself to allow the x-ray a clear shot, and I was ready to just mail it ahead if necessary. The bomb squad seems like the right call to me. Allowing the student to touch it again (and I understand that it was innocuous) would be a mistake if he didn’t mean well. It seems like, while this was certainly an inconvenience, trying to swab or otherwise tamper with a project like like this could be a real mistake. As someone who enjoys electronics, I can’t even venture a guess as to what that does without further reading. That’s why I agree completely with the caution used by the TSA agents here. It might be small, but I wouldn’t want to be around if it really were an IED.
ptorrone – I don’t agree with that at all. They’re not all suspicious looking. An organized project (circuit board, etc) is far less likely to trigger real suspicion than that. Whatever that project is, it could not have been better designed to arouse suspicion. A wooden case with two pens stuck in it? It looks like a movie prop — just jam some pens with wires sticking out of them into a block of something, and hey presto, you’ve got a bomb. I’ve also traveled with mint-tin projects through TSA checkpoints, but I removed it from my bag, put it on the bin by itself to allow the x-ray a clear shot, and I was ready to just mail it ahead if necessary. The bomb squad seems like the right call to me. Allowing the student to touch it again (and I understand that it was innocuous) would be a mistake if he didn’t mean well. It seems like, while this was certainly an inconvenience, trying to swab or otherwise tamper with a project like like this could be a real mistake. As someone who enjoys electronics, I can’t even venture a guess as to what that does without further reading. That’s why I agree completely with the caution used by the TSA agents here. It might be small, but I wouldn’t want to be around if it really were an IED.
@yahoo-FHEUQEVV6LLQQCXBDCTDA275TM:disqus *all* electronics are suspicious looking. trained professionals know this mint tin science project isn’t a bomb and they have screening procedures for this.
someone up to no good would likely make something appear very “professional” or part of something else. i recall there were printer cartridges or something with devices in them?
again, i am wondering why the fbi and bomb squad and a shut down happened. it never made it past the check point and the student was always there.
@yahoo-FHEUQEVV6LLQQCXBDCTDA275TM:disqus *all* electronics are suspicious looking. trained professionals know this mint tin science project isn’t a bomb and they have screening procedures for this.
someone up to no good would likely make something appear very “professional” or part of something else. i recall there were printer cartridges or something with devices in them?
again, i am wondering why the fbi and bomb squad and a shut down happened. it never made it past the check point and the student was always there.
cpurious – i removed your comment, please email me to discuss if you’d like. or just post again without the cursing, etc. thanks!
cpurious – i removed your comment, please email me to discuss if you’d like. or just post again without the cursing, etc. thanks!
sigh… how about this then?
It is annoying to be constrained by what you can bring on a plane, I often find myself leaving things at home that I would like to bring on a trip. But if the airport security is to be useful at all then they really need to stop someone if they see something like this in their bag. It seems hard to argue that this wouldn’t look like a bomb on an x-ray.
Given that security sees this on an x-ray and that it looks like a bomb, it makes sense to me that they would call the bomb squad. I certainly wouldn’t want to poke around with something that I think could explode in my face, and I would want to get everyone else away from it as quickly as possible so that they are not hurt either.
Swabbing bags and checking for explosive residue makes sense if there is some suspicious container that could hold explosive material (or other similar scenarios). There is no need for a large disturbance then, just a quick extra check. But for something that appears to be a fully prepped and possibly armed bomb, more caution is required.
sigh… how about this then?
It is annoying to be constrained by what you can bring on a plane, I often find myself leaving things at home that I would like to bring on a trip. But if the airport security is to be useful at all then they really need to stop someone if they see something like this in their bag. It seems hard to argue that this wouldn’t look like a bomb on an x-ray.
Given that security sees this on an x-ray and that it looks like a bomb, it makes sense to me that they would call the bomb squad. I certainly wouldn’t want to poke around with something that I think could explode in my face, and I would want to get everyone else away from it as quickly as possible so that they are not hurt either.
Swabbing bags and checking for explosive residue makes sense if there is some suspicious container that could hold explosive material (or other similar scenarios). There is no need for a large disturbance then, just a quick extra check. But for something that appears to be a fully prepped and possibly armed bomb, more caution is required.
this is fine, thanks.
i emailed the tsa to ask why this shut down the airport and wasn’t just screened for explosives.
lots of makers travel with mint tin projects, my goal is to raise awareness for us and for the tsa.
there isn’t any reason to curse or be rotten to each other
Sorry for the sarcasm. I just feel like the TSA gets a lot of scrutiny for their security measures, and often rightfully so, but this time I can’t find any fault in what they did. This procedure makes sense to me to keep people safe.
And for the record, there was only one curse, and it was not directed at you, only at not wanting to be blown up
Sorry for the sarcasm. I just feel like the TSA gets a lot of scrutiny for their security measures, and often rightfully so, but this time I can’t find any fault in what they did. This procedure makes sense to me to keep people safe.
And for the record, there was only one curse, and it was not directed at you, only at not wanting to be blown up
Sorry for the sarcasm. I just feel like the TSA gets a lot of scrutiny for their security measures, and often rightfully so, but this time I can’t find any fault in what they did. This procedure makes sense to me to keep people safe.
And for the record, there was only one curse, and it was not directed at you, only at not wanting to be blown up
@cpurious:disqus thanks for re-posting!
i wrote “All that said, the TSA does say “Let’s be clear, it was completely innocent”.
I’m posting this for the same reason the TSA did, to raise awareness
when things like this happen. The TSA isn’t an enemy, they can do
better, policies will change, I do think they’re doing the best they can
and we as makers can help them do a better job.”
this is fine, thanks.
i emailed the tsa to ask why this shut down the airport and wasn’t just screened for explosives.
lots of makers travel with mint tin projects, my goal is to raise awareness for us and for the tsa.
there isn’t any reason to curse or be rotten to each other
this is fine, thanks.
i emailed the tsa to ask why this shut down the airport and wasn’t just screened for explosives.
lots of makers travel with mint tin projects, my goal is to raise awareness for us and for the tsa.
there isn’t any reason to curse or be rotten to each other
sigh… how about this then?
It is annoying to be constrained by what you can bring on a plane, I often find myself leaving things at home that I would like to bring on a trip. But if the airport security is to be useful at all then they really need to stop someone if they see something like this in their bag. It seems hard to argue that this wouldn’t look like a bomb on an x-ray.
Given that security sees this on an x-ray and that it looks like a bomb, it makes sense to me that they would call the bomb squad. I certainly wouldn’t want to poke around with something that I think could explode in my face, and I would want to get everyone else away from it as quickly as possible so that they are not hurt either.
Swabbing bags and checking for explosive residue makes sense if there is some suspicious container that could hold explosive material (or other similar scenarios). There is no need for a large disturbance then, just a quick extra check. But for something that appears to be a fully prepped and possibly armed bomb, more caution is required.
The two pens in the block of wood make it look less like a normal project and more like electronics connected to a chunk of explosives via two detonators. While I normally abhor the overreaching policies of the TSA, this doesn’t have anything to do with them — I would’ve expected airport security to “Shut. Down. EVERYTHING.” even before 9/11 if this went through an x-ray machine.
Regarding bringing in a bomb squad, I’m going to have to agree with cpurious.. But in a less sarcastic tone. If they honestly think something is a bomb, they’re going to need special equipment (bomb suits, robots, whatever) to safely test it. If they don’t get very many situations like this, it doesn’t make financial sense to have the equipment themselves. It might cost the airport in delayed response time, but it probably saves the government money in decreased equipment and training costs.
I commend the TSA in their reasoned response to this, as long as the student got everything back in good order. I just wish they’d be more reasoned when it came to 4th amendment violations.
The two pens in the block of wood make it look less like a normal project and more like electronics connected to a chunk of explosives via two detonators. While I normally abhor the overreaching policies of the TSA, this doesn’t have anything to do with them — I would’ve expected airport security to “Shut. Down. EVERYTHING.” even before 9/11 if this went through an x-ray machine.
Regarding bringing in a bomb squad, I’m going to have to agree with cpurious.. But in a less sarcastic tone. If they honestly think something is a bomb, they’re going to need special equipment (bomb suits, robots, whatever) to safely test it. If they don’t get very many situations like this, it doesn’t make financial sense to have the equipment themselves. It might cost the airport in delayed response time, but it probably saves the government money in decreased equipment and training costs.
I commend the TSA in their reasoned response to this, as long as the student got everything back in good order. I just wish they’d be more reasoned when it came to 4th amendment violations.
The two pens in the block of wood make it look less like a normal project and more like electronics connected to a chunk of explosives via two detonators. While I normally abhor the overreaching policies of the TSA, this doesn’t have anything to do with them — I would’ve expected airport security to “Shut. Down. EVERYTHING.” even before 9/11 if this went through an x-ray machine.
Regarding bringing in a bomb squad, I’m going to have to agree with cpurious.. But in a less sarcastic tone. If they honestly think something is a bomb, they’re going to need special equipment (bomb suits, robots, whatever) to safely test it. If they don’t get very many situations like this, it doesn’t make financial sense to have the equipment themselves. It might cost the airport in delayed response time, but it probably saves the government money in decreased equipment and training costs.
I commend the TSA in their reasoned response to this, as long as the student got everything back in good order. I just wish they’d be more reasoned when it came to 4th amendment violations.
My father told me a story where, back in the mid -80′s an Engineer from the company he worked for was carrying a portable gas pressure recorder on a flight. Shut down the entire Minneapolis airport for a day.
This tool is used for commercial gas oven debugging to look for natural gas pressure drops over time (hours to days). Unfortunately, under X-Ray inspection the device looks suspicious with a windup clockwork, many gears, and a couple of batteries. Maybe shutting down the airport was a bit much, but when in doubt…
My father told me a story where, back in the mid -80′s an Engineer from the company he worked for was carrying a portable gas pressure recorder on a flight. Shut down the entire Minneapolis airport for a day.
This tool is used for commercial gas oven debugging to look for natural gas pressure drops over time (hours to days). Unfortunately, under X-Ray inspection the device looks suspicious with a windup clockwork, many gears, and a couple of batteries. Maybe shutting down the airport was a bit much, but when in doubt…
My father told me a story where, back in the mid -80′s an Engineer from the company he worked for was carrying a portable gas pressure recorder on a flight. Shut down the entire Minneapolis airport for a day.
This tool is used for commercial gas oven debugging to look for natural gas pressure drops over time (hours to days). Unfortunately, under X-Ray inspection the device looks suspicious with a windup clockwork, many gears, and a couple of batteries. Maybe shutting down the airport was a bit much, but when in doubt…
I travelled this past week to Brazil with my arduino uno in a mint cant, the USB cable and a bag with some leds, resistors, etc.. (a starter kit). while they didn’t stop the flight, they did open my bag tough, they left no paper or notification what so ever inside explaining that they were the ones who open the bag or even why they did it.
Now i have to return in tow weeks any recomendations regarding this? should I carry it on my hand luggage?
I travelled this past week to Brazil with my arduino uno in a mint cant, the USB cable and a bag with some leds, resistors, etc.. (a starter kit). while they didn’t stop the flight, they did open my bag tough, they left no paper or notification what so ever inside explaining that they were the ones who open the bag or even why they did it.
Now i have to return in tow weeks any recomendations regarding this? should I carry it on my hand luggage?
I travelled this past week to Brazil with my arduino uno in a mint cant, the USB cable and a bag with some leds, resistors, etc.. (a starter kit). while they didn’t stop the flight, they did open my bag tough, they left no paper or notification what so ever inside explaining that they were the ones who open the bag or even why they did it.
Now i have to return in tow weeks any recomendations regarding this? should I carry it on my hand luggage?
Let’s think logically for a minute here. *IF* it was truly an IED, why on earth would TSA want to bring it out of the x-ray machine to where the bad guy could get his hands on it? It’s far safer to leave it in the x-ray until the people trained in IED’s are able to clear it. That means bomb disposal experts (something the TSA is NOT) would need to be called in. Just from looking at the picture of that thing above I don’t see how anyone can be criticizing the TSA over this. It looks incredibly suspicious in real life, much less than how it would look on an x-ray.
Unfortunately, due to the actions of people like Tim McVeigh and other US citizens who have befriended Al-Qaeda we are all subject to the same scrutiny. I would imagine that there were other factors involved in having the FBI brought in as I can’t imagine that would be standard protocol for something of this nature.
Saying that the “airport” was closed is disingenuous on your part. It wasn’t the airport, it was one terminal out of the two, the other terminal was operating normally throughout.
Let’s think logically for a minute here. *IF* it was truly an IED, why on earth would TSA want to bring it out of the x-ray machine to where the bad guy could get his hands on it? It’s far safer to leave it in the x-ray until the people trained in IED’s are able to clear it. That means bomb disposal experts (something the TSA is NOT) would need to be called in. Just from looking at the picture of that thing above I don’t see how anyone can be criticizing the TSA over this. It looks incredibly suspicious in real life, much less than how it would look on an x-ray.
Unfortunately, due to the actions of people like Tim McVeigh and other US citizens who have befriended Al-Qaeda we are all subject to the same scrutiny. I would imagine that there were other factors involved in having the FBI brought in as I can’t imagine that would be standard protocol for something of this nature.
Saying that the “airport” was closed is disingenuous on your part. It wasn’t the airport, it was one terminal out of the two, the other terminal was operating normally throughout.
@yahoo-HPUHZMYA6UHY2EBKNBYTFTZDRE:disqus i updated the title to be more clear “TSA Closes Terminal Over Science Project In Mint Tin” when i first saw this i thought it did say the airport was shut down.
do you think that is more accurate now?
Definitely more accurate now, thank you.
As you’ve mentioned, you’ve traveled with DIY tins and never had much of a problem. I would suspect that those tins you’ve traveled with didn’t have all of the additional wires and mass connected to them.
@yahoo-HPUHZMYA6UHY2EBKNBYTFTZDRE:disqus that’s correct, usually my projects look a little more “finished” than that and i always make sure i have something printed out either from MAKE or from the kit documentation saying what it is. i also usually carry a copy of MAKE in both bags and usually check a bag in.
in the past i’ve given TSA folks copies of MAKE and some later even showed up at maker faire to say hi, one was a maker himself!
i posted about this so makers can be aware and for the TSA to also know we think about these things here at MAKE as well.
>I don’t see how anyone can be criticizing the TSA over this
Scott I’m reposting this from above: You may think some of us are engaged in some sort of “Monday morning quarterbacking”, but I’m not just saying this was idiotic just
because I disagree with the situation on some theoretical grounds. There
are real world implications and consequences for the TSA agent’s
response in this. Now apply some critical thinking to this please: these
actions by this TSA agent(s) actually expose a grave weakness here that
terrorists can exploit. How this situation is made more
critical by a poor response is if this guy was actually out to cause
harm by working along with other terrorists as a decoy on this day.
Thus, by calling in the bomb squad for a simulated bomb, without proper
diligence on the agent(s) part, the TSA are wasting the time of a key
resource so if a real threat happens will greatly delay necessary
response times to deal with it. We just seen this play out in Norway
where the suspect supposedly exploded the bomb to give him more time on
his shooting spree, so it isn’t purely a hypothetical issue. So with
this in mind there isn’t any criticism and/or critic making it harder
for them, it is their own bad judgments and reactions that make it more
difficult for them to do their mission. Not only that, but their poor
decisions put others at risk making it harder for all of us in this,
that’s why we need trained professionals in these key authority
positions and us critics watching over their shoulder.
@Tim Allison – You answered your own question in your statement. As soon as you refer to a “simulated bomb” you derail your own argument. A simulated bomb, by definition, looks like a real bomb and therefore would require the exact same response as a real bomb would. Any TSA agent(s) looking at this thing on an x-ray machine can’t sit there and second-guess themselves by asking “is this really a bomb or is it a diversion?”. They have to look at what they see in front of them and deal with that, right there, at that time. If there is an item that just looks suspicious, running it out of the x-ray to be swabbed would seem to be ok, but if there’s something that looks like a completely assembled IED running it out to where the bad guy could possibly get his hands on it would be asinine.
Having armchair quarterbacks who have absolutely NO knowledge of the policies, procedures, technical training and what an IED looks like on an x-ray second guessing what someone trained in all of the above is doing is laughable.
Let’s think logically for a minute here. *IF* it was truly an IED, why on earth would TSA want to bring it out of the x-ray machine to where the bad guy could get his hands on it? It’s far safer to leave it in the x-ray until the people trained in IED’s are able to clear it. That means bomb disposal experts (something the TSA is NOT) would need to be called in. Just from looking at the picture of that thing above I don’t see how anyone can be criticizing the TSA over this. It looks incredibly suspicious in real life, much less than how it would look on an x-ray.
Unfortunately, due to the actions of people like Tim McVeigh and other US citizens who have befriended Al-Qaeda we are all subject to the same scrutiny. I would imagine that there were other factors involved in having the FBI brought in as I can’t imagine that would be standard protocol for something of this nature.
Saying that the “airport” was closed is disingenuous on your part. It wasn’t the airport, it was one terminal out of the two, the other terminal was operating normally throughout.
My two cents:I think it was very naive of the person to expect this wouldn’t trigger all the red flags in the TSA handbook(especially with the battery).I have traveled with electronics and old alarm clocks,but never put together in such a way that it could be looked at as a explosive device.
@facebook-706691123:disqus i posted about this since this is different than what usually happens (more screening, swabbed at check point, etc). fbi and bomb squad and shutting down terminals could be a new policy? many here have traveled with mint tin electronics and this has not happened it seems.
@facebook-706691123:disqus i posted about this since this is different than what usually happens (more screening, swabbed at check point, etc). fbi and bomb squad and shutting down terminals could be a new policy? many here have traveled with mint tin electronics and this has not happened it seems.
@facebook-706691123:disqus i posted about this since this is different than what usually happens (more screening, swabbed at check point, etc). fbi and bomb squad and shutting down terminals could be a new policy? many here have traveled with mint tin electronics and this has not happened it seems.
My two cents:I think it was very naive of the person to expect this wouldn’t trigger all the red flags in the TSA handbook(especially with the battery).I have traveled with electronics and old alarm clocks,but never put together in such a way that it could be looked at as a explosive device.
Remember kids, better safe than free.
Little Timmy, That sort of extremist equivocation works with kids, not adults. Let’s try to have an adult conversation.
Little Timmy, That sort of extremist equivocation works with kids, not adults. Let’s try to have an adult conversation.
Remember kids, better safe than free.
Ptorrone, I appreciate your efforts in your
attempt to educate TSA on the sorts of things that the members of the ever
growing maker movement are building. As I see it this is a very tough issue to
get around. As an avid maker I’ve felt some subdued outrage in hearing about
projects that I consider to be obviously innocuous causing massive hoot-nanny
at the airport. To me just about anything in a mint tin should be considered ok
as there are many projects in this format out there right now, but these folks
are possibly not makers. To complicate things further I myself have made things
in black-plastic project cases that unintentionally look downright insidious when
I’m finished with them. As an example check out this blue-tooth joystick I
build:
http://blog.wodilog.com/2011/02/project-1-diy-bluetooth-joystick.html (scroll to the end for photos)
Even as the maker if I saw the control box for
this project sticking out from the fender of my car I would call the bomb-squad
too (right after pooping myself in mid-stride as I ran to get away from it).
Perhaps to avoid the complications of having
to train every TSA agent with the ability to discern the nature of every sort
of homemade project it would be better to declare that you are carrying some
kind of ‘weird’ thing in advance. Although I have never tried I hear that you
can travel with an unloaded gun in your checked baggage as long as you let the
airline know it is there when you check it. Maybe there can be some kind of
analogous “I’ve got this innocent but possibly insidious looking thing in my luggage
form” you can fill out when you check your luggage or had to the TSA agents?
Just a thought.
thanks! that’s the goal, makers knowing what to be aware of and for the TSA to know a lot of people make things and travel with them.
I am “Bomb Squad” and what is pictured would look like every x-ray interpretation power point presentation that they are given on the subject. I commend them for actually id’ing something that looks like what they are trained to spot.
@google-896e8b5cc7cbbad1653f268a05f8e49c:disqus thanks! what is the usual procedure after this is spotted? from what i’ve always seen and experienced it’s more screening a getting your stuff swabbed.
is there a new policy for carry on that requires calling the FBI and bomb squad?
I cannot speak for TSA’s procedures as I am not affiliated with them. But in general, further interrogation after spotting that would be the bomb squads lane of responsibility. Clearing the area of passengers and personnel would be their responsibility. Swabbing is not for suspected devices. It is just a tool they can use to test for explosive residue transferred from hand/device/environment to the bag.
Indeed. From what I’ve seen, bags that might be suspicious (but not overtly) or have too much in them to get a good look (ie loaded-up pro- or semi-pro camera bag), will get a secondary inspection as an extra security measure.
If they see something like this that blatantly looks suspicious, I’d imagine they’d bump straight past secondary and go to Plan B: Call a supervisor.
Supervisor would say “Yeah, that looks nasty.”, but neither of them being bomb experts (though having been trained well in the finer points of detection) call in someone who is.
If I couldn’t mail it to myself, and *had* to take it with me, I’d dismantle it to the best of my abilities (non-destructively), ie remove battery and wire headers, etc., and put it in checked luggage along with a document explaining what it is, schematics, photos, etc… I’d imagine he might have made a better impression if he had:
a) Dismantled it to the best of his ability (and bringing no battery with him)
b) Put it in its own x-ray tray, completely open to view
c) Had documents he could present the TSA agents stating what it was, with schematics/photos/parts list/whatnot
Even then, I’d still ship it. FedEx/UPS Overnight if it was urgent.
Yes, ship it. And even then, dismantle it. Only an idiot would try to bring this contraption on an airplane. Only a COMPLETE idiot would put it in carry on. This was a serious lack of judgement on the part of the traveler, and it is the that needs advice (like, grow up) rather than the TSA.
Yes, ship it. And even then, dismantle it. Only an idiot would try to bring this contraption on an airplane. Only a COMPLETE idiot would put it in carry on. This was a serious lack of judgement on the part of the traveler, and it is the that needs advice (like, grow up) rather than the TSA.
Indeed. From what I’ve seen, bags that might be suspicious (but not overtly) or have too much in them to get a good look (ie loaded-up pro- or semi-pro camera bag), will get a secondary inspection as an extra security measure.
If they see something like this that blatantly looks suspicious, I’d imagine they’d bump straight past secondary and go to Plan B: Call a supervisor.
Supervisor would say “Yeah, that looks nasty.”, but neither of them being bomb experts (though having been trained well in the finer points of detection) call in someone who is.
If I couldn’t mail it to myself, and *had* to take it with me, I’d dismantle it to the best of my abilities (non-destructively), ie remove battery and wire headers, etc., and put it in checked luggage along with a document explaining what it is, schematics, photos, etc… I’d imagine he might have made a better impression if he had:
a) Dismantled it to the best of his ability (and bringing no battery with him)
b) Put it in its own x-ray tray, completely open to view
c) Had documents he could present the TSA agents stating what it was, with schematics/photos/parts list/whatnot
Even then, I’d still ship it. FedEx/UPS Overnight if it was urgent.
I cannot speak for TSA’s procedures as I am not affiliated with them. But in general, further interrogation after spotting that would be the bomb squads lane of responsibility. Clearing the area of passengers and personnel would be their responsibility. Swabbing is not for suspected devices. It is just a tool they can use to test for explosive residue transferred from hand/device/environment to the bag.
I was reading the rest of the comments and i left out something. This, as far as that TSA screener is concerned, that is an IED. And whether or not it was verified by a supervisor, that device on an x-ray would warrant bomb squad and the FBI to be called. Did we ever find out what the device was? i was thinking some kind of counter or sensor. Maybe a light source on one end and a photocell on the other.
I was reading the rest of the comments and i left out something. This, as far as that TSA screener is concerned, that is an IED. And whether or not it was verified by a supervisor, that device on an x-ray would warrant bomb squad and the FBI to be called. Did we ever find out what the device was? i was thinking some kind of counter or sensor. Maybe a light source on one end and a photocell on the other.
I was reading the rest of the comments and i left out something. This, as far as that TSA screener is concerned, that is an IED. And whether or not it was verified by a supervisor, that device on an x-ray would warrant bomb squad and the FBI to be called. Did we ever find out what the device was? i was thinking some kind of counter or sensor. Maybe a light source on one end and a photocell on the other.
uuum, no. our training is much more extensive than a power point side. perhaps on the preliminary orientation of a gate agent, but true inspectors go through a much more intense recital of identifying threat levels. in fact, much of the coursework involved covers looking for items which do **not** look like threats…. and you would not believe the strange things in traveler’s baggage.
this looks like a fluke, and an over reactive executive decision
@facebook-100000125976104:disqus thanks for the info!
@facebook-100000125976104:disqus thanks for the info!