tonypct

Here's the link to the story in today's Houston Chronicle. I came across it while sitting here in the Presidents Club waiting for my delayed flight back home to LGA.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4253267.html

Superguy

Yes, I remember we debated this story heavily a few months back. A lot of us didn't see an issue with how the LEO handled the situation and felt bad he got left holding the bag.

The FBI has vindicated him, and now apparently his department has too. I hope he can take TSA to the cleaners.

And I'm not surprised that TSA awarded its screeners for incompetence (either for "making" a Big Catch® or for following stupid and incompetent protocols). Seems like par for the course.

OrlandoFlyer

Do the TSA ever accept responsibility for anything? I guess the correct answer is NO.

LessO2

BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA !!!

(deep breath)

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHA

Aw man, the TSA taking responsibility....that's a good one.

Spiff

TSA is to responsibility as vampire is to crucifix.

PhlyingRPh

Hmm, this slipped my radar.

Does anyone know what became of Mr. Batainah?

exerda

The article states that the FBI interviewed him in Atlanta, where he'd gone to take a new job, and found no reason for concern or suspicion.

ND Sol

Here is the link to the prior thread.

First, the person that deserves an apology even more is the passenger, Mohamed Ahwar Bataineh, a Jordanian living legally in Houston. He lost his job, the FBI took his laptop (not sure when or if he has received it back) and he is on the terrorist list and the SSSS list now.

The TSO's receive a day off and a pen for messing up the lives of Officer Reece and the passenger? This should not happen.

From all appearances, this is very true.

Has the TSA ever apologized for any missteps?

So how did the investigation start against the LEO if the TSA did not say anything? The TSA's statement that it never accused Reece of "wrongdoing" may be semantics.

Don't I then have all the components of a bomb except the explosive itself whenever I carry my laptop and charger? And how about every passenger that carries on their cell phone and charger? A nine-volt battery, some miscellaneous wire and an alarm clock do not make a bomb. The explosive material is what is the most important. This is a totally ludicrous quote from the TSA.

I am now very confused over who has the power to detain at a checkpoint. I've read that the TSA does not have that power and so that is why the LEO is called. Now we have security officials and a congressman that say otherwise. And on top of that, police officials say their officers can't stop someone from boarding. Is this all semantics or does the left foot not know what the right foot is doing?

And the TSO's expect us to know all the rules?

PhlyingRPh

I agree. I don't really care about the HPD officer. He has his colleagues and his department to back him up and likely this incident is merely a blip in his life. I am more concerned about the welfare of Mr. Batainah who has had his life turned upside down.

FliesWay2Much

Officer Reece for Attorney General!

Lurker1999

Bataineh shook his head, but an X-ray machine operator detected a laptop and alarm clock with a nine-volt battery taped to it.

Ok so if I happen to be travelling with my battery powered alarm clock I better leave the batteries inside instead of cleverly taping them to the clock so it doesn't USE UP THE BATTERY WHILE TRAVELLING. This is utterly stupid. Have we all gone so insane that the simple act of doing something SMART while travelling with battery powered equipment now equates to "bomb-making material"?

There will be no apology from the TSA. Spokeswoman Andrea McCauley said neither the TSA nor the supervisor at the checkpoint, Clarice Gaines, filed a complaint against Reece.

So much ****. And just who made the complaint to his department? First accuse a local officer, then hide behind a bureaucracy that won't even take responsibility for the complaint it filed, then just outright deny that it had made the complaint.

secretbunnyboy

"Reece found no reason to detain Bataineh and allowed him to enter the boarding area over the protests of screeners, according to the report."

Just out of interest, would I be right in thinking that even if the police officer didn't find probable cause to arrest the passenger for any offense, the TSA could have prevented him from flying if they genuinely believed there was a security risk? The airport (and the plane) is private property and the officer can't give him permission to enter - he can only prevent him by arresting/detaining him if there's a good reason, surely?

Or do I have it backwards?

mikeef

Who the @!#$%*#$ gets rewarded with a pen for doing a good job?

Mike

studentff

If the LEO doesn't have cause to arrest, my guess is that he can no longer detain the passenger or restrict his movements. IMO this LEO and his department should be commended (maybe even given a medal!) for recognizing this basic reality.

I suspect that the TSA can't prevent a screened passenger who has been cleared of all alarms from proceding into the sterile area. Previous posts on FT have indicated that the airline GSC can deny passage, but he would have no motivation to do so here. Why would you deny passage to a paying customer who had no prohibited items and was not acting drunk/berzerk?

It sounds very much to me like TSA freaked out and wanted aid from law enforcement in executing punishment/retaliation against this passenger. TSA didn't get their help and thus made a fuss. That TSA concluded that an alarm clock and battery were "all the components of a bomb except the explosives" is very telling about their attitude. (BTW, a very good reason to tape the battery to your alarm clock while traveling is to prevent the alarm from going off, which can be annoying or even disturbing if it happens where others hear beeping coming from a bag.)

TSA should grow a backbone (or male reproductive parts), apologize to this passenger, remove him from the SSSS list, and see to his that all of his property is returned with compensation, and apologie to the LEO and his department for their inappropriate actions.

PhlyingRPh

Well, the pen is mightier than the sword. It has inspirational value. Anyway, a $5 Mont Blanc lookalike w/ TSA logo is better than a set of golf clubs, especially as you and I are paying for it, right?