Laptops in particular, and electronic devices of any kind in general, have
been items of great interest by airport security folks since the Gulf war.
I stopped using an electric razor because it was so much aggrevation to pull
it out and show security it wasn't something other than what it was.
I recently went through DFW airport where the FAA was conducting trials with
a new method of detecting explosives in laptop PC's. The security officer
wiped the PC case with a small circular pad, not at all unlike facial
cleansing pads, then placed the pad inside a small machine. According to
the officer, this machine could detect residue in the part per billion
range. Pretty sensitive sniffer. But I didn't have to turn the unit on to
demonstrate it really worked, it was residue-free according to the machine.
He let me pass.
John P
______________________________________
My Grandfather taught me to live by two rules. Rule #1: Don't tell folks
everything you know.
-----Original Message-----
From: Greg Heier <greg@xxxxxxxx>
To: olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thursday, August 20, 1998 7:29 PM
Subject: Re: [OM] Airport detectors
>I've heard stories of security personnel wanting to turn on laptops too.
>Which is all kind of rediculous because if a terrorist organization wanted
>to smuggle explosives in the form of a laptop, I'm sure they could rig
>something up where the notebook (or whatever the object in question is)
>remains functional.
>
>Greg
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