"The Christmas Day airplane bombing attempt has renewed the debate over full body scanners at airports. The Transportation Security Administration in recent years has tried out a series of “whole-body imagers” to look for threats that typical metal detectors can’t find. These systems are the only way that smuggled explosives, like the one officials say was brought on the Christmas flight, can be reliably found [Wired.com].
Privacy advocates are calling the full body scanners a “digital strip search” (take a look at this TSA image of a full body scan and you’ll get the idea). But some security advocates say that either patting down every passenger or taking full body scans are the only options to ensure certain dangerous items are kept off airplanes.
Right now there are 40 full body scanners in 19 different U.S. airports. Only 6 airports use them for primary screening, the rest are used for follow-up searches. These scanners use millimeter-wave sensors that emit radio frequencies. By measuring the differences in the radiated energy, the scanner produces detailed 3-D images that resembles photo negatives. TSA has also ordered 150 similar scanners, at about $170,000 each, that use backscatter X-ray technology, after the completion of a successful pilot project."
Given the blogs you follow, no wonder travel safety is more than just an academic issue!
ReplyDeleteI saw an interview with an Israeli, former head of airport security, who ssid he doubted Israel would *ever* install scanners because of the Muslim outrage sure to follow. He felt they didn't need them since their current procedures seem to be working.
If anything untoward were to happen to El Al or the other Israeli carriers, that would no doubt change very quickly.
It wouldn't hurt us to adapt more rigorously the techniques the Israelis use. They do NOT include affirmative action hiring of TSA employees who are Muslims.
With the increase in number of terrorist attacks, body scanners of this kind are appreciable. This would reduce the risk in international travel and also execute security to travelers.
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