Airport security boss calls time on tech
Old school intelligence, not new school stupidity
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The security boss of Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport is calling for an end to endless investment in new technology to improve airline security.
Marijn Ornstein
Marijn Ornstein said: "If you look at all the recent terrorist incidents, the bombs were detected because of human intelligence not because of screening ... If even a fraction of what is spent on screening was invested in the intelligence services we would take a real step toward making air travel safer and more pleasant."
She said authorities were in an arms race with terrorist organisations and were always a step behind.
Ornstein added: "With every incident that happens, the regulators ask for more measures, more measures, more measures," she said. "As soon as they heard about this [the recent plot to load PETN explosives into printer ink cartridges] we got letters from the US and the UK telling us to take out all the ink cartridges coming through, which means we are fighting yesterday's war because there is no terrorist in the world who is now going to put PETN into an ink cartridge anyway," according to Euobserver
She also said that Schiphol is running out of space for extra equipment and running out people to recruit as security guards. Security costs at Schiphol have gone up 175 per cent in five years and one in 10 security guards in Amsterdam now work at the airport.
Ornstein believes old-fashioned intelligence and smart screening of passengers are the way forward.
But she also criticised the European move to lift restrictions on liquids. She said legislators did not understand the operational implications and that the change would confuse passengers.
The chairman of British Airways recently said it was time the world's airline and airport industry stopped automatically agreeing to all requests from the US to tighten or change security practices. ®
COMMENTS
old-fashioned intelligence
So, more shocking evidence of common sense from someone in the security business.
I do however see a flaw in her argument for getting rid of pointless tech and using intelligence. They would have to start recruiting people with some kind of discernable IQ instead of the mouth breathers currently infesting airport security gateways.
sadly, she's not going to last long in her job
Far to sensible and sane.
The security equipment concerns (the Rayethons, BaEs, Siemens, whoever) of this world will make sure she is shunted out of the way. Far too much bubble in the FUD business.
Oh, dear.
Now she's said that, I suppose we'll be getting another false flag "terrorist incident" in the next few days, to scare us all back into submission. Only took a couple of days last time round.
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