Something may be about to happen in US soil

Something is going on in the Airports that directly link to the US, and US airports as well. This is, in my opinion, a clear sign that they are getting ready for something that may happen anytime. Here is why...


My brother has recently return to US to continue with school. We travel a lot. In fact up to 3 times a year international, and this is the first time that he claims to face this kind of security proceduce in place.

Everything started once in UK. At the international terminal (mostly American airlines), security has gone mad. As he descibres, was stopped and questions by apparently british special forces like SAS about 3 times before even reaching the check-in counter. Apparently the entire terminal is completely packed with special forces lookign alike those in the movie hitman (for those that have seen it). Black suited security forces, armed to the tooth, and carrying all kind of weapons and gas masks!!

He was contantly asked very weird and unsual questions by this ppl. like... "why did you choose to study such subject" or "why is your university so expensive.." completely non sense.

He also went thru 5 security check points with x-rays machines on his way to the gate, completely unsual. In the first control, one of the guards told him ONLY ONE BAG (he was carrying a backpack and a laptop handbag), so my brother tried to explain to the guard that the other bah was for the laptop.... which is common sense since he saw it himself, yet he told my brother to shut up, and either take the laptop or give it away with the handbag. Absurd. by the way a xmas present... oh well. He also said the whole terminal was full of special forces walking around, stopping passengers for questionning! the most thing was, that apparently they only stopped young travellers!... right before getting on the place was stopped, scanned and questioned again, as every other your traveller.

Once in Atlanta.... which we travel thru most of the time, apparently this time was as well absurd. 3 hours!!!!!! in the custom's line. Apparently the place was packed with special forces, custom agents, and apparently ppl behing all this officers... dressed as normal ppl (possibly CIA or NSA) tell every guard what to do, who to stop, who to question in detail and so so. Of course he missed his conecting flight... but was put on the next flight taken care by Delta/homeland security.

Something is going on and about to happen... for those of us that constantly travel internationally know that this is completely out of place and absurb, never seen before. But in any case... post what you think please thanks.

Crazy.

One of my best friend just arrived in the states 2 days ago from England for a visit, shopping, etc. for about 4 weeks.

She reported nothing of the like....and in fact reported a smooth experience. She flew into New York though.

What airport did he fly out of?

I haven't travelled internationally since May and saw nothing different from the way it's been since 9/11 but that might be because I am a local.

Out of curiousity, what nationality are you? I ask this because it is no secret that the folks guarding the skies are racially profiling and that might be the reason for the added scrutiny. Also, since the attacks on the aiport in the UK last year I would imagine they have beefed up their efforts even further.
(for the record I don't necessarily agree with this practice but I do understand it)

Atlanta is one of the busiest airports in the entire world, and considering that he was carrying a Christmas present I would guess that this happened sometime during the Christmas Holiday. With that in mind 3 hours to get through a customs area is not very shocking to me. Also the way that you describe people pointing out who to pull out of the customs lines is the same way that has been done since a long time before 911, nothing new there. The agents who do that are also simply customs officers, often supervisors, they are not NSA or anything like that.

[edit on 1/9/2008 by defcon5]

Something is about to happen in U.S soil? Well, we better start digging and find out what it is!

Seriously though, my girlfriend just arrived from Spain and my parents just got back from France, and my brother just got back from Italy. The only complaint from them was losing luggage. But thats normal!

reply to post by plaetorian


Recently, a few months ago anyway, there was a report about how airport screeners had been lacking on keeping potential bomb making materials from boarding planes. Maybe the beefed up security has something to do with that.

I have no problem with it, and if it means a few delays to protect us, I hope this extra close scrutiny continues.

flew off Gatwick International

reply to post by Crakeur


We are from Spain.

Fear Tactics no more no less.

reply to post by defcon5


Right. I have travelled thru atlanta for the last 6 years at a pace of 3 times a year and have never seen this. I have never seen this either when flying through gatwick (UK) and I did recently (after the attacks) so it is in fact not common.

About xmas flying he actually flew yesterday. This all happened yesterday.

reply to post by plaetorian


then the profiling thing might not be a factor.

reply to post by defcon5


However keep highlighted that this only happens in the terminal for american flights, to america flying passengers, and apparently only to young ppl.... which is what makes it weird.

The other weird thing, which could be just acting or serious who knows... is the fact that they have black suited special forces all over the terminal wearing all kinds of weapons and gas masks... that... let me assure you, is not common at all... so yeah a lot of weird sutff... but i just thought would be interesting sharing this here... Im from Spain as I said so I would not worry much about it but I think american would so I share....

Would you say that this would be related / connected to your story?

www.abovetopsecret.com...

hey pretty interesting... so it happening around then...

What pisses me off the most is that he missed his connecting flight and that he had to trow away a brand new laptop bag we game him for xmas... but im sure that if you ask my brother personally what pisses him off the most he will tell you all about the stupid controls and questioning every 50 meters and all that crap... he does not want to fly anymore for as long as he is able not to.. so... but at least nothing bad happened to him or any of the others that went thru it as well... too bad for that iceland girl..

I lived in Spain for a while... Anyway, I agree that's quite weird. I've never had such experiences anywhere (not that I've travelled THAT much, but last year I've flown in and out of several European countries as well as Canada), and I hadn't heard about them from others either.

Just a thought:

Perhaps heightened security due to an un-announced threat, say perhaps involving the release of Sarin, or some bi-or tri- nary nerve agent aboard a US bound plane or at an airport serving a US carrier?


The gas masks mentioned just got me to thinking:

What could some one carry on their persons, nowadays, that could Still threaten an entire aircraft-load of US-bound passengers?

Answer: Nerve gas.



Conveniently stored in 3oz. bottles and quart-sized plastic bags.

Easily disguised as lotions, oils, or shampoo.

Lethal enough in small quanties to easily bring down a hermetically sealed environment... like a aircraft at 30,000FT.

reply to post by plaetorian



Thats really crazy! So did she, yet she came in on the 7th to JFK and didnt see any of that. Maybe yesterday they had a threat that they didnt release to the public!

She said customs was pretty normal, but more of a pain because she has a toddler and had a diaper bag LOL!




Why would he have had to throw away a laptop bag?

Sorry he had such a bad experience!!

Originally posted by plaetorian

We are from Spain.

My mother and father flew from BWI (Baltimore) to Madrid 2 weeks ago, and returned last week... nothing unusual to report as far as security- standard hassles with no special treatment.

The reason I included your quote: You wouldn't happen to be or even appear Basque? I mean no disrespect, I'm subscribing to the theory that perhaps ethnic profiling may have played a role. I am sure you know that Basques are certainly on some anti-terror watchlist.(?)

Just MHO.