Industry Incensed By Terrorist Attack By NBC
The Helicopter
Association International (HAI) has congratulated their member,
Fostaire Helicopters, whose vigilance helped foil an attempted
security breach by a national media organization at their General
Aviation (GA) facility at the St. Louis Downtown Airport.
HAI thanks Fostaire and their employees, including Bob McDaniel,
the Director at the St. Louis Downtown Airport, the FBI, Sauget
Police Department, and Police Chief Pat Dulaney for their diligent
efforts. The event was reported by the Department of Homeland
Security and several other sources.
The following synopsis, disseminated by the Transportation
Security Policy Department, demonstrates how the Press attempted to
charter a helicopter, and bring hidden, prohibited items onboard,
so they could report on the ease of gaining access to aircraft to
carry out terrorist plots.
The following occurred
Wednesday, August 11 at the St. Louis Downtown Airport, a large GA
facility.
The affected facility, Fostaire reports: Two Middle Eastern
looking men attempted to penetrate our security. They telephoned
one of my helicopter FBOs and asked about a charter flight. After
discussion of price and directions to the business, they arrived an
hour later. When the office agent asked how they were going to pay
for the flight they produced cash. When asked for ID, they produced
driver's licenses from two different states and they were driving a
car licensed in a third state.
Things didn't smell right so the mechanic took them into the
hangar to see the aircraft while the office person called the FBI
and local police. The helicopter they were going to fly was blocked
in by other aircraft so the mechanic was able to stall them by
having to slowly shuffle the blocking planes. Meanwhile the two men
got their backpacks and odd-shaped luggage out of their car. Soon
the local police arrived and they were hauled off to jail in
handcuffs.
After a little time
behind bars, the FBI verified that the two men were employed by NBC
New York and were on assignment to get a story of how easy it is to
charter a helicopter for a terrorist attack. The men had stayed in
a local hotel and purchased box cutters, leather-man knives, and
other potential weapons at the local Wal-Mart using a credit card.
The box cutters had been hidden in the lining at the bottom of the
back- packs and the other weapons were hidden throughout their
baggage.
They had audiotaped the telephone conversation with Arlene and
were going to use it as part of a national news story about how
easy it is to get information and directions to the location of the
helicopter and then hijack it to commit a terrorist attack.
Please note that this type of activity is a real
possibility.
HAI reminds its members to stay alert, remain vigilant,
and contact the authorities if something does not seem
correct.