TSA head defends knives decision, cites intelligence
By Aaron Karp | March 14, 2013
US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) administrator John Pistole continued to defend the agency’s decision to stop screening for small knives at airport security checkpoints.
Pistole is facing a wave of opposition to the decision—to take effect April 25—from airlines, airline work groups and the unions representing TSA screeners and US air marshals. In a Thursday morning interview with NBC television, Pistole said lifting the ban on small knives and other objects “is part of our ongoing move to risk-based security” and will allow screeners to search for “non-metallic devices that can bring down an airplane.”
He noted that objects similar to small knives, such as scissors, are now allowed with “not a single incident” aboard an aircraft in which such items have been used in a threatening manner. Pistole said TSA needs to focus on “the highest risk items” and base its decisions on intelligence reports.
He told NBC there is “no intelligence” pointing to terrorists using small knives to attack airline crews or passengers. On the other hand, Pistole said, there is intelligence pointing to terrorists trying to take down an aircraft with an explosive device.
Pistole is facing a wave of opposition to the decision—to take effect April 25—from airlines, airline work groups and the unions representing TSA screeners and US air marshals. In a Thursday morning interview with NBC television, Pistole said lifting the ban on small knives and other objects “is part of our ongoing move to risk-based security” and will allow screeners to search for “non-metallic devices that can bring down an airplane.”
He noted that objects similar to small knives, such as scissors, are now allowed with “not a single incident” aboard an aircraft in which such items have been used in a threatening manner. Pistole said TSA needs to focus on “the highest risk items” and base its decisions on intelligence reports.
He told NBC there is “no intelligence” pointing to terrorists using small knives to attack airline crews or passengers. On the other hand, Pistole said, there is intelligence pointing to terrorists trying to take down an aircraft with an explosive device.
