FBI Probing Planted Explosive Orlando, Fla., August 20 (AP) -- Two explosives were planted in a professor's suitcase to test airport security measures in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and were discovered when he arrived in Orlando, officials said Saturday. The professor, Paul Holloway of the University of Florida, arrived at Orlando International Airport on Friday afternoon and found his suitcase had been torn, said Brian Kensel, a special agent with the FBI in Tampa. He alerted Northwest Airlines security officials who emptied his bag and found the two devices. No detonators or fuses were with the materials, posing no danger to passengers, Kensel said. "We were satisfied that he was unaware of its presence before it was found at the airport," he added. Holloway had been attending a professional conference in Finland and had traveled through Detroit, Michigan, before arriving in Orlando, Kensel said. He had stopped in Amsterdam on the way, and that was where the device was placed, said Kathleen Bergen, spokeswoman with the Federal Aviation Administration in Atlanta. "It was part of a test," she said. "Basically the bag was inadvertently loaded on board with the explosives still inside." Kensel said such security measures were normal for Europe. "Particularly in Europe, there are grave concerns about security issues," he said. "As a result, they do conduct various security programs regularly. This was part of a routine check of their own security systems. "The bag got away from them basically," he said. -----
I don't find it too hard to believe that the Dutch would make a test like this. Security at Schipol can be pretty intense. I find it a little harder to believe that they would goof and let the bomb-oid get away, but mistakes happen. What I find difficult to swallow is that they would *tear* the man's luggage to insert the article. In my experience, the Dutch are almost obsessively careful in taking care of their own property and that of others. FWIW, BD On Mon, 21 Aug 1995, Anonymous wrote:
FBI Probing Planted Explosive
Orlando, Fla., August 20 (AP) -- Two explosives were planted in a professor's suitcase to test airport security measures in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and were discovered when he arrived in Orlando, officials said Saturday.
The professor, Paul Holloway of the University of Florida, arrived at Orlando International Airport on Friday afternoon and found his suitcase had been torn, said Brian Kensel, a special agent with the FBI in Tampa.
He alerted Northwest Airlines security officials who emptied his bag and found the two devices. No detonators or fuses were with the materials, posing no danger to passengers, Kensel said.
[...]
My $0.02 on the 'strict security' on Schiphol (first one to cash in gets it) based upon personal experience: American airlines (Northwest, United) have very strict security when departing from Schiphol. Interviews, men with rifles, queries on who packed your luggae, etc. But all the crap I drag around (200+ kilo's of exhibition equipment full of custom built hardware, large batteries, transformers etc) has never been opened. However, you should try flying a different airline: KLM, Lufthansa, etc. No interviews, no guns, just friendly people. // Marcel van der Peijl, DigiCash bv, http://www.digicash.com/~bigmac/ // The hottest instruction on a P90? JMP $ @ 2.633A or 52C (with fan) -----BEGIN ECASH PAYMENT----- oLmQgwABBKGgiqCukIEOkIECkIECkIEBkIEBkYQwOFBMkIQwSsVMkIEOkoFAlJS9 6s3VPOknMsxX6gckPyMn5pTcxZSUvidM8tDgBQYJ1/mvUX0btKmF3yuQgRCSik15 IDIgY2VudHOSgJSAkIIB4pGEAAAAAJCBAKGguKCrkIIBIZPAJ83XcZEK8+t+LfQy EXr67l4ronGhdnuPNhuW8cBkDuHcFSX1zLMJasUaMmul7wA79+myPl1/HBRHSdku xEgBBpPAU6yZn9wp1lyDpRVcGh7Hkez5HMwItWcVXKcu9EDLauSMx5yvb5XKb3R6 7vPD6IwSY9nXc9bLRm+PAdZatnDwBJCBAqGhoQ== -----END ECASH PAYMENT-----
I'm not sure this has much to do with crypto any more... .pm Marcel van der Peijl writes:
My $0.02 on the 'strict security' on Schiphol (first one to cash in gets it) based upon personal experience:
American airlines (Northwest, United) have very strict security when departing from Schiphol. Interviews, men with rifles, queries on who packed your luggae, etc. But all the crap I drag around (200+ kilo's of exhibition equipment full of custom built hardware, large batteries, transformers etc) has never been opened.
However, you should try flying a different airline: KLM, Lufthansa, etc. No interviews, no guns, just friendly people.
// Marcel van der Peijl, DigiCash bv, http://www.digicash.com/~bigmac/ // The hottest instruction on a P90? JMP $ @ 2.633A or 52C (with fan)
-----BEGIN ECASH PAYMENT-----
oLmQgwABBKGgiqCukIEOkIECkIECkIEBkIEBkYQwOFBMkIQwSsVMkIEOkoFAlJS9 6s3VPOknMsxX6gckPyMn5pTcxZSUvidM8tDgBQYJ1/mvUX0btKmF3yuQgRCSik15 IDIgY2VudHOSgJSAkIIB4pGEAAAAAJCBAKGguKCrkIIBIZPAJ83XcZEK8+t+LfQy EXr67l4ronGhdnuPNhuW8cBkDuHcFSX1zLMJasUaMmul7wA79+myPl1/HBRHSdku xEgBBpPAU6yZn9wp1lyDpRVcGh7Hkez5HMwItWcVXKcu9EDLauSMx5yvb5XKb3R6 7vPD6IwSY9nXc9bLRm+PAdZatnDwBJCBAqGhoQ== -----END ECASH PAYMENT-----
participants (4)
-
Brad Dolan -
Marcel van der Peijl -
nobody@REPLAY.COM -
Perry E. Metzger