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TSA to swab passengers' hands at airport
Wash your hands before you went to the airport? You may want to. This week, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is beginning new, extra security measures at our nation's airports: hand swabs. Have you ever had a bag "randomly" selected for supplemental screening after pushing it through the X-ray? In addition to the manual search, agents often swipe your bag with a clean cloth and put the material into a shoebox-sized detector. They're checking for the residue of bomb-making material -- potentially undetectable by eye but sniffable by the robot.
That same residue will stick to your hands if you're not careful, which is what the TSA is hoping to identify in their random hand swabs. It's just speculation, but our guess is that the underwear bomber had traces of PETN on his hands, so the TSA now thinks that they can foil plots better by checking those members.
Provided, that is, that they swab the right person's hands. As with many of the TSA's initiatives, this new hand-swabbing effort is a random operation, so if the perpetrator gets lucky and doesn't get swabbed -- well, then the problem moves onward.
Check out these other stories from the airport checkpoint!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Slappy Feb 18th 2010 3:18PM
Are they serious?
I might be pulled out of line and have my hands swabbed? What if I refuse? What if I have medication on my hands that I don't want them mucking with?
Billy Bob Feb 19th 2010 1:50AM
Then you don't get on the plane dummy!
Evolution Feb 18th 2010 8:16PM
It's funny....everyone has something to say about the TSA and their practices, but remember no one wants to be the person on a plane when something goes wrong. It is their job to keep us safe... If they ant to swab your hands just let them, i mean seriously what does it take?... like 5 seconds.... Safety has a price, The government listens to all our cell phone conversations but i dont hear people complaining about that
jay Feb 18th 2010 8:39PM
Yes, saftey has a price.......but only after 9-11 it seems.
What needs to happen is for us to elect someone with the guts to act and not give in to political correctness.
And yes I am talking about the use of WMD on the savages who want us dead.
I have no problem with wiping them out, their families, friends and even cities that they live in.
Once this is done fear will prevent them from attacking us again.
Then we can all go back to flying like normal again!
hawk Feb 18th 2010 9:09PM
I understand your frustration however there are 2 things you need to know, nuking a region to rid it of AlQuida is like nuking texas to get rid of David Koresh and things will NEVER go back the way it was, there is not one case in human history where a government has voluntarily relinquished power/control of a population, once it has been gained.
kitainik Feb 18th 2010 11:06PM
Hawk, your analogy between Al-Qaida and David Koresh is COMPLETELY off the mark -- David Koresh is just a few wackos in Waco, while Al-Qaida is a region-wide terror network that has the support of MILLIONS; and yes, there ARE entire REGIONS like yemen, waziristan etc. where THE ENTIRE POPULATION supports terrorism; can you HONESTLY say that ALL of Texas supports David Koresh?! And as for the govment taking control, remember that ours is a govment OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE -- so if WE THE PEOPLE don't like what our govment is doing, we can vote'em out of office just like that!
Richard Feb 19th 2010 6:27PM
They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.
Benjamin Franklin, February 17, 1775
joi Feb 18th 2010 9:41PM
I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND NOW THAT THIS IS OUT AND EVERYBODY KNOWS ABOUT THAT MEAN SO WILL THE TERROSITS...
Kalvin Feb 18th 2010 9:54PM
Profile!
Paul Feb 18th 2010 11:09PM
This is probably one of the least invasive security measures to deal with people. I had my hands swabbed about three weeks ago when i was going through airport security at BWI . Id be interested to know if you can refuse a hand swab and what would happen if you did?
Glo Feb 18th 2010 11:10PM
BETTER BE CAREFUL! IF THEY START ORDERING EXAM GLOVES BY THE 100 GROSS AND ASKING YOU TO COUGH. THAT WILL BE NEXT.
David Feb 18th 2010 11:06PM
Old news. They've been doing this for years. Oh, and let's not forget that the famous "underwear bomber" was never screened by TSA. He boarded in Amsterdam consequently he was screened by Dutch officers. (But guess that doesn't have the "gotcha" impact)
Fara Feb 18th 2010 11:30PM
Seriously, what next? Looks like I'm not flying through any commercial airport any time soon. And if they were really worried about security perhaps they'd actually provide some real security without making us remove our underwear and look at a digital version of us naked.
I say we hand every adult boarding a loaded gun. It's not like some crazy is going to try to take over an entire airplane if they know everyone else has the means to defend themselves. That or have the security guards on the plane actually do their job. That would work too.
Frank Feb 18th 2010 11:38PM
What next random body cavity seaches
A mom Feb 18th 2010 11:54PM
My family, including my 11-yo and 7-yo's, got our hands swabbed at Vancouver last month as we were heading back into the U.S. If you refuse, you don't fly. Seems pretty silly.
I vote that the passengers be able to defend themselves also. I'd be willing to take the risk that my flight, out of the hundreds that given day, might be blown-up. I already take the risk that the plane might malfunction from sloppy maintenance, which has brought down a whole lot more planes than terrorists.
As for voting them out of office-all the politicians are the same-Dem, Repub is irrelevant. And obviously, everyone thinks "their" representative is just fine, it's everyone else's representative that needs to be voted out!
leonard carrico Feb 19th 2010 4:20AM
There is no "SECURITY" among the airlines employees.They go around the scanners with their baggage.They stay at the same hotels as the General public does & their luggage could be invaded by Terrorists posing as bellhops.Real terrorists arn't like the News Media makes them out to look like(Homeless Shaggy Bums)They'll be in suits.with picture I'ds & wallets full of more I'ds & up &up companys records etc.that the Security will find legal.Demand that all luggage be scanned Or "Boycott"someone like DELTA for a Whole Month!!
Walt Feb 19th 2010 1:23AM
Perhaps this agency should test their own people also. Homeland Security agents lost over 500 guns themselves due to in adequate agents leaving them at bowling alleys, restrooms YET you cannot make a rhetorical comment on those news items on AOL as they say "it is under construction" to better serve you. To me, it sounds more like censoring. And these idiots are given guns to protect us? Seems more like they cannot walk and chew gum at the same time, myself.
JO Feb 19th 2010 1:23AM
Why in the heck can't they swab EVERYBODY?????
ken Feb 19th 2010 5:05AM
Random testing??? No profiling, then. Very good. Swab the hands of the little old lady from Pasadena, but skip the middle-eastern passengers, lest we be accused of profiling.
Just another stupid governmental bonehead idea.
FSHNT21 Feb 19th 2010 5:33AM
SKIP THE X RAYS AND THE SWABS AND DEVELOP A MACHINE THAT WILL DETONATE ANY EXPLOSIVE DEVICE YOU MAY BE CARRYING.
THAT WILL ELIMINATE ANY ISSUES OVER "PROFILING", STRIP SEARCHES AND THE LIKE AND WILL ELIMINATE THE PROBLEM BEFORE BOARDING THE AIRCRAFT....