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Target USA: Cargo Crunch; Ariel Sharon's Condition Worsens

Aired August 14, 2006 - 13:30   ET

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

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: While you're waiting in line, a lot of stuff gets on to the plane, and it's barely getting a glance.
CNN's Drew Griffin explains.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DREW GRIFFIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This is the line most passengers don't see -- thousands and thousands of trucks a day lining up to bring millions of tons of cargo onto passenger planes. And how much of that gets inspected? How much of that even gets looked at before it is placed right into the belly of the plane you fly? According to this Federal Aviation Administration inspector, on most of the flights this inspector oversees, almost none.

(on camera): You've been in the business a while. Are we safer or just as vulnerable as 9/11?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With respect to the cargo, we're probably as vulnerable, or maybe even more vulnerable.

GRIFFIN: More vulnerable.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Cargo still has a lot of loopholes, where something can get on that airplane.

GRIFFIN (voice-over): Fearing employer retaliation, the inspector has asked not to be identified.

As CNN crisscrossed the country over three months, at airport after airport, we saw how easy it would be for terrorists to get explosives or lethal chemicals onto an airplane, to tamper with loads on cargo trucks and how simple it was for us to drive down this road outside Chicago's O'Hare Airport and walk right up to containers sitting outside a post office air-cargo facility.

(on camera): And you can see anybody could come up to any of these and put anything inside them. These are unit-load devices that will be loaded into the bottom of a plane.

We're standing outside O'Hare Airport. This is where a federal airline official brought us because of the concern of safety.

(voice-over): And for next three days, we kept coming back to this spot and seeing the open gates and the cargo containers left unattended. A spokesman says the postal service relies on employees here to report any suspicious activity, and told CNN so many airlines need access to pickup and drop off cargo, the gate is left open for convenience.

This other veteran airline employee spent years on the tarmac working for a major airline. He doesn't inspect cargo, but he sees it being loaded on to planes every day.

Like our inspector, he has asked his identity be concealed.

(on camera): From the time that 18-wheeler comes into the airport to the time the cargo is unloaded and placed on a plane, is there any government, airline local police, screening that is going on?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: None that I noticed. The only government agency that I ever see on a consistent basis that would inspect freight is if it's livestock related; there's somebody is from the USDA.

GRIFFIN: So cows will get inspected, but large crates won't?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's from my observation, yes.

GRIFFIN (voice-over): What he observes on a daily basis is the complex world of airport-cargo operations.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can't open up a crate when it's right at the airport ready to be loaded just to look inside to see what is in there.

GRIFFIN (on camera): At the airport facility itself, we're not talking about any X-rays. Have not personally seen any bomb sniffing dogs or anything like that?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I haven't. I'm not saying it's not there, but I've have never seen it in my time doing this, and I've been doing this for many years.

GRIFFIN (voice-over): And this FAA inspector says trucks in cargo-holding facilities are often left unlocked. The holes in air- cargo security may a surprise to you but should be no surprise to Congress. For nearly a decade, vice presidential commissions, congressional reviews and federal reports have pointed out the pressing need for more security in the cargo holds of planes.

The 9/11 Commission looked again at air-cargo security -- it concluded nothing changed.

LEE HAMILTON, VICE-CHAIRMAN, 9/11 COMMISSION: They've create a huge risk for the American traveling public, because we thought it was quite easy, really, to get explosive devices into air cargo.

GRIFFIN: CNN has tried to find out from the Transportation Security Administration what percentage of air cargo is being inspected? TSA tells us the information is secret for security reasons. There might be another reason. It could also be embarrassing.

HAMILTON: The information we had, and this is now two, three years old, was that five percent or less of the air cargoes were being inspected. I hope more than that are being inspected now, but I don't think it's anywhere close to 100 percent.

GRIFFIN: What the airline industry likes to say is that 100 percent of cargo is screened. James May is president of the Air Transport Association, a lobbying group that represents the major U.S. carriers.

(on camera): That does not mean inspected.

JAMES MAY, AIR TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION: It does not mean physically -- we do not physically inspect 100 percent of the cargo going aboard our planes, no, we don't.

GRIFFIN (voice-over): What the airline industry does say is 100 percent of cargo is screened through the air industry's "known shipper" program.

MAY: In some cases it will be physical inspection. In some cases it will be explosive detection. In some cases it will be canine. In other cases, it will be as all cargo going on passenger aircraft is -- comes from a "known shipper" program, it will be screened through the "known shipper" program.

GRIFFIN: In fact, the "known shipper" program is the backbone of air-cargo security.

What is it? Mark Hatfield is Federal Communications director for the Transportation Security Administration.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: People on the inside who have been talking to us say, it's a pencil whipped situation. The paperwork is good, goes on the plane. It's a process by which the airlines, the carriers actually are required to go through a series of steps to identify, and know and vet the shippers so that there's not any kind of mysterious entity out there.

GRIFFIN: The government allows more than 400,000 companies to certify their cargo is safe. Airlines therefore assume cargo from those shippers is safe. The TSA maintains the whole system is safe.

(on camera): In such a humongous system, how can any agency ensure that?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No agency can, which is why it's vitally important that we're partnered with industry.

GRIFFIN: But the FAA inspector we talked to sees flaws in the system. Some carriers are so lax in handling cargo the inspector actually avoids flying on them.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I know about this.

GRIFFIN: I know about this, and I can choose which airlines and which planes I want to fly on. The general public doesn't know that there should be some serious concerns about how cargo is handled.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The TSA's Hatfield says the agency has 200 federal inspectors nationwide. They don't actually inspect any cargo. They just make sure the airlines are following the rules.

GRIFFIN (on camera): And the only way the airline knows what is in those crates is a piece of paper?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's my understanding. I am not aware of the process prior to the freight arrival to the airport, but when it gets to the airport whatever was done inspect that freight has been done.

GRIFFIN (voice-over): Both the TSA and the air industry admits the system is far from foolproof, but say they are working on improvements, but neither expects cargo to ever get the same scrutiny as you and your bags.

MAY: I would love to be able to sit here and tell you that we've got the technology and that we're doing that. That is the gold standard. But against millions of dollars of investment right now, we don't have the technology.

GRIFFIN: Technology may be the long-term solution, but in the short term, CNN's investigation has shown open gates, unattended cargo containers and insecure truck routes.

HAMILTON: You see that throughout the system, there are opportunities for the terrorists to get at that container and to put explosives into it. And we're just not as alert to that as we ought to be.

GRIFFIN: Two weeks after our first visit, we're back at this same mail facility at O'Hare.

(on camera): The gates remain wide open. And take a look at this, remember those unit-load devices we saw two weeks ago just sitting right out in the open. Here's some more, outside the fence that's not even locked, open for anybody to get inside.

(voice-over): An open invitation to terrorists here and throughout America's air-cargo system.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PHILLIPS: So is anything being done to boost cargo security? And who's screening the screeners? We're going to pose those questions to John Magaw, former head of the Transportation Security Administration. He's coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) PHILLIPS: Well, extra lines, extra security, extra screening. There's been a part of air travel since 9/11, a lot of changes, and we want to know if the nation's airports are really safer.

Joining us now from Washington, John Magaw, former head of the Transportation Security Administration. John we've been talking a lot with in the past couple of days.

And the report that we just had from our investigative reporter, Drew Griffin, still talking about the gaps in cargo and the fact that so much of the cargo is still not screened. Why is that?

JOHN MAGAW, FMR. TSA DIRECTOR: Well, good afternoon, Kyra.

And that piece that you just showed was very, very well done. And it really paints a complete picture of the problem that we face in this country. And the key word, when people say that every piece of cargo is screened -- to the American public, a lot of times that means it's totally checked.

And as your piece shows, when they talk about screened, that's either from a trusted traveler, it's been screened by dogs. TSA is hiring a number -- and have been for a while -- a number of cargo screeners. So there's some process that's done, but by all means, we have an awful lot of work to do. Congress has said that. Committees -- oversight committees -- have said it. We need to pay more attention to this area.

PHILLIPS: So why the stalling then? Why hasn't it happened to this point?

MAGAW: Well, initially, every concern was to get the aircraft and the people coming on board. Since then, because that costs so much money and has been so expensive, it's been very hard for those who want to do more in the cargo area to get the money in the budget, to do that and to do the research. I mean, there's back scatter technology that could help x-ray a lot of that equipment going on board. You see some of the -- in your piece you saw some of the storage compartment sitting out in the open. That's a big concern all over.

Although each cargo unit as it is taken in a load, it is supposed to be examined. But I'm sure every area that you look at needs much more money, much more people and much more research done to bring it up to where it needs to be. Now, we have done that with airlines. We've spent the money for not only making the aircraft safer, but the personnel going on board. But we're still in trouble underneath.

PHILLIPS: Well, let's talk more about detecting explosives. Now we're talking about liquid explosives. Representative Peter DeFazio, a Democrat of Oregon, came out and is saying he's just one member of Congress that has been criticizing the TSA, saying that funds -- or that TSA, which falls under DHS, I'm sorry -- has been diverting funds from projects to develop better explosive detection equipment; that they should be using it for that. He says that devices to detect explosives on passengers should be deployed immediately. You talk about so much money being distributed to security assets. You would think this would be the number -- one of the number one items to put that money toward?

MAGAW: Well, it is the number one -- it could be a number one item. But what do you take it away from? Are you going to take it away from your passenger screeners? The Transportation Security officers are already understaffed. Are you going to take it away from the puffers that everybody is talking that needs to be in the airport that now can examine your shoes as well as the top of your head? What are you going to -- better x-ray equipment? Where are you going to take away from in order to address the cargo?

You can't rob Peter to pay Paul here. You have to pay Paul. And we haven't paid Paul as a country yet. When we have a tragedy, when we have an incident, we find the money, we find the wherewithal to get it done. I am so concerned that we're going to have a tragedy with cargo and then the money will flow quickly.

PHILLIPS: All right, well, you've said it right there. And we've been talking about it a lot. I want to ask you about employees now. We've got some undercover video that this reporter out of San Antonio did, John. Undercover video at Miami airport and San Antonio airport, showing how employees can just flash their bag -- or badge, rather -- and walk right into secure areas, onto aircraft, on to the tarmac. When you look at these suspects, one definitely has been linked to working at Heathrow Airport. And we're talking about U.K. terror plot. You tend to wonder when's it our turn? When is one of the -- when will one of these employees be one of those active terrorists working at an airport here in the U.S.?

MAGAW: Or the same thing being doing some kind of intelligence. I get in every day without them checking anything, so can you. So that is a concern. And every airport has to look at their own individual circumstances. Every airport is different. And what are those back gates? Is there screening back there? How do people get in? Is there monitors for anyone who would come over the fence? If the fence is cut, do they know that?

Every airport has to -- and every airport director, the public director and the federal security director and the law enforcement unit -- have to look at every aspect. How about the tunnels underneath the airport? How about the storm drains? There's all kinds of access that have to be looked at in each airport, and each airport has to do their own and then decide what needs to be done in order to keep it safe.

PHILLIPS: John, final question. Baggage handlers, how are they screened and hired? Is it easy to get a job as a baggage handler?

MAGAW: As a baggage handler, they're screened both criminally and civilly, primarily criminally. And there is a short background done on each one. And so is that an area that has a weakness? Until you do a complete background, until you talk to some of the people that they interfaced with and do a little bit more than just a criminal check, there is a risk there, although it's reduced by doing a criminal check and by making sure that their supervisors are constantly aware.

See, it's very concerned about the cleaners that go on aircraft. They clean the aircraft in the middle of the night as it sits there on the ramp. All of those kinds of security risks have to be looked at, and that's why I'm saying these airport managers and teams have to do that.

PHILLIPS: Interesting point. Former head of the TSA, John Magaw. Appreciate your time, John.

MAGAW: You're welcome.

PHILLIPS: Straight ahead, developments in the Middle East. The condition of the former Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, worsens. We're going to have an update on his health, straight ahead. Stay with CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

PHILLIPS: Well, a developing story out of the Middle East. Not the current crisis, but a former Israeli leader. Doctors in Tel Aviv say Ariel Sharon is in worsening condition. He's been in a coma, as you may recall, since a devastating stroke in January, and has suffered any number of setbacks, crises, and operations ever since. What's the prognosis now?

We're going to take a closer look with our CNN medical correspondent Elizabeth Cohen. What do you think?

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, it certainly does not sound good. I ran what happened to him by some doctors, including our own Sanjay Gupta, who is a neurosurgeon, and they all said that this sounds quite grave.

Let's take a look at this announcement today, and what it says about his condition. The announcement from Sheba Medical Center in Tel Aviv is that Mr. Sharon has worsening cerebral MRI results. In other words, it sounds like his brain function is even worse than it was before.

Decreased urine output and double pneumonia -- decreased urine output tells you something about his kidney function, that it is not very good. At a certain point, when it gets so low, you would actually say he's in kidney failure. We don't know what level it is.

And the double pneumonia tells you that his lung function is not good. We do not know if he's breathing on his own or breathing on a ventilator. They didn't say that.

Now, the doctors who I ran this by said the reason why this is so disturbing is that it's not just one thing. It's not just his brain or just his lungs. It's several things. And, at a certain point, there's a limit to what they can do.

For example, for the double pneumonia, they're obviously giving him antibiotics, but at a certain point with someone who is his age and in his condition, there can be damage done to the lungs that the antibiotics just aren't going to help. So, again, it's impossible to really say exactly what this means, but it does definitely sound grave.

PHILLIPS: And what do the doctors say about his life expectancy? I mean, are we talking any moment now or ...

COHEN: I asked them that, and they said it's very, very difficult to predict. But I asked a doctor at the National Institutes of Health. I said to her, if this was your patient and the family said, gosh, I don't quite -- you know, what do we do? Should we gather the family now or could this be awhile?

And she said that she would tell them that it's impossible to predict, but that it would be a good idea to get the family to come visit, because you never know. It might be good preparation to have everyone come see him, because the end could possibly be quite near.

PHILLIPS: All right. Elizabeth Cohen, thank you.

We have got a lot of developing stories coming out of the Middle East. Let's get to the newsroom now, Betty Nguyen working details on a story just into CNN -- Betty.

BETTY NGUYEN, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, Kyra, this is just in.

We understand from Fox News in Jerusalem that two crew members have been kidnapped in Gaza. Now, there's very little information coming out of this. We have no information on the identities of these two crew members, nor has a group claimed responsibility.

From what we understand, from Fox News in Jerusalem, that two of its crew members have apparently been kidnapped in Gaza. Again, no information as to their identities, their names, and no group has claimed responsibility. We're continuing to follow this, and as soon as we get more information on it, Kyra, we're going to bring it to you.

PHILLIPS: All right, we'll follow it. Thanks, Betty.

Well, has it finally reached America? News today that wild swans in southeastern Michigan have tested positive for a form of bird flu. But U.S. officials quickly point out it's not the same lethal strain that has been seen in other parts of the world.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RON DEHAVEN, USDA: This is not the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus that has spread through much of other parts of the world. Further, we do not believe that this virus represents a risk to human health.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PHILLIPS: Well, further testing is being done to confirm the subtypes involved. Results are expected in about two weeks and will be made public.

Well, a bird flu patient flies the coop in Java, Indonesia, to the frustration of Indonesia's health ministry. They say the 17-year- old has a confirmed case of the H5N1 virus, but his parents ordered him to leave the hospital after just one night. The family believes they can treat the teen better at home with a mixture of prayer and traditional remedies.

The boy's cousin died last week after showing symptoms of bird flu, but he wasn't tested in time. Neighbors say the boy and his cousin collected carcasses of dead chickens and fed them to dogs before they both fell ill.

Perplexed about packing? Well, confused about your carry-on, still? The TSA tweaks a few travel rules. We're going to have the changes, straight ahead.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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