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British tabloid takes syringe past airport security - labels it "terror airport"
Leave it to a British tabloid to try and show how dangerous Amsterdam airport is. One of their reporters carried a syringe past airport security, to try and convince us that the airport deserves the name "terror airport". Never mind the fact that 1000's of people carry a syringe through the airport each day (diabetics), or that a syringe on its own isn't a weapon.
Because the Nigerian would-be bomber used a (filled) syringe and underpants full of powder, the British newspaper draws the conclusion that syringes are now weapons of terror.
They obviously forgot to point out that metal detectors can't pick up metal objects this small, and that full body scanners won't be present at the airport for another couple of weeks. I'm willing to bet that none of the UK airports would have detected the syringe either - since all European airports use similar security procedures.
So, in the name of journalism, the Sunday Express creates fake hysteria, brandishing one of the safest airports in Europe a "terror airport".
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Michael Palmer Jan 4th 2010 1:19PM
Hence the papers nickname the Sunday Depress. It makes me ashamed to be British.
Alex Jan 4th 2010 2:02PM
You're right the syringe thing is pretty trivial, however I'd consider giving Schiphol the "terror airport" nickname based on the fact that they don't allow Air Marshals on flights departing from Amsterdam --WTF?? I'd really like to know why not? That has to be about the dumbest rule I've ever heard of. Hopefully that will also change after everything that has happened. Time for the Dutch to get with the program and help to make our skies safer.