Published Thursday, September 20, 2001

Three knives carried past checkpoint

BY JOSEPH TANFANI and MANNY GARCIA, jtanfani@herald.com

SEE ALSO: Security violations result in small fines for nation's airlines

A veteran federal investigator, conducting his own impromptu security test at Miami International Airport this week, carried three knives through a passenger checkpoint without anyone detecting them, according to airport officials and other sources familiar with the incident.

The agent for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms walked through a metal detector at Concourse A carrying a six-inch graphite dagger on his leg, a pen-shaped knife in his shirt and another blade in a folding wallet in his pocket, the sources said.

``Nothing was spotted,'' said one investigator. ``He went through. Nothing was activated.''

The incident is a sign of continuing gaps in passenger screening at MIA, despite vehicle searches and other new security measures put in place since the terrorist hijackings last week.

The company hired to run that checkpoint, Aviation Safeguards of Florida, has had a troubled history at MIA. Last year, the firm was sentenced to two years' probation and $110,000 in fines and restitution for failing to do adequate background checks on at least 22 employees, and then lying about it to federal regulators.

Airport officials acknowledge that the system needs improvement, but they insist MIA is generally safe.

``If you want to test the system and be very creative, there may be systems that don't pick that up,'' said Miguel Southwell,, an MIA assistant director.

``We appreciate being found out. It permits us to close one more gap,'' Southwell said.

The agent who carried the knives was Ed Halley, a veteran investigator and longtime spokesman for the Miami bureau of ATF. Halley declined to comment Wednesday.

According to sources familiar with Halley's account, Halley decided to test the checkpoint after a flight attendant complained to him that private security guards at MIA were not conducting thorough searches.

Halley removed his weapon and badge, notified U.S. Marshals near the gate and then walked through the screening checkpoint carrying the three knives. He even paused and asked if everything was fine, but guards waved him on, investigators said.

Halley then went to a security office and notified Nelson Oramas, chief of MIA security, and employees of the Federal Aviation Administration.

``The FAA was not happy,'' said an airport investigator. ``He proved a point. But the FAA didn't agree with the timing.''

The FAA did not respond to a request for comment. Managers at MIA for Aviation Safeguards, the private security firm, said they had not heard about the incident.

The airlines run security checkpoints at MIA and other U.S. airports, though lawmakers have been promising an overhaul since last week.

British Airways manages the checkpoint at MIA's Concourse A and hires Aviation Safeguards to do the work.

``They were following procedure and the FAA guidelines,'' said Jennifer Hudson, a spokesperson for the airline. ``If we didn't feel comfortable with their work, we wouldn't use them.''

Aviation Safeguards' former general manager was sentenced to more than five years in federal prison for failing to do background checks on employees, although he told federal regulators that he did. Prosecutors said it was a potentially dangerous breach.

The company that handles six of nine checkpoints at MIA, Argenbright Security, also was responsible for screening passengers and checking luggage at airports in Boston, Newark and Washington, where the planes were hijacked. That company paid a $1.2 million fine for doctoring records and allowing convicted felons to work at the Philadelphia airport, but MIA officials said they were satisfied with the company's work here.

The checkpoint test is the latest in a series of recent security concerns at MIA. Last week, federal prosecutors charged 12 MIA employees with using phony immigration documents to get ID badges that allowed them into restricted areas.

In one extra security step since the hijackings, the airport has deployed its own employees and Miami-Dade police to search all vehicles before they enter airport parking garages. Officers are looking in trunks and glove boxes, checking under cars with mirrors and even doing random searches of luggage.

[note: local tv news asked a few of those guys who were checking cars if they knew what they were looking for. The guys were told to make it look good, but no, they were not trained to recognize anything.]

Got that warm fuzzy feeling inside yet?

-- Anonymous, September 20, 2001

Answers

Forgot the Miami Herald Link

-- Anonymous, September 20, 2001

From what I've heard, the "public" security procedures mainly annoy the honest passengers. As your article points out, it's still possible to circumvent the system when full body and luggage searches aren't employed.

What worries me more, though, is how much has or hasn't been done behind the scenes. Airlines are in trouble and without being threatened with shut-downs, I'm afraid there are still many, many holes for the determined trouble maker that would cost money for the airlines to fix.

It goes back again to individual security and risks. I, for one, have decided not to fly again this year, no matter how low the fares drop. The potential risks aren't worth it for me. I know others who feel differently and who are scrambling to take time off in order to take advantage of the low fares. These are also the same people who would've likely been without any cash had the computers at their credit card holding banks went down because they live on plastic and in the moment.

-- Anonymous, September 20, 2001

The Hungarian leaves Sunday for nine days. . . I told her to make sure I can get at her checking account so I can pay someone to take care of all them there cats while the will is in probate.

-- Anonymous, September 20, 2001

OG, I feel for you! She's either going to save big or lose big. I hope it's the former.

-- Anonymous, September 20, 2001

if it go's in probate, you won't be able to access it. Better if she writes you a check you can cash before it go's to probate. Just in case...

-- Anonymous, September 20, 2001

Meemur, I am not going to fly this year either. We were going to take a trip this winter, but now I think if we do take the trip we will drive even though it will take a lot longer.

-- Anonymous, September 20, 2001

If you have enough gas coupons, right Beckie?

-- Anonymous, September 20, 2001

I'm sure Beckie can find her way around gas coupons.

In all honesty, Barefoot, do you really think it'll come to that this year? My prediction is that gas will go to $5/gal for awhile before rationing kicks in, and I would guess next year at the soonest if at all.

Why? Here's a really, really weird thought: something is going to happen at the last minute that allows the Prez to call back the troops -- maybe bin Laden gets handed over or something major. Wistful thinking, perhaps, but the main reason psychics have such a hard time predicting the future is because it's just WEIRD.

-- Anonymous, September 20, 2001