"Terminal at San Jose Airport evacuated"

Monday, November 4, 2002

Terminal at San Jose Airport evacuated
The San Francisco (CA) Chronicle


Security officials evacuated the largest terminal at San Jose Airport Sunday
afternoon after a screener failed to stop a passenger whose carry-on bag
tested positive for chemicals related to explosive devices.

About 2,500 people, including incoming and outgoing passengers, were
affected by the evacuation and flights on Southwest and American Airlines
were delayed up to two hours.

Airport officials said the screener had allowed the passenger through the
checkpoint area after a second test of the luggage came up negative. But
when the screener informed a supervisor about the two apparently
contradictory tests, the supervisor said the passenger should be checked
more thoroughly and ordered the airport's evacuation.

Brian Doyle, spokesman for the Transportation Security Administration, said
that security personnel had found the passenger in question and that a
subsequent search of the passenger's bags turned up no suspicious devices or
explosives.

Doyle said an investigation would be conducted into how security officials
handled the matter. It was only the second time that San Jose officials have
evacuated the airport since heightened security measures were put in place
after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

 Do you have an opinion about this story?
Share it with other readers in our CAA Discussion Forums

http://www.californiaaviation.org/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?conf=DCConfID8

*****************************************