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Video shows the cause of Newark Airport shutdown - a couple in love
On Sunday, thousands of passengers ended up stuck at Newark airport for several hours, forced to evacuate the terminal, go through security again, and wait for the many flight delays and disruptions that happened as a result.
Some passengers tried to make the best of the situation. Many probably expressed frustration with the TSA employee who allowed a mystery man to walk the wrong way through a security checkpoint. And others may have wondered who the man was who caused them to suffer through the ordeal.
Was he a terrorist checking out the security system? Was he a man who made an Innocent mistake? No, as the just-released video footage of the incident suggests, he was a just a guy in love, looking for a few more minutes with his sweetheart. On the video below, you can see him hanging out by the security desk. He's asked to move and does so, but when the guard leaves his post just a few seconds later, the guy takes that opportunity to duck under the rope and join his lady friend.
Ah, love. Cute, right? No. Not even a little. As a result of this guy breaking the law, and of the TSA employee's failure to do his job, thousands of people were needlessly evacuated from the terminal. Time and money were wasted. And a few hundred people probably missed important connections or meetings, or at least had their vacation get off to a really bad start.
This guy wasn't a terrorist (just an idiot), but the next person who tries and succeeds in getting past security could be. More than just frustrating travelers going through Newark on Sunday, the incident exposed just how insufficient TSA security is. What good are X-ray scanners and full-body pat-downs when a guy can simply breeze past an empty guard desk? It looks like our biggest threat to security may not be underpants bombs, but rather the lax attitudes of some employees within the TSA.
The TSA employee has been placed on administrative leave. The man who slipped past security has not been identified.
This guy wasn't a terrorist (just an idiot), but the next person who tries and succeeds in getting past security could be. More than just frustrating travelers going through Newark on Sunday, the incident exposed just how insufficient TSA security is. What good are X-ray scanners and full-body pat-downs when a guy can simply breeze past an empty guard desk? It looks like our biggest threat to security may not be underpants bombs, but rather the lax attitudes of some employees within the TSA.
The TSA employee has been placed on administrative leave. The man who slipped past security has not been identified.
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Filed under: North America, United States, Airports, News
Reader Comments (Page 5 of 16)
Red Sam Rackham Jan 8th 2010 4:06PM
The real problem is the idiotic security measures at airports that treat the most innocent people like criminals. It's an over reaction to terrorism and has turned security people into Hitler Youth.
JR Jan 8th 2010 3:43PM
dumbest news ever, who cares let the guy flirt hes HUMAN!!!!
JR Jan 8th 2010 3:43PM
The guy did nothing wrong, THE LAW IS STUPID!
Edward Jan 8th 2010 3:47PM
Some of u guys sound like morons. My sister is a TSA employee and they actually go through tough examinations ans screening, It isn't as easy as you guys think to become a TSA employee. I know lots of people who failed the exams. And lots of the TSA workers have college degrees, some are retired from their profession, and others just happen to be underemployed because of lack of jobs after graduating college, and some work at TSA in addition to another job, my sister is also a teacher. I can't speak for the TSA workers in Newark, I just know about JFK. But bottom line is that they are more than "people who didn't have jobs in the first place because they had done nothing to prepare themselves for any specific job or career" (wiscats u aren't that wise) or "homeless guys who failed burger flipping 101" (steve). So think before u make judgements!
JR Jan 8th 2010 3:45PM
he did nothing wrong, we have to be robots at work now???
steve Jan 8th 2010 10:45PM
Get a life people!! This is not a big deal. No way should that airport been shut down. Look, they really screwed ip on christmas day with the muslim wacko. So now we have to be totally paroniod? I think not. Don't let the system, government, and media spook you people. Its mostly hype. Those of you who are scared, i feel sorry for you. Wake up, Stand up and take charge........Remember, 80 precent of what you see in the media, is what they want you to see. Not the truth..........................
Carole Jan 8th 2010 3:48PM
Andrew, you're an idiot saying "what's the big deal"? The big deal is they had no idea who he was or what he was carrying. I hope they find the guy (and his girlfriend) and make an example of him. A hefty fine and some jail time. Make his life miserable and his identity known.
Anonymous Jan 8th 2010 3:51PM
Doesn't suprise me...I flew out of Bradley International in CT to Fl and I followed all the rules EXCEPT I forgot to remove a cannister of pepper spray from my keychain...it was in my purse which went into the bucket and through the scanner I am surprised it was not picked up. I didn't even realize I'd forgotten to take it off til I started unpacking at my destination! Needless to say I don't have a whole lot of faith in our airport security.
OrganicWhole Jan 8th 2010 3:57PM
OK... so what... everyone is okay... move on!
Dave Jan 8th 2010 3:52PM
Ok! so we improve on security here within the US. What are they doing in other countries to om[rove on their security. We have to remember this last threat boarded the plane in another country not here within the US.
The lack of goverment involvement in keeping us safe allowed this person to baord an airplane. If the goverment agencies were doing their jobs correctly the last icident should have never occured.
Once again innocent people have to suffer because it is the lack of our goverments involvement to keep us safe. How much more of our constitutional rights do we have to give up in order to travel safely.
Maybe it is time for a little profiling.
Sunny Jan 8th 2010 4:02PM
Once again, the stupidity of our airport security.
It is all ridiculous.
The logistics are impossible.
We cannot continue to think that we can frisk every single person who boards an airplane.
Instead of strip searching my 80 year old granny with her walker, how about focusing on sweaty, swarthy, shifty, nervous looking young Arab Muslim men who have no luggage and pay cash for their one-way ticket?
I don't care if we hurt someone's feelings.
Leave my granny alone.
She's not the one who's gonna blow up an airplane.
OrganicWhole Jan 8th 2010 4:02PM
TSA is doing the BEST the can given the state of neurosis in this pathetic country we call the United States. Leave TSA alone!!! We are all humans. The frantic urgency for ramped up security is OUT of control. We are NOT having problems with security in the United States. Americans are NOT the problem. Most of the world is not... there is a single group of sick sect people who are Gong Ho on making problems for anything that/which is American. We need to deal with that sect of people with a vengeance and there is where the focus has to be.
hildamrodriguezm Jan 8th 2010 4:08PM
This incident jus shows a huge lack of common sense from the authorities!
sugahnans024 Jan 8th 2010 4:04PM
Thats what you get when airport security are paid $6.00's an hour!
guy Jan 8th 2010 4:05PM
Typical government employee performance. These TSA "agents" are the LCD of society-after all it's just workfare. What do we expect from simpletons that can't get real jobs?
Tony Jan 8th 2010 4:07PM
I SEE A TV MOVIE HERE!(sooo much covergage) Somebody's gotta make some$$$ on this...right? It's the American WAY! YAY CAPITOLISM!!!
Brian Workman Jan 8th 2010 5:01PM
Find the female passenger and arrest her boyfiend and fire the security employee; NOW!
PrepUofA Jan 8th 2010 4:08PM
How do we even know that they were a couple?! They could have both easily been terrorists pretending to be a couple in order to escape suspicion. Who would suspect a happy and in love couple of carrying out a terrorist act. No one, even a man trying to bypass security to allegedly see a loved on off at the gate should be able to sneak past security. We are always several steps behind the terrorists before implementing new security screenings. Such as a shoe bomb almost getting past security before the TSA started scanning shoes of all passengers. TSA needs to get their act together.
K Nelson Jan 8th 2010 4:09PM
The TSA Officer DID NOT do his job! He left his post and should be fired. The person who snuck past should be liable for the delays and charged.
Both people and the system in general are at fault. Security at our nation's airports is a joke...a sad joke.
hotcoffe Jan 9th 2010 3:03AM
true this a over kill to something that happened when both the officer should have been there to prevent this guy from go past and the fault of the guy who thought he could get one more kiss in without being caught, if you want to kiss your loved ones goodbye do it before leave for their next flight .