This Time, From Non-Commercial Planes And Helos
More than three years
and billions of dollars after 9/11, how safe is our air
transportation system? Not very, according to a new report from the
DHS and FBI. The report says al Qaeda and its affiliates may be
looking to hijack charter aircraft -- including helicopters -- to
stage more attacks against the American Homeland.
The report says business and general aviation targets may be
more and more interesting to al Qaeda because they're not as
well-guarded as commercial flights, yet admits "it is impossible to
protect all of the infrastructure sectors equally across the entire
United States." The report was revealed in the New York Times.
Since 9/11, Washington has spent some $12 billion to upgrade
commercial air travel facilities in the US. Some members of
Congress say that's enough -- that it's time to shift the focus of
security to ports, power plants and rail facilities.
"This is a disaster waiting to happen," said Senator Joseph
Biden (D-DE), focusing on the needs for increased rail
security.
But the report says al Qaeda is still looking for chinks in the
armor surrounding commercial aviation. Commercial flights, the
report says, are "likely to remain a target and a platform for
terrorists," and members of Al Qaeda appear determined to study and
test new American security measures to "uncover weaknesses,"
according to the Times.
"Spectacular terrorist attacks can generate an outpouring of
support for the perpetrators from sympathizers and terrorism
sponsors with similar agendas," the report said. "The public fear
resulting from a terrorist hijacking or aircraft bombing also
serves as a powerful motivator for groups seeking to further their
causes."
Perhaps as disturbing to general aviation is this statement in
the report: "As security measures improve at large commercial
airports, terrorists may choose to rent or steal general aviation
aircraft housed at small airports with little or no security."
Al Qaeda, the report said, "has apparently considered the use of
helicopters as an alternative to recruiting operatives for
fixed-wing aircraft operations." The DHS and FBI suggested the
maneuverability and "non-threatening appearance" of helicopters
make them especially attractive in suicide or chemical weapons
attacks.
The Times reports federal officials say they've tightened
security at airports and heliports in the New York area, as well as
the security surrounding certain charter operations.
"The report validates TSA's sense of urgency in our daily
efforts to secure aviation," said TSA chief David Stone (Rear
Admiral, USN, retired), "and that same sense of urgency can be
found in our work securing every other mode of transportation."