Homeland Insecurity

[Your Uncle Sam]

From TPN's Judson Phillips: 

 

 

In the headlong rush towards Christmas, a lot of news stories just do not get the attention it should.  One of those is the story of a Sacramento area airline pilot who did something courageous and has been the object of retaliation by Janet Napolitano’s storm troopers.

 

This pilot, who in media reports has asked not to be identified, took video, presumably with his cell phone and published it on YOUTUBE. 

 

What was the video?  He showed pilots being forced to go through the same faux screening that passengers have to go through. This man, in addition to being a pilot, was also deputized as a Federal Flight Deck Officer.  In other words, he is issued a firearm by the federal government, is authorized to carry it in flight and use it if need be.  Despite all of the background checks, he is forced to go through security just like everyone else.

 

That might not be bad in itself, but then he points out on the video that airline ground crew employees simply get access to the airport by swiping a card.    He also pointed out that here is a two foot ax in the cockpit so that if a pilot really wanted to get crazy, he could, even if the fast food reject TSA screeners confiscated their tweezers.

 

In response, Homeland Security raided the pilot’s house.  They sent four Federal Air Marshalls to his house as well as two deputy sheriffs.   They confiscated his Federal firearm and the Sheriff Deputy demanded that he surrender his California concealed weapon permit.    The thugs in Homeland Security were sending a message.  The TSA is going to take some action against his courageous pilot, probably a fine.

 

Meanwhile, in Nashville, if you ever needed proof this guy is right, security is a joke; you only need to go to the United States District Court. 

 

Earlier this month, Federal Authorities arrested a number of Somalians on charges of trafficking under age girls for prostitution.  Three of the defendants are brothers, Liban Omar, Abdifatah Omar and Mohammed Omar.  The Omars filed a motion to be granted bail and a hearing was held a couple of weeks ago.  One person, who was offered as a potential custodian for the brothers, was a fourth brother, one Abdirahman Omar. 

 

Abdirahman Omar was employed by Embraer, as an aircraft mechanic.  As a mechanic, he has access to restricted areas where aircraft are maintained.  In addition, such badges offer someone access to other parts of the airport, including runways, gates and other sensitive areas.

 

Part of the evidence offered by the government in opposition to the bail request were photos taken with a cell phone showing various people, including Liban, in the cockpit of aircraft and other secured areas. Abdirahman Omar apparently brought unauthorized and unsupervised visitors into these areas on multiple occasions and even photographed his brother in the pilot’s seat of a plane.

 

None of this would have come to light, had the brothers not been arrested on the sex trafficking charges.

 

Omar was fired from his job, but there is no word if the TSA has taken any other action.  An educated guess would be no.

 

The TSA continues to put on the theater of the absurd, inconveniencing travelers and employees with meaningless security procedures, while obvious holes in security are ignored. 

 

Meanwhile, an American who had the courage to expose this charade is being harassed.   I hope this unnamed pilot sues and I hope the thug clown of the year, Janet Napolitano ends up having to write him a check!

 

(More on the Nashville case, including the photo of Liban Omar in the cockpit can be found at http://nashvillecitypaper.com/content/city-news/how-did-alleged-sex... )

[Sandra]

Good article, I know people who work in our airport and they don't go through any of the BS either. They have a special door they use that goes out to the tar macs where they can start to work at whatever there jobs are. Of course the sheep instead of calling DC just submit more rights away! Thanks for the article.