Air Security, Profiling and the UndyBomber

In order to understand the weakness of our current policies that produced the undybomber on Christmas day in Detroit, you have to look at a country that has had this problem for decades and doesn't seem to get shoe bombers, undybombers and terrorists doing walkthroughs on their air transportation. Israel.

Several years ago, I had to travel to Tel Aviv on business. Now, to set this story up, it should be clear to the reader that I have travelled in the "millions" of air miles. So I have been through more security screenings in more countries than the average traveller. The trip was a surprise due to a colleague having to bow out at the last minute and it was to be added on to an already scheduled short trip to Stockholm I had planned.

When I got to the airport bright and early on Sunday for the trip, I was greeted by a very attractive El Al representative (allegedly). She asked me some questions and I politely answered much like I have many many times before to the questions of a thousand gate agents "just like her". The next thing I know, she asks me to wait while she speaks to her supervisor.

Her supervisor returns and they jointly ask me questions with a smile and a steady gaze. Where am I going? What hotel am I staying at? Who are my contacts? What are their names? What are their phone numbers? What is the name of their company? Where is my speaking engagement? How many people are expected to attend? Do you have the complete agenda for the event? Who is travelling with me when I get there? Why are you meeting him at the bar on the beach near the hotel when you get in? And on. And on. And on for two hours. I was eventually allowed to proceed to the gate area with my ticket.

But before I left, I asked the nice young lady why they put me through the ringer. She told me that for every passenger they do secondary screening when the passenger triggers at least 3 questions (eyebrow raisers, alarms or whatever term you want to use). She told me I had 5. They were as follows:

- Last minute ticket
- Casual attitude even through I never been to Israel before
- Recommendation letter with my colleagues name crossed out and mine put in
- Not much luggage

And the one she alluded to but wouldn't say outright:

- my Irish name

You see (I am dating myself now), at that time there was another spot in the world where terrorism was still brewing. Northern Ireland. And at that time there were some concerns regarding Irish terrorists hooking up with Arab terrorists. Israeli security was paying attention.

I was later told by my contacts in Tel Aviv that they received a call from Israeli security as I was being questioned and confirmed that I was indeed expected. My contacts also told me that the folks doing the questioning were very unlikely just under the employ of El Al.

Which brings us to the Undybomber. Let's apply the same screening process I received while using the news accounts as leading information:

- Used cash for the ticket (Strike 1)
- Had no luggage (Strike 2)
- Had incomplete or problematic paperwork (Strike 3)
- Is a muslim between the age of 18-25 (Strike 4)
- Was on a "list" even though it wasn't the no fly list (Strike 5)

What do you think the Israelis would have done? And since they are our ally, why don't we ask them to teach us how to do this properly. And by the way, in case you were wondering how I felt about being profiled because of my ancestry?

Safe.

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