Dutch journalist smuggles fake bomb at Schiphol

Why go airside?

Pauldyson,
To answer your question, it has already been done. If I remember correctly in Rome some years ago. I forget the group involved, but they ran amok shooting indiscriminately in the main hall. I cannot imagine the police being able to use their weapons in a crowded terminal for fear of hitting moving pax, so their hands are somewhat tied to respond.

As regards other contributions to this thread – Shamrock – we could all take banned items through, or at least try to. It is remarks like yours which encourage journos to try it on and then boast about it. IMHO, if that man was a real professional, he would do his deed and then go to the authorities to show the weaknesses in the system, not boast to the world how great he is. Thereby encouraging those who wish to cause harm to copycat his method. It could just be because of his kind I have greater restrictions placed on me when operating through AMS.

I dont know people who do it! Im just saying if I or any other staff member really wanted to get a knife airside it wouldnt be to much of a problem!

A Dutch journalist smuggled a fake bomb and drugs onto airliners at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport to demonstrate weaknesses at Europe’s fourth-busiest air travel hub, he said on Wednesday.

Alberto Stegeman, an investigative journalist whose report of the security breach was to be broadcast on Dutch television channel SBS 6 on Wednesday, said an associate secured a job at Schiphol as a baggage handler.

“When you work there, you can do anything,” Stegeman said.

Stegeman said he used his accomplice’s uniform and credentials to smuggle a fake bomb, complete with a digital timer and fake explosive blocks, onto a plane.

Over a three month period, they were also able to take drugs into flight cabins and other areas of planes because gate personnel always let uniformed workers into the cabins.

“It’s unbelievable it was that easy,” Stegeman said.

A spokesman for Schiphol Airport had no immediate reaction to Stegeman’s investigation but said the airport complied fully with European Union regulations on security.

“The EU conducts regular audits and we have been audited in the last few months,” the spokesman said.

The Dutch Green Party called for a debate on Wednesday to discuss the breaches at Schiphol, which were reported widely by Dutch media ahead of Stegeman’s broadcast. The military police at the airport will also investigate the breach, news agency ANP-Reuters reported.

Last year, Schiphol began using new body-scanning machines at security checkpoints to find metals and explosives hidden under clothing by using harmless radio waves to display head-to-toe images of passengers, as well as staff.

(Reuters)

Why would anybody want to try and smuggle a bomb airside at an airport ,it is VERY hard to do ,at Manchester I dont think you would have a cat in hells chance of doing it.
If somebody really wanted to make a statement and kill and main lots of people,you would not need to go airside or even have to worry about explosives in you bag.All you would need to do is stay landside in a morning at the busy time,take Manchester between 5 am and 10 am ,T3 has 3 sometimes 4 flights going to the US and hundreds if not 1000’s of passengers and greeters,one bomb in the middle of the checkin hall and you have the desired effect.Just think what Heathrow and Gatwick are like and the carnage it would cause there.People are not screened to get into any airport ,just airside ,I have often thought why,admited it would be a hard job and cause lots of extra deleys,BUT it is only a matter of time before it happens.

Paul

Well has somebody that also works at a busy interational airport I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET A KNIFE anywhere airside,and whats more if you know of other’s doing it ,you have a duty to repot it ,even if you suspect it could happen you should report it

Paul

Do any airports have ‘fake bomb’ detectors installed ?

The show will be broadcast this sunday, so I can only go based on what the has been leaked to the press to stir up the story.

Basically the person was not checked at all. He could enter airside showing just the pass of his friend. He did not look like this friend at all, so obviously the photo identification does not work. By the reporters estimate only about (from top of mind) 20% of employees are checked at any one time. Contents of bags are not searched (this I do not believe myself, but that’s the claim).

Schiphol Group already had additional machines oo order to check people. For instance X-rays, retina-scanners (like the machines used for the frequent flyers signed up to Privium) and the like. These are due to be delivered mid 2008. So investments have been made, it’s just that it takes time to get the machines. Although that is of course that is no excuse for sloppy security. It is not known if more such machines will be acquired following this reporter’s findings.

Till the machines have been delivered and are working additional checks will be made by the Koninklijke Marechaussee (military police) effective immediately.

Do any airports have ‘fake bomb’ detectors installed ?

haha, exactly what I was thinking…

no point in lieing about it, we may as well be honest!

As someone who works in a busy airport I can tell you that I could easily get knifes and other weapons onto a plane easily!

I wish you hadn’t said that!

Cking

Do any airports have ‘fake bomb’ detectors installed ?

As someone who works in a busy airport I can tell you that I could easily get knifes and other weapons onto a plane easily!