Aviation Security Forum Update — August 11, 2008
ALPA’s Aviation Security Forum (AvSec) delivered a
smorgasbord of security subjects this week, bringing
together a number of movers and shakers from federal
agencies and ALPA members active as MEC and national
security representatives.
FBI at the Airport
Dave Wiegand, the FBI Airport Liaison Agent for
Washington National Airport, talked about some of his
agency’s activities involving aviation security.
“You bring an
airplane full of trouble down into DCA, I’m the guy
who’s going to show up to deal with it.”
Crimes aboard an
aircraft in flight include such diverse acts as
embezzlement (!), theft, murder, manslaughter, attempted
murder or manslaughter, robbery, aggravated sexual
abuse, sexual abuse, sexual abuse of a minor or ward,
air piracy, and carrying a weapon or explosives aboard
an airliner.
“As soon as the
door is closed, it becomes federal,” Wiegand emphasized.
After a security
incident occurs, Wiegand said, the priorities are to
-
resolve the
incident (which may involve law enforcement,
emergency medical services, firefighters, or other
first responders),
-
positively
establish the identities of victims, subjects, and
witnesses, and
-
preserve the
crime scene and evidence.
In the FBI’s
Flying Armed Program, said Wiegand, “We teach our people
how to fly armed—and how to defend themselves in
confined spaces.” He added, “The only acceptable place
for an FBI agent on duty to carry a firearm is on his
person—not in a briefcase or backpack.
“Hijacking is
our bailiwick—we respond in a tactical manner, whether
the aircraft doors are open or closed,” Wiegand
stressed. “We are just as determined as you folks to not
have another 9/11.”
A pilot asked if
the FBI trains its agents on Common Strategy; Wiegand
replied, “Yes, we know what you know, what kind of
response you expect from us.”
Terrorist planning and
priorities
Allen Ellison, an intelligence analyst in the
Transportation Security Unit of the FBI’s
Counterterrorism Division, discussed the “terrorist
planning cycle,” which has seven stages—initial target
selection, initial surveillance, target selection,
pre-attack planning, final surveillance, deployment of
attack team, and the attack.
The general
assessment of the intelligence community, Ellison
summarized, is that violent extremists will continue to
target critical infrastructure worldwide.
Ellison warned
that
-
violent
extremists are “obsessed” with aviation, and
continue to revisit previous plots and targets, and
-
domestic
terrorists often select the same targets, and
-
U.S. aviation
assets continue to be targets of choice.
Ellison asked,
“As terrorist access to aircraft becomes more difficult,
are we going to see more aviation-related ground
attacks? Just in the last couple years, we’ve seen quite
a few more.”
Violent
extremists, he reminded AvSec attendees, “primarily
commit bombings; terrorists will continue to employ IEDs
[improvised explosive devices].”
Self-Defense Training for Crew
Members
F/O Paul Chesek, chairman of the DAL MEC Security
Committee, warned, regarding the Crew Member Self
Defense Training (CMSDT) Program, “we need to increase
crew member participation.”
Chesek outlined
the many benefits of CMSDT, which is a free, single-day
course also available as a free refresher anytime for
past participants. The training and the “stress
inoculation” that come from the “mat time” teach crew
members how to disrupt, delay, and defeat attacks,
whether from a would-be hijacker or a disruptive
passenger.
On the other
hand, the CMSDT challenges include the fact that the
training is not mandatory, and is available only to
flight and cabin crews of passenger airlines, and not
cargo pilots. Pilots note that the realism of the
training could be improved by adding an element on
prevention. At some locations around the United States,
the training is provided at remote, off-airport
locations. Airline management support of the program
could be better, and participation has not been nearly
as good as it should be.
Michael Rigney,
Assistant Special Agent in Charge, FAMS Flight Programs
Division, said that FAMS has been assessing current
training sites and, if necessary, relocating them to
facilities closer to airports. The FAMS also is opening
new sites to increase convenience for crew members and
is providing more classes at each site. CMSDT is now
offered at 20 total locations, including one at each of
the three major New York City airports.
“We’ve partnered
with 7 U.S. airlines to deliver CMSDT onsite at airline
training centers,” Rigney announced. “We’re also going
to do away with the [self-study] DVD and go to an online
learning and registration system.”
The revised
training CMSDT curriculum, said Rigney, should be rolled
out on Jan. 1, 2009.
Scott Graham
(United) asked Rigney if the FAMS might “make the course
dynamic to reflect the actual level of experience of the
class members.” Rigney said that improvement is going to
be made, with scenario-based training at the end of the
course.
A group of FAMS
instructors took 30 AvSec attendees through a two-hour
hands-on demonstration of CMSDT. In T-shirts and shorts,
the pilots practiced such tactical moves as blocking and
disabling a knife-wielding attacker.
FAMS and ALPA
Together to Secure Aircraft
Adding layers of aircraft security continues to be a
priority for both ALPA and the Federal Air Marshal
Service (FAMS). Ranking FAMS officials briefed AvSec
2008 attendees about the agency’s perspective and
outlook for evolving security concerns. FAMS Director
Robert Bray said, “I believe one of the best weapons we
can invest in, to defend against those who would do us
harm, is people.”
Bray talked
about FAMS as a component of the TSA as well as its
leadership and organization. He highlighted his agency’s
ongoing relationship with ALPA, stating, “We are truly
interdependent and therefore must strive to work
together.”
The FAMS
director also discussed the current status of the
Federal Flight Deck Officer program, thanking
participants for their “selfless patriotism.” He also
highlighted several new training programs.
“Escalating fuel
costs will not adversely affect the FAMS ability to
address its mission,” said Bray, reminding the audience
of the importance of being vigilant. “Never forget,” he
concluded.
Robert Byers,
FAMS deputy director, talked about his organization’s
emerging approach to air transportation security, noting
“One of the successes of FAMS has been to bring the
workforce into the dialogue.” The deputy director
discussed the value of frontline experience and the
importance of working with international partners.
He talked about
FAMS response to several incidents in recent history and
iterated Bray’s warning about losing sight of “our
mission” and becoming complacent with current security
efforts. “We must maintain funding and support,” said
Byers, who described terrorists as “patient,
resourceful, and waiting for us to let our guard down.”
Policing Our
Airports
AvSec 2008 today looked beyond federal agencies to
gain the perspective of local law enforcement. Stephen
Holl, police chief of the Metropolitan Washington
Airport Authority (MWAA), spoke about the many
challenges in safeguarding two U.S. air transportation
icons—Washington’s Dulles and National Airports.
Holl discussed
the importance of collaborating with airport operations,
airlines, and federal agencies to provide the necessary
protection, and the responsibilities and various tasks
performed by his 250 officers. He emphasized the need to
follow through when calling for law enforcement support
to handle a disruptive passenger, by “swearing out”
warrants and serving as witnesses, when necessary.
The police chief
also explained how his organization conducts several
“tabletop” preparedness exercises a year with other
airport partners to explore various crisis scenarios and
the coordination necessary for a
successful response.
Tracking Down
Terrorists Pays Off
Crime may not pay, but helping the U.S. State Department
track down terrorists can be a very lucrative endeavor.
John Vela, deputy coordinator for the Bureau of
Diplomatic Security, described the scope and operation
of the State Department’s Rewards for Justice program.
“More than $77
million has been paid out to 50 different people,” said
Vela, who noted that the program deters terrorist
operations, decreases the number of safe havens,
restricts criminal freedom of movement, and, ultimately,
puts terrorists on the defensive.
Success stories
include information that led to the capture of Ramzi
Yousef, who was responsible for the first World Trade
Center bombing in 1993.
Advertising has
been the key to this program’s success. Information
about Rewards for Justice is available at
www.rewardsforjustice.net. |