Profiling
 

Why don't we adopt the Israel TSA method of getting "the bad guys or girls"...Do they profile? To some extent, I'm sure they do!

JE, the Israelis totally profile, but not by race or religion. They profile by being from certain countries; by appearance; by behavior. We should do the same thing but we don't. Instead, we panic when we find someone has found a new way to smuggle something in and target that method. Gee, don't you think the next smuggler will figure out another way and another and another? Being a day behind isn't the way to go. The Israelis have a plan that has worked for more years than some of us have been alive and they don't change it every time someone tries something different nor do they go overboard and perform illegal searches and seizures. Shame the rest of us can't learn to adapt it.

Some try to say the El-Al way doesn't scale up, but I think they're wrong. Putting several officers in the terminal cruising the line, talking to the people waiting to go through, looking for inconsistent answers or certain nervous behaviors CAN scale up. Quite frankly I think they should get the TSA out of the airports and put the National Guard back in. I felt a lot safer flying in January 2002 when they were there. I want trained killers with lethal weapons at the ready when and if an agent discovers a terrorist. I want the terrorists afraid to even show up at the airport.

There is another very capable resource...the American
 

and other threatened countries public.
Raise the public awareness. How many of the average citizen would go so far as actually report a suspicious person? How many are alert enough to report a suspicious package? Piece of unattended luggage?

Like all other things particapatory by human beings....over 80% will not report....less than 20% would. Therein is the problem to many, many of the problems we face every day. Lack of involvement. Too much not me. Way too much not wanting to get involved. Just like the paltry few of us who do in fact take the time to vote.

I am happy and proud to be in the less than 20% that can consistently counted upon to take action in the face of suspicion or actual wrong doing!!

btk

I wonder also why it can't be scaled and the right people well trained for behavior profiling. If that ended up creating more jobs, that would be a problem because...?

BTK, here's a case in point. About a year or so ago, I arrived at my gate at the ATL airport and did see a suitcase that appeared to be unattended. About five minutes after I after I arrived, no one had come to claim it, but a ticketing agent came to the gate. I mentioned it to him and he rolled his eyes and ignored me.

Shortly thereafter, a woman did come and sit next to the suitcase. It appeared to be hers. She had gotten up to get a something to eat and apparently left it there rather than lugging it around. But how was I to know that before she returned?

You listen to a recorded message specifically asking you to report unattended luggage. So I do and get treated like a pesky child. I'd do it again though.

Pturner, you did the right thing. The gate person did the wrong.
 

What should have transpired is the luggage taken away by the agent and have the owner then have to seek it out and be reprimanded for breach of security.

It is this aloof approach to enforcement the terrorist look forward to and are not disappointed by some lazy Americans.

btk

It is not that the FBI is profiling Muslims for sting operations, it's just that Muslims seem to be the only ones who want to get stung these days.

Fly El-Al

Yoda

And terrorists know if they do something wrong or adverse
 

in or around an El Al airport/airplane, they will shoot you. As opposed to the USA where they would have to check with somebody to see if it is OK to shoot the perp and wind up with no answer and or too late to do any good. The terrorists know the easy mark American permissive way of doing nothing to avoid being criticized or wrong.

In Europe, you know where the El Al gates are...they are the ones with a guard and a machine gun on each side of the door and one at the entrance to the plane.

btk

Two terrorists bombings in Sweden yesterday.

Same sounding names take credit.