Five Years After 9-11: Are We Safer?

Source: local6news

Well judging from this story the answer would be no...

Feds: Airline Worker Used Security ID To Sneak 14 Guns, Drugs On Orlando Flight

ORLANDO, Fla. -- A 22-year-old airline employee from Central Florida was arrested after he used his security privileges to smuggle a bag containing 13 handguns, an M-16 type automatic weapon and marijuana on board a Delta flight at Orlando International Airport, according to federal agents.

According to an arrest affidavit, Thomas Anthony Munoz, of Kissimmee, Fla., said he was recruited by another Orlando airport employee to smuggle the guns in exchange for money, Local 6 reported.

The report said Munoz and an unidentified man arrived at OIA at about 3 a.m. Monday and used their identification cards to gain excess to restricted areas.

Munoz then placed the guns and drugs by a security area near the departure gate, and by 11 a.m. he boarded the flight with the duffle bag, the affidavit said.

"Authorities said Munoz never went through any security checkpoints, which means TSA (workers) never saw him," Local 6's Tiffany Tift said. "In fact, TSA only does random checks of airport employees."

Munoz boarded the Delta flight from Orlando International Airport to Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan, Delta spokeswoman Chris Kelly said.

A Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms representative told Local 6 that Munoz had an automatic weapon in a suitcase on board the flight, Local 6's Jessica D'Onofrio said.

Munoz was arrested in San Juan on U.S. weapons violations and turned over to federal authorities, Puerto Rico Police Superintendent Pedro Toledo said.

"We have information to the effect that this individual had apparently done this before," Toledo said.

Here's my favorite bit, ready?

Kevin Farrington, an FBI spokesman based in Miami, said an anonymous tip to the Orlando Police Department generated interest in Munoz's flight. More arrests could be made, he said.

"I can tell you there were weapons and drugs but we're not getting into specifics right now," he said. "We're still following up. It is an ongoing matter."

Passengers were never in danger, said Christopher White, a spokesman for the Transportation Security Administration Agency in Washington.

"While we cannot discuss details of an ongoing criminal matter, no weapons were brought through the passenger security checkpoint and at no time were passengers in any danger," White said.

Gosh, I feel safer already.

H/T Debbie Schussel

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