Police arrest 118 in New York airport security sweep!

Police arrest 118 in New York airport security sweep:
NEW YORK (Reuters) – More than 100 New York airport workers with access to secure areas were arrested on Tuesday and accused of faking documents to obtain jobs and lying about criminal records, in what officials said was one of the largest security sweeps at U.S. airports.

Law enforcement officials said at a news conference that up to 118 employees of John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport lied while applying for security positions, but there was no evidence of larger crimes.

“There is no evidence to date that these individuals have connections to terrorist organisations or intended to engage in any acts of terrorism,” U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York Roslynn Mauskopf told reporters.

“But these individuals represent a significant vulnerability to the security of our air transportation system,” she said.

The arrests were made a day after the federal government said it had completed staffing U.S. airports with 44,000 passenger screeners, part of new security measures prompted by the September 11, 2001, attacks.

Officials said the FBI, police from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and other agencies carried out the arrests.

The employees had access to aircraft parking and maintenance areas, the tarmac and ramp, cargo storage facilities, and passenger and baggage screening areas.

Some workers failed to disclose convictions for armed robbery, assault, larceny, burglary, weapons and drugs charges or allegedly used bogus immigration documents and Social Security numbers, officials said.

The authorities said one man used the Social Security number of a woman born 20 years ago in Puerto Rico, and another worker used an eight-year-old child’s Social Security number.

“Today’s arrests represent a culmination of a nine-month investigation by federal, state and local agencies into the backgrounds of 40,000 individuals who work at (the airports) and have access to restricted, high-security areas,” Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said.

The maximum penalty for misuse of a Social Security number or lying on a security employee application is five years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.

Last week, authorities announced the arrest of about 20 cleaners and security personnel at Newark’s Liberty International Airport on similar charges.
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