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CNN Live At Daybreak

Incident at Chicago's O'Hare Triggers Another Storm of Criticism Over Airline Security

Aired November 06, 2001 - 07:25   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Now, back to the subject of airline security. Over the weekend, as you know, a man was stopped at Chicago's O'Hare Airport carrying more than half a dozen knives, a stun gun and some tear gas. The incident has triggered another storm of criticism over airline security. But despite the weapons, federal agents do not think Subash Gurung, the person involved in that, is a terrorist, even though there are many curious things about him that raise suspicion.

CNN's Eileen O'Connor has been looking into that aspect of the story -- good morning, Eileen.

EILEEN O'CONNOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Miles.

Well, it's interesting to see how this all happened in the first place. And Subash Gurung went through one magnetometer and then didn't set off any alarms. Nor did he, did the X-ray of his carryon bag detect the seven knives, the stun gun, the can of mace that was inside that bag.

But a security officer did notice a bulge in his pocket at that checkpoint, according to Argenbright. That's the security company that employs those screeners.

Now, the officer asked Gurung what it was. He handed over a Swiss army knife. They asked if he had any more items like that. He handed over a second Swiss army knife.

But he did not volunteer that there were other knives in his bag and they were not discover.

He proceeded to the gate. That's where United says its employees searched him and his bag, they say because he was a selectee. Now, they won't say why he was selected for more screening. But the United employee discovered the other weapons in a white plastic bag along with some camera equipment.

The secretary of transportation, Norman Mineta, is outraged. He says an investigation and perhaps some additional measures must be taken to ensure security measures that may make everyone at airports wait a little longer.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) NORMAN MINETA, TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY: Patience is going to also be a new form of patriotism because there is going to have to be a little give in this whole system by those who are utilizing it and I intend, as I said, to pursue a zero tolerance program.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'CONNOR: Now, investigative sources say at one point Gurung used an address that was also used by a man that's currently in federal custody as a material witness connected with September 11 attacks. But the FBI says that they do not believe Gurung has any connection to any terrorist activity. They're not making that allegation at all and they say the two did not share the address together at any time.

Gurung has been charged with two misdemeanors and a federal count of attempting to carry a weapon onto an aircraft. Gurung says he's from Nepal and unemployed and he says he wanted the weapons for personal protection.

But, according to the complaint, Gurung also appears to posses a fake INS employment authorization card and his visa had expired in December of 1999 -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: Eileen, the fact of the matter is he was stopped before he got on the plane and apparently the reason he got stopped and checked one more time was this computer assisted passenger profiling system. I'm curious, I mean in a sense you could say it's somewhat of a victory for the enhanced security, isn't it?

O'CONNOR: Well, it is, and United felt itself that it was a victory for them. They said its employees -- when I spoke to them yesterday -- were the ones that stopped Gurung. And they say the investigation should really focus on that screening point where Argenbright Security employees were and where they, after topping him and questioning him for 12 minutes, never went through his bags again after taking those two knives off, and never found these additional weapons.

But that hasn't satisfied the secretary of transportation. He says he's looking at a possible fine against United as well -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: CNN's Eileen O'Connor in Washington, thank you very much.

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