TSA Waits to Report Possible Bombs

According to reports, it took Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officials six hours to notify police of two possible pipe bombs, which were found at La Guardia Airport in New York this week. The suspicious objects were found in the luggage of a passenger and kept in a public area where hundreds of passengers were passing through. It’s said that they were casually left on a radiator at one point.

This issues is a clear violation of the agency’s policies, which require officials to refer suspicious activity to the police. Although this could have been an even bigger problem than what it is, the pipes turned out not to be bombs after all. The TSA is, of course, being raked through the coals about this, and even one police official for the Port Authority said that it’s outrageous it took the officers six hours to report a possible bomb.

Sources have been cited saying that the pipes, which were silver and gold, were confiscated from the bag of a male passenger in the central terminal of La Guardia Airport around 11:30am. A TSA officer who saw the items was quoted saying that they took a step back and asked what the items were when they saw the image. Another officer who saw the pipes agreed that they could be bombs. The two called their supervisor, who asked the passenger what the pipes were, and he responded that they were for using homeopathic medicine.

The insiders claim that the passenger was permitted to board his flight without recording details of the issue. Then the confiscated pipes were left at the screening area, and it wasn’t until 3pm that the supervisor notified a bomb specialist, who took two hours to get to the airport. When the bomb expert decided the pipes could possibly be bombs, they notified the Port Authority Police Department bomb squad, and the screening area was shut down. A spokesman for the agency says that they only notified the police out of caution and noted that the items were surrendered voluntarily.

This is the latest incident in a series of TSA embarrassments. Hidden surveillance at Newark Liberty International Airport has revealed several issues with TSA officials at Terminal B. They have been caught sleeping on the job and linked with blatantly cutting corners and stealing from luggage. It’s been revealed by reporters that up to eight employees have been either fired altogether or disciplined for their behaviour. One official says that midnight crew were found sleeping on the job when there’s no activity for a while.

A security scare was sparked last Friday when TSA officers at Los Angeles International Airport mistook an insulin pump for a weapon. The woman was reportedly detained and questioned while the screening area was closed, the possible threat was investigated and flights were delayed for an hour. This followed an incident in December that caused delays. Two planeloads of luggage weren’t properly scanned and never made it on the plane. The bags had to be pulled for processing to ensure no bombs or other illegal items were allowed in the air. The screener involved in the incident, Kujuanne McNiel, was given a hearing to address the issue. The 10-year veteran appealed the disciplinary action, and a decision hasn’t been made yet.

In a statement, the TSA explained that it routinely tests security operations to ensure that officers are following protocols, while any indication of misconduct is investigated. The agency takes immediate action when their high standards aren’t met. It also utilises several measures to ensure protocols are followed, including covert tests, peer and management oversight, random inspections and video surveillance.