Monkeywrenching airport security

[Tim May]

On Saturday, November 17, 2001, at 05:41 PM, David Honig wrote:

> At 10:57 AM 11/17/01 -0800, Sandy Sandfort wrote:
>> Airport chemical "sniffers" apparently look for the signature of 
>> nitrogen
>> compounds, not "explosives," per se.  I've often wondered how many 
>> weekend
>> gardeners have gotten hassled and delayed because of trace amounts of
>> ammonia-based fertilizers on their person and effects.  If you plan to 
>> fly,
>> be sure to wash your hands thoroughly before heading out for the 
>> airport if
>> you have been shoot, gardening or house cleaning.
>
> I've wondered about that too; airport sniffers must have encountered
> Miracle Gro and angina nitro during the early days, measuring
> a false alarm rate.  Shooting is scary; you could contaminate
> your car driving back from the range, then contaminate your
> travel gear.
>
> The explosives expert in one of the older terror trial docs on cryptome
> says things suggesting that a few washes will remove traces.  (And 
> contaminate
> clothes washed with them.)
>
> I once checked out the screen on a sniffer, and they list "nitrates"
> as a category.  I suppose having PETN (another category) detected
> on your laptop would be harder to explain :-)

I don't see what the big concern is here. Just stand there and say 
nothing. They're going to go through the bags as they wish anyway.

The nitrogen connection has been known for many years, too. I remember 
hearing that _marzipan_ candy tends to set off the detectors, something 
to do with the almonds and nitrates and all.

Big deal. Just stand there and let them search. Using your range bag for 
carryone luggage is perfectly legal, providing you haven't left any 
shells inside, or any bore cleaning brushes which might be used as 
Assault Brushes.


--Tim May
"Ben Franklin warned us that those who would trade liberty for a little 
bit of temporary security deserve neither. This is the path we are now 
racing down, with American flags fluttering."-- Tim May, on events 
following 9/11/2001