State of Fear

It's beginning to look like the story of the cheese smuggling terrorist airplane bombers was a bunch of baloney. Probably just one more trick up the Bush administration's sleeve as a means of keeping Americans frightened and in compliance.

...Four [TSA] seizures were described this way:
San Diego, July 7. A
U.S. person either a citizen or a foreigner legally here checked baggage
containing two ice packs covered in duct tape. The ice packs had clay inside
them rather than the normal blue gel.


Milwaukee, June 4. A U.S. person's carry-on baggage contained wire coil
wrapped around a possible initiator, an electrical switch, batteries, three
tubes and two blocks of cheese. The bulletin said block cheese has a consistency
similar to some explosives.


Houston, Nov. 8, 2006. A U.S. person's checked baggage contained a plastic
bag with a 9-volt battery, wires, a block of brown clay-like minerals and
pipes.


Baltimore, Sept. 16, 2006. A couple's checked baggage contained a plastic
bag with a block of processed cheese taped to another plastic bag holding a
cellular phone charger.

CNN followed up with a report indicating none of the allegations held water:

The Transportation Security Agency's national security bulletin issued was
based on bogus examples that were combined to give the impression of ominous
terrorist plotting, CNN reports.


"That bulletin for law enforcement eyes only told of suspicious items
recently found in passenger's bags at airport checkpoints, warned that they may
signify dry runs for terrorist attacks," CNN's Brian Todd reported Friday
afternoon. "Well it turns out none of that is true."


Todd highlights the case of Sara Weiss, who was detained in San Diego after
two ice packs covered in tape were found in her baggage. Weiss, who works for a
faith-based organization, also was carrying a survey about Muslim Americans,
which CNN says also raised law enforcement provisions.


"The FBI now says there were valid explanations for all four incidents in
that bulletin, and a US government official says no charges will be brought in
any of these cases," Todd reported.
Weiss says she was held for three hours
and questioned by San Diego Harbor Police and two other men who did not identify
themselves. She told CNN one of the men asked her if she knew Osama bin
Laden, which she described as "a ridiculous question."

The federal Transportation Security Administration; protecting you in ways you never thought possible -- or necessary.