"U.S. Aviation System Remains Vulnerable to Attacks"

Monday, March 14, 2005

Aviation System Said Vulnerable to Attacks
By LARA JAKES JORDAN
The Associated Press


WASHINGTON (AP) - The nation's aviation system remains vulnerable to attacks
by al-Qaida and other terrorists who may be targeting noncommercial aircraft
and helicopters, according to a government report. 

But officials said the report by the Homeland Security Department and the
FBI concludes that commercial airlines also remain susceptible to attack,
despite billions of dollars worth of security investments. Moreover, members
of al-Qaida are believed to be examining and testing U.S. security systems
for weaknesses, officials said. 

The confidential report, dated Feb. 25, reflects what officials have long
said: that beefing up security in one sector would inevitably prompt
terrorists to target other areas that might not be under the same level of
scrutiny. 

However, the report, drafts of which have been circulating since late last
year, is the first to pull the intelligence together in a single package,
officials said. 

It was distributed to state, local and private sector officials who deal
with counterterrorism concerns, said Homeland Security spokesman Brian
Roehrkasse. 

"We have made dramatic improvements to security in all components of the
aviation industry over the course of the past three years," Roehrkasse said.


The report was first reported Sunday evening by The New York Times on its
Internet site. 

A counterterrorism official said helicopters were singled out as potential
targets in intelligence that surfaced last August. That intelligence also
led Homeland Security to raise the terror alert level in Washington, New
York and northern New Jersey to protect financial institutions there. 

More than $12 billion has been spent on explosive detectors, armored cockpit
doors, screeners, air marshals and other aviation security systems since the
Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. President Bush has proposed giving the
Transportation Security Administration $5.6 billion in 2006 - $2 billion of
which for airline passenger screening and $1.45 billion for airline baggage
screening. 

But a report by congressional investigators in December found that TSA "has
primarily focused on strengthening the security of commercial aviation."
That report noted that TSA doesn't understand the risks posed by small
private planes, fails to issue meaningful threat information to general
aviation airports and can't make sure charter airlines and flight schools
comply with security regulations. 

Officials said that the thousands of general aviation airports - which host
recreational planes, business jets, helicopters and other kinds of
noncommercial aircraft - must all have security measures that are equivalent
to TSA mandates at commercial airports. 

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, which represents general
aviation pilots, said that current TSA regulations allow grass airstrips in
rural areas and large private airports near a city to adopt security
measures that fit their needs. 

"AOPA believes that regulation, rather than a single mandated security
standard, is the best approach to general aviation security," said AOPA
spokesman Chris Dancy.


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