Speaking of air security, this update on the case of Rajib Karim raises questions equally relevant to the state of security in American airports: what did British Airways know about him when they hired him? Were there questions they could have asked, but didn't? Were red flags in his behavior as an employee missed or ignored?
Political correctness has made it acceptable in practice to play fast and loose with risk management, making air security vulnerable to being treated as an academic exercise and losing sight of what is at stake: if something goes wrong, or if an opportunity is left to be taken in the wrong place and at the wrong time, people will die. And if the potential loss of life does not move the airlines and policymakers, one would think the economic impact might.
That is, unless the air travel industry and security apparatus have decided en masse that, with regard to accusations of "Islamophobia" and "profiling," "[perceived] persecution is worse than slaughter."
"British Airways worker 'offered to be suicide bomber and advised terrorists of airline's weaknesses'," from the Daily Mail, November 29 (thanks to Zulu):
A British Airways computer expert who is alleged to have offered himself as a suicide bomber appeared in court today to deny terrorism charges.
Rajib Karim, 31, of Newcastle upon Tyne, remains in custody and is due to go on trial on January 24 at Woolwich Crown Court in south east London.
Bangladesh-born Karim appeared via videolink today at the Old Bailey where he pleaded not guilty to two charges of preparing for terrorism.
Each count covers the period from April 13 2006 to February 26 2010 and includes the allegation that he 'offered to be a martyr or suicide bomber'.
The first charge alleges that he engaged in conduct in preparation of terrorism, with the intention of committing acts of terrorism, including that he 'incited the giving of permission to carry out terrorist acts in the United Kingdom'.
Karim is also said to have offered to travel to Yemen or Pakistan to carry out terrorism training, and to have advised about potential recruits to commit terrorist acts in the UK.
Also among the conduct said to form part of the allegation was that he stayed in the UK long enough to obtain a British passport.
It is further claimed that he 'advised and counselled the commission of terrorist acts by providing information' on topics such as such as liquids allowances on planes, airport security and scanners, and immigration questions to travellers.
He was also said to have provided details on BA computers and their vulnerability to a physical or 'internal systems' attack to inflict financial loss....
And I seem to recall that one of the participants in a jihad plot in Australia had worked as a baggage handler for QANTAS at Sydney Airport. And one of the people who helped carry out a suicide bombing in a hotel in Indonesia worked as the hotel *florist*. Who would have suspected the invisible little bloke scurrying around with the sheaves of flowers, freshening them up, arranging them prettily, watering the pot-plants in the lobby, of being a murderous jihadist?
Memo to everyone in the lands of the non-Muslims who hires Muslims as cops, soldiers, security guards, health workers (doctor, nurse, pathologist, anaesthetist, etc.), food handlers (anywhere along the line from field to table), computer experts, maids and bellhops, cleaners, janitors, airplane cleaners, airplane mechanics, baggage handlers, flight attendants, pilots, train drivers, truck drivers, you-name-it...
**you are playing what might be called 'Muslim roulette'**
because all it takes is for *just one* of the Muslims you hire to *any* of these 'inside access' positions to 'go jihad' on you, and lots and lots and lots of people might die, horribly.
Best not to hire them at all.
Best not to have permitted Muslims to settle behind what they are taught to regard as enemy lines, deep within what they see as 'dar al harb', the 'zone of war', in the first place.
Why American Airport Security Is Really So Horrendous
http://www.gloria-center.org/gloria/2010/11/why-american-airport-security-is-really-horrendous
"Israel cannot afford the U.S. approach because it must have a system that really does stop terrorism, not just fool people into thinking everything's okay."
Agree with all you say, dda. Problem is far too many in the West don't even come close to comprehending the wisdom and knowledge you possess on this most critical issue of our times.
Thankfully the vast majority of peaceful moslems should have this straightened out in no time.
I'm sure they're arranging for the misunderstander to be put on the right track of mainstream islam as we're speaking.
/sarc
Try to get a grip on yourself, Abu Lahab. I pray thee, old prophet, reveal to me which of the JW commenters I have offended, and who I am offending now, and how I can propitiate them, so that the gods will allow me to return home. Oh versatile one, old man, your talents can add colors to the chameleon, change shapes with Proteus for advantages, and set the murderous Machiavel to school. O Heaven, were man but constant, he were perfect: that one error fills him with faults, makes him run through all sins.
They should also go after the folks who recruited him and ask why he was recruited over many other better qualified candidates? It is not easy to find a job like that if you are a new citizen, someone wanted he over there.
When you join up the dots, the picture of how Muslim saboteurs, aided by affirmative action, have subverted and infiltrated western institutions all across the board is truly terrifying... http://crombouke.blogspot.com/2010/01/muslim-subversion-sedition-and-social.html
Obviously no profiling on the employment of Islamic staff at UK airports; junk searches of non-Islamic child passengers instead.