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Warning Onboard?

Aired October 17, 2003 - 14:00   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.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: At this minute, the FBI is investigating suspicious baggage left in the bathrooms of two Southwest Airlines flights. The bags contain box cutters, liquid believed to be bleach, and a clay substance that resembled plastic explosive.
With us live, CNN's David Ensor with the latest -- David.

DAVID ENSOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, the bags were found on two Southwest Airlines flights last night. They were found in the plane's toilets. A statement from Southwest Airlines says that notes in both packages indicated that the items were intended to challenge the Transportation Security Administration's checkpoint security procedures.

Now the first flight flew last night from Austin to Houston, and the second from Orlando to New Orleans. Three bags were found on each plane, officials say. The discoveries came during maintenance checks at the end of those flights.

In the bags, on each plane, were box cutters, bottles of bleach, the bleach put into empty suntan lotion bottles, and what looks like children's plasticiene (ph), or clay. Investigator tell us the significance is that if clay can get through security, it is possible certain types of plastic explosives also could. And they say that the bleach could be used by hijackers to throw in a person's face and incapacitate them. The significance of the box cutters is obvious to anyone who remembers how the 9/11 hijackers operated.

The question obviously for investigators now, is who put these things there, and how did the materials get through security in Austin and Orlando? it may have been intended to show up shortcomings, but it also broke the law, in a big way. As a precautionary measure, the Transportation Security Administration has ordered that all commercial aircraft and U.S. fleet be inspected by security personnel -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: David Ensor, thanks for the details.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired October 17, 2003 - 14:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: At this minute, the FBI is investigating suspicious baggage left in the bathrooms of two Southwest Airlines flights. The bags contain box cutters, liquid believed to be bleach, and a clay substance that resembled plastic explosive.
With us live, CNN's David Ensor with the latest -- David.

DAVID ENSOR, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, the bags were found on two Southwest Airlines flights last night. They were found in the plane's toilets. A statement from Southwest Airlines says that notes in both packages indicated that the items were intended to challenge the Transportation Security Administration's checkpoint security procedures.

Now the first flight flew last night from Austin to Houston, and the second from Orlando to New Orleans. Three bags were found on each plane, officials say. The discoveries came during maintenance checks at the end of those flights.

In the bags, on each plane, were box cutters, bottles of bleach, the bleach put into empty suntan lotion bottles, and what looks like children's plasticiene (ph), or clay. Investigator tell us the significance is that if clay can get through security, it is possible certain types of plastic explosives also could. And they say that the bleach could be used by hijackers to throw in a person's face and incapacitate them. The significance of the box cutters is obvious to anyone who remembers how the 9/11 hijackers operated.

The question obviously for investigators now, is who put these things there, and how did the materials get through security in Austin and Orlando? it may have been intended to show up shortcomings, but it also broke the law, in a big way. As a precautionary measure, the Transportation Security Administration has ordered that all commercial aircraft and U.S. fleet be inspected by security personnel -- Kyra.

PHILLIPS: David Ensor, thanks for the details.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com