I was in California when it happened. Any traveler’s worst nightmare in our post-9/11 world: being far from home when a terrorist plot is revealed.
Thinking we were smart, we’d purchased full-sized bottles of shampoo, mouth wash and shaving cream to save money. Instead, three days before we were scheduled to fly home, we found ourselves forced to use these items in excess to get rid of them before we got to the airport.
On Aug. 10, the British Police and Homeland Security revealed a terrorist plot which involved men hijacking and blowing up planes by mixing common household fluids. Immediately, all liquids and gels, including toiletries, beverages and gifts, were suspended from carry-on luggage.
People who arrived at the airport unaware of the ban watched as their items were confiscated and drained. I watched expensive wines and tattoo inks being tossed into a biohazard bin, to the outrage of their owners. I personally sacrificed a bottle of hand-sanitizer. Luckily, those with medications could to bring them onboard, provided they were in a clear plastic bag.
Some airlines temporarily banned electronics: laptops, PDAs, mobile phones and iPods. According to British intelligence, the terrorists planned on detonating the bombs with a cell phone or MP3 player. One British Airways plane was even forced to make a frantic landing when a mobile device started ringing and the owner was too embarrassed to identify himself.
In 2001, a British man attempted to blow up a plane with explosives in his shoes. Now, we line up at security checkpoints in stockinged feet. Laptops are wiped with anthrax-detecting swabs. Coats must be removed and placed in separate bins. The list will only grow as more plots are discovered.
It was later revealed that British police knew about the liquid-explosive plot eight months before the ban. The speed and intensity the Transportation Security Administration used to implement the new security measures led many to believe someone had been caught attempting to carry-out the plan. In truth, the bombers hadn’t even booked a flight before they were arrested.
The media isn’t helping. By broadcasting intricate details of terrorist plans, hosting segments on methods for mass terror, and generally becoming outlets for fear-mongering, they are constantly providing the terrorists with new ideas.
The liquid ban has finally been lifted. All items must now be sealed in large plastic bags, but may be carried on after being searched.
Still, terrorists are succeeding. Even though there hasn’t been a major attack since 9-11, all of this fear is creating a new breed of terrorism: keeping the American public scared and vulnerable. People board planes terrified, ready to fight. Two Asian men were forced off of a British flight in August after passengers heard them speaking a foreign language and decided they must be terrorists. After a small mutiny, the men were detained and questioned.
We are being bombarded constantly with new reasons to be afraid. Color-coded alerts and 20/20 episodes on how new types of chemical warfare would wipe us out only make it worse. Fearing every other passenger is a threat, the American people are being terrorized in a way no security checkpoint can stop. Sadly, part of that is our fault.