New York Times Editorial - The liquid bomb threat

New York Times Editorial - The liquid bomb threat
Copyright by The New York Times
Published: August 13, 2006


The most frightening thing about the foiled plot to use liquid explosives to blow up airplanes over the Atlantic is that both the government and the aviation industry have been aware of the liquid bomb threat for years but have done little to prepare for it.

What saved everyone was apparently superb intelligence work by the British, who apprehended the terrorists before they could carry out their scheme. It is unlikely that any of the scanning machines or screening personnel deployed at airports would have detected the potentially destructive materials.

The plot apparently called for the terrorists to carry explosive ingredients disguised as beverages, and detonators made from common electronic devices like cell phones or music players. One theory is that they planned to use chemicals that are innocuous when carried separately but could be combined into an explosive mixture on board.

Unfortunately, the aviation security system is virtually defenseless against such an attack. The X-ray machines and metal detectors at airports can't identify liquid explosives. Officials have been fretting over this weakness off and on but have done little to develop and deploy technologies to block the threat. The U.S. government has been slow to buy so- called puffer machines that blow air on passengers to look for traces of explosive materials, and it has severely cut its budget for research on new detection methods.

It is distressing that, after all the billions of dollars spent on bolstering aviation security, such gaping holes remain. Yet no matter what technologies are deployed, there is always a good chance that future terrorists will find a way to evade detection.
That makes us wonder if aviation authorities may have inadvertently hit on the wisest approach in their stopgap response to this latest plot. The Transportation Security Administration banned virtually all liquids and gels from carry-on luggage - everything but baby formula and medicines, and those have to be inspected.

Some passengers have complained about the inconvenience, and many more might complain if they were not allowed to keep their iPods, cell phones or laptops with them. But forcing passengers to check most of their items and bring very little aboard with them might be the surest and cheapest route to greater security.