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Box Cutters Discovered on Southwest Airlines Planes
Aired October 17, 2003 - 15:00 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.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Box cutters on an airplane, that image alone is enough to conjure up frightening September 11 memories. Box cutters were among the suspicious items found in the bathrooms of two Southwest Airlines planes. And now officials are investigating and thousands of planes are being searched.
Here now, our homeland security correspondent, Jeanne Meserve.
Jeanne, what is the latest?
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, Judy, as you mentioned, box cutters, bleach and a suntan lotion bottle, clay that resembled plastic explosives, those items found in compartments in the laboratories of two Southwest Airlines aircraft with notes.
According to Southwest, the note indicated the items were placed to challenge the checkpoint security procedures of the Transportation Security Administration. A Southwest spokesman explains how they were found, the first in New Orleans.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GINGER HARDAGE, SOUTHWEST AIRLINES: We were doing repair on the lavatory of the aircraft. One of the bags was discovered. And with we began immediately working with the authorities there in New Orleans. And then, a few hours later, a bag was discovered in Houston on one of the aircraft that was undergoing a routine maintenance check.
So we began immediately to work with the Transportation Security Administration and the FBI. And we've started those investigations.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MESERVE: The Houston flight originated in Austin, Texas, the New Orleans flight in Orlando, Florida. The FBI is leading an investigation into who might have placed the packages, as well as how, when and why.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT MUELLER, FBI DIRECTOR: Well, I've talked to Tom Ridge to assure that we're doing everything possible to make certain that this investigation proceeds expeditiously. I will tell you that it did not appear to be a terrorist event and there is no imminent threat.
(END VIDEO CLIP) MESERVE: Sources tell CNN, investigators are particularly interested in cleaning personnel, who need items like bleach to do their jobs. Cleaning, maintenance, catering crews and the like do not, at present, go through the kind of screening that passengers do.
It's a glaring loophole, according to some members of Congress. But authorities say, until the investigation produces results, the security implications are unknown. Although all aircraft are routinely screened before takeoff by the crew and airline security personnel, the Transportation Security Administration has directed that more comprehensive searches be done before tomorrow morning of all commercial aircraft in the U.S.
Southwest says it has already searched its 385 aircraft and no similar items have been found. The airline says there has been no disruption to its flight schedule -- Judy.
WOODRUFF: And, Jeanne, Mr. Mueller, the head of the FBI, saying it does not appear to be the work of a terrorist.
MESERVE: That's right. The notes lead them to believe that it's not, that it is someone or some entity trying to test the Transportation Security Administration and its screening procedures.
WOODRUFF: Very interesting.
All right, Jeanne, thank you very much.
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 - 15:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JUDY WOODRUFF, CNN ANCHOR: Box cutters on an airplane, that image alone is enough to conjure up frightening September 11 memories. Box cutters were among the suspicious items found in the bathrooms of two Southwest Airlines planes. And now officials are investigating and thousands of planes are being searched.
Here now, our homeland security correspondent, Jeanne Meserve.
Jeanne, what is the latest?
JEANNE MESERVE, CNN HOMELAND SECURITY CORRESPONDENT: Well, Judy, as you mentioned, box cutters, bleach and a suntan lotion bottle, clay that resembled plastic explosives, those items found in compartments in the laboratories of two Southwest Airlines aircraft with notes.
According to Southwest, the note indicated the items were placed to challenge the checkpoint security procedures of the Transportation Security Administration. A Southwest spokesman explains how they were found, the first in New Orleans.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GINGER HARDAGE, SOUTHWEST AIRLINES: We were doing repair on the lavatory of the aircraft. One of the bags was discovered. And with we began immediately working with the authorities there in New Orleans. And then, a few hours later, a bag was discovered in Houston on one of the aircraft that was undergoing a routine maintenance check.
So we began immediately to work with the Transportation Security Administration and the FBI. And we've started those investigations.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MESERVE: The Houston flight originated in Austin, Texas, the New Orleans flight in Orlando, Florida. The FBI is leading an investigation into who might have placed the packages, as well as how, when and why.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERT MUELLER, FBI DIRECTOR: Well, I've talked to Tom Ridge to assure that we're doing everything possible to make certain that this investigation proceeds expeditiously. I will tell you that it did not appear to be a terrorist event and there is no imminent threat.
(END VIDEO CLIP) MESERVE: Sources tell CNN, investigators are particularly interested in cleaning personnel, who need items like bleach to do their jobs. Cleaning, maintenance, catering crews and the like do not, at present, go through the kind of screening that passengers do.
It's a glaring loophole, according to some members of Congress. But authorities say, until the investigation produces results, the security implications are unknown. Although all aircraft are routinely screened before takeoff by the crew and airline security personnel, the Transportation Security Administration has directed that more comprehensive searches be done before tomorrow morning of all commercial aircraft in the U.S.
Southwest says it has already searched its 385 aircraft and no similar items have been found. The airline says there has been no disruption to its flight schedule -- Judy.
WOODRUFF: And, Jeanne, Mr. Mueller, the head of the FBI, saying it does not appear to be the work of a terrorist.
MESERVE: That's right. The notes lead them to believe that it's not, that it is someone or some entity trying to test the Transportation Security Administration and its screening procedures.
WOODRUFF: Very interesting.
All right, Jeanne, thank you very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
