Pam Am Flight 103

Through the Operational Projects Unit (OPU), “technical support is provided through crime scene survey, crime scene documentation, demonstrative court presentation, three-dimensional physical models, and crime scene photography” (“Crime Scene Documentation”, n.d.). The role of the Evidence Response Team Unit (ERTU) is to, “provide traditional and hazardous evidence collection capabilities to the FBI field Evidence Response Teams (ERTs), Hazardous Evidence Response Teams (HERTs), Hazardous Evidence Response Components (HERCs), Underwater Search and Evidence Response Teams (USERTs), and law enforcement partners” (“Evidence Response Team”, n.d.). The purpose of the Terrorist Explosive Device Analytical Center (TEDAC) is to “receive, fully analyze, and exploit all terrorist improvised explosive devices, of interest of the United States” (“Terrorist Explosive Device Analytical Center (TEDAC)”, n.d.). Through the Counterterrorism and Forensic Science Research Unit

On the morning of September 11th, 2001, the United States of America was tragically attacked by members of al- Qaeda. Nineteen radicals associated with the Islamic extremist group hijacked four airliners and carried out suicide attacks against planned targets in the United States. Of the

The bombings on the United States embassies in East Africa were several attacks that happened on August 7, 1998 in Nairobi, Kenya and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. These attacks occurred simultaneously and involved truck bomb explosions at the American embassies in these countries resulting in the death of hundreds of people and destruction of property. Moreover, these attacks happened on the same date that marked the eighth anniversary of the arrival of the United States forces in Saudi Arabia. The genesis of the attacks were largely associated to the members of the Egyptian Islamic Jihad that culminated in the placement of Osama bin Laden among the top ten most wanted fugitives by the United States. These attacks on the American embassies were not only shocking to the world but it also resulted in the understanding of the serious security threat posed by terrorists and terror organizations.

As a response to the 9/11 attacks, one would expect that the TSA would improve airport security. In reality, it's just security theater. Originally, the use of metal detectors and luggage x-rays in airport security checkpoints was enough. However, on December 25, 2009, an inbound international

It was a clear Tuesday morning; September 11, 2001, nineteen Islamic terrorists from Saudi Arabia and other Arab nations boarded four fully fueled American airliners. These airliners were set to depart to cities in California. Little did the staff for each of the planes or the people boarding them know that plans had changed. Within the space of an hour, al Qaeda

On September 11th, 2001, the Unites States of America was attacked by suicidal al-Qaeda terrorists. Early that morning, nineteen al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked four commercial jets, which did have passengers on board. The terrorist purposely killed themselves and the

These terrorists were funded by Saudi fugitive Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda terrorist organization. They were allegedly responding in vengeance for the United States of America’s support of Israel, its sustained military occupancy of the Middle East, and its engagement in the Persian Gulf War. Several of the terrorists had resided in the United States of America for approximately a year and had attended the American commercial flight schools to learn how to fly a plane. Others had smuggled themselves into the country months prior to the September 11 attacks and helped carry out the operation. The nineteen radical Islamic terrorists effortlessly slipped knives and box-cutters straight past security at three different airports on the East Coast and boarded four flights bound for California. These flights were selected for the reason that the aircrafts were weighted with fuel for the long journey across the country. Shortly after the planes took off, the terrorists hijacked the four planes and made their way to the cockpit to control them. This transformed typical commuter airplanes into deadly guided missiles. As millions of people witnessed the events happening in New York, American Airlines Flight 77 flew around downtown Washington, D.C., and crashed into the west side of the Pentagon military headquarters at 9:45 a.m. Jet fuel from the Boeing 757 caused a devastating conflagration that

Airport Security was first developed in 1970 in New Orleans. The New Orleans International Airport was the first to require metal detectors for flier’s safety. On November 10, 1972 there was a high jacking incident and resulted in airport screening for all carry-on bags and passengers. Following the next two years, congress passed the Air Transportation Security Act which is regarded that all carry-on bags in United States airports are to be screened but only to search for weapons or explosives. On December 21, 1988 a second explosive incident occurred in Scotland resulting in many casualties. The U.S. reacted quickly enforcing to have all checked luggage screened through the x-ray detector. After 9/11, all objects with a blade

The four planes were hijacked by members of Al-Qaeda. Al-Qaeda was “a loose collection of militant Islamic groups led by Osama bin Laden.” (Langly). All men, women, and children in the planes died.

Before 9/11, each individual airport handled all security issues and monitoring on their own. Shortly following 9/11, however, the United States created the Transportation Security Agency, or TSA. The Transportation Security Agency is responsible for updating safety procedures and policies; no shoes, liquids, and knives are a few examples of some of the security measures the TSA implemented after 9/11. Additionally, the TSA introduced new machines to detect threatening objects in passenger’s bags and clothes (Villemez). The TSA updates new security measures regularly to ensure the safety of everyone aboard the plane and, essentially, in the

About 19 people hijacked the four planes. They were from the middle east. There group was called Al Qaeda. The leader was Osama bin laden. They were against the military. The group Al Qaeda helped coordinate and numerous bombings. All the men were from nations from the middle east.

It is believed that the CIA was researching two men they found to be suspicious, and watched them purchase weapons and similar clothing before the attack on 9/11 occurred, but failed to relay this information to the FBI and other unsuspecting personnel. These men boarded the plane, despite possessing weapons, and the result was tragic. Today, it is difficult to pass through airport security without passing through multiple check points and being questioned for various items that could be potentially harmful. In personal experience and watching the news, I have seen individuals with a razor for shaving in suitcases when boarding a plane at the airport, or lighters for smoking, and they are almost immediately questioned about it. Airport security and screening has greatly improved since the attack on 9/11. In 2006, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) reported that it confiscated over 13 million prohibited items at airport passenger security checkpoints; 1.6 million were knives and in one week during April 2011, 18 firearms were confiscated (70). Airport security has drastically increased, and it has helped the United States to maintain secure flights for passengers in the years since

Thesis: Pan Am flight 103 was one of the first commercial aircraft to be taken down by terrorist with an improvised explosive device (IED) containing Semtex, a high explosive, and a timing device hidden in checked luggage. The flight was delayed on takeoff time, which resulted in the aircraft exploding over land leaving evidence for forensic investigators. FAA regulations of screening checked bags with X-ray technology was ignored, allowing the (IED) device on board with checked luggage in the cargo hold. Theories of motive lead investigators to believe this was an act of retaliation.

On a quiet Tuesday morning at 8:45 September 11, 2001, a 767 was fully loaded and ready for departure. When an Islamic extremist group called Al-Qaeda, hijacked the plane and crashed into on of the World Trade Center Towers. On the 80th story of a 110 story building. It instantly killed all in the plane and many in the tower. 18 short minutes later another 757 United Airline disappeared into the second building. This plane crashed into the south side of the second building on the 60th floor killing all in the plane as well.

Before the attacks on September 11, 2001, there was hardly any security in airports throughout the United States. However, airports went from hardly any security to full-body scanners. According to the article Airport Full-Body Scanners, President Obama stated in a press conference on January 7, 2010 after a bombing on December 25, 2009 by Nigerian passenger Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, “Rather than a failure to collect or share intelligence, this was a failure to connect and understand the intelligence we already had, but a metal detector can’t detect the kind of explosives that were sewn into his clothes” (2010). Arguing the idea of full-body scanners, some officials believe the images are violating the passengers, especially if the passengers are under the age of eighteen. Nonetheless, other officials would argue the full-body scanners are a better method of spotting dangerous substances and materials than just the ordinary metal detectors.