Exclusive By Jonathan Corbett: Laptop Ban Reaction to X-Ray Equipment Stolen by ISIS
I'm still sick with food poisoning and working on my column (for the first of my two deadline days) while semi-delirious, but this is a big deal, so I'm posting it.
This post is by my friend Jonathan Corbett, "a civil rights advocate known for filing the first lawsuit against the deployment of TSA nude body scanners, as well as defeating the body scanners live in "How to Get ANYTHING Through TSA Nude Body Scanners." Presently a law student, he continues to advocate for travel and privacy rights."
An excerpt from his post:
So why was the stolen x-ray equipment kept a secret? I asked my source if there was some security reason for keeping the stolen x-ray equipment from the public, and was told, unequivocally, no. "It's because the mom from the midwest planning to fly her kids to Disney would freak out. They are worried that people would stop flying if they knew."My thought would be that the public would be much more understanding if the government was more forthcoming. But apparently the U.S. government feels that you can't handle the truth and therefore hides behind secrecy laws to withhold the full story. This hiding is, of course, illegal, since, with exceptions not relevant, to withhold information as "sensitive security information" (SSI) requires that the release of the information would be "detrimental to the security of transportation," not detrimental to mom's willingness to go on vacation (49 C.F.R. § 1520.5(a)(3)). The TSA, a sub-component of DHS, is well-known for using the · SSI designation in an · "inconsistent and arbitrary" nature, as well as merely to avoid embarrassment, so it is not particularly surprising when the parent agency does so as well. [I have reached out to the DHS press office, which has declined to comment on this story.]
...Putting together one more piece of the puzzle, it seems to me that the classified information leaked by President Trump to the Russians earlier this month was very likely the details (beyond that which are reported here and beyond my knowledge) about the how the government was able to infiltrate ISIS to investigate the use of the stolen x-ray machines. Most news organizations did not report the nature of Trump's disclosure other than that it related to "a plot by Islamic State," although the Washington Post actually did describe it as laptop-ban related. So at the same time as the American people are mislead about the risks of flying, the Russians were given more information than the airlines and airport operators who are responsible for actually keeping bombs off of planes.
So, to recap: the government lied to us when they said there wasn't a specific threat, they withheld information from us because they thought we'd be scared, and they implemented a laptop ban that will be ineffective and expensive at best, dangerous (as a result of increased fire risk) at worst. Business as usual.
Very interesting "informed speculation".
And get well, Amy!!
jerry at May 22, 2017 1:12 PM
I'm not sure there has been any cognitive effect due to food poisoning...
A laptop has been an absolutely wonderful choice for an IED since before 9/11. Such a device has timers, position sensors and internal capacity for a variety of devices; the MacBook Air and other thin things aren't even restricted to blowing something in themselves up: they can be programmed to signal another device, like the "bowling ball" in the purse nearby, in the same cargo hold.
Not every laptop has to sleep or shut down just because the lid is closed.
And, to repeat something that has confused/troubled many people on this blog and elsewhere, the only way to stop a determined enemy from placing such a device is before the flight is loaded, by scanning every ounce of luggage, carried or not.
If that is not done, prevention has not been achieved; if nothing is detected when 100% screening is a fact, not a lie, there has been no attempt.
If there is no incident when 100% screening is NOT happening, then there is no determined enemy.
BTW, this isn't about Trump, nor x-ray equipment. Those are red herrings to make you buy fear, of something else.
Radwaste at May 22, 2017 4:43 PM
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