

Arrest at Oakland Airport over odd watch - guelo
http://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/Arrest-at-Oakland-Airport-over-odd-watch-4045525.php

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tinco
What's with the laughing at the stupidity of the airport security circle jerk?

It's all fine and dandy that you can make an IED triggering device with any
electronic device, that it is theoretically possible does not make it the
absolute way terrorists do it in.

Imagine you are a stupid redneck terrorist, the kind that sends anthrax to
scientists and sends death threats to opposition of Sarah Palin. What would
you wear? How would you conceal your bomb? What would the device you soldered
to trigger it look like?

If you ask me the description of this McGann person is exactly the sort of
person I would pick out of an airline passenger queue. Just envision what he
looks like, big army boots, army pants, army shirt, weird clock device on his
arm.

The real issue you guys should be discussing is why a judge would even accept
to hear a case of an accusation of a bombing threat when there is not a grain
of explosive material found.

In my opinion, this guys belongings should've been taken in for careful
examination, and if nothing was found he should just be released. If the only
thing they found suspicious was the watch, why not offer to have it put in a
box and sent through the cargo? That would have been proper customer service.

You can have a discussion about this without poking fun at the people who have
the near impossible job of finding terrorists amongst 'regular' airline
passengers.

~~~
loup-vaillant
At the very least, my model of a stupid terrorist would wear civilian clothes,
typically a suit —maybe one that doesn't fit well. I mean, it takes a
staggering amount of stupidity to not even think of blending in.

I don't disagree with your point though: if I'm charged with spotting danger,
I would have a hard time distinguishing "suspicious" from "unusual". And
despite what I said above, I'm not even sure I should.

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noonespecial
Crazy watch, oversized shoes, funny shirt... It's official. The war on
clowning has begun.

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Vivtek
_"When you add it all up, it just doesn't add up," Nelson said. "What
reasonable person would take those items into an airport in this day and
age?"_

Jesus wept. Benjamin Franklin gets the last, bitter laugh after all.

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jws
If you are planning to explode a plane, presumably with yourself aboard, a
timer and a switch do not change your personal outcome.

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rexreed
Photos would make this article Oh So Much Better.

Here's the shirt with built-in tourniquet: (third image down):
[http://www.shootingusa.com/PRO_TIPS/JARRETT3-6/jarrett3-6.ht...](http://www.shootingusa.com/PRO_TIPS/JARRETT3-6/jarrett3-6.html).
More on that here: [http://gizmodo.com/298930/warrior-wear-army-clothing-has-
bui...](http://gizmodo.com/298930/warrior-wear-army-clothing-has-built+in-
tourniquet)

As for the oversized shoes and crazy watch, that's left to the imagination.

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kevingadd
_Nelson, who is on his agency's bomb squad, said, "He had everything to make a
triggering device for an IED, so that's a concern."_

Can't you make a triggering device for an IED pretty easily? The I stands for
improvised, after all. A cell phone or watch could easily be converted into a
triggering device - they have all the necessary functionality - so does that
mean you can arrest people for carrying those too?

If anything it sounds like Mr. McGann was arrested for liking comfortable
shoes.

P.S. I find it hilarious that the officer quoted in the article is one of the
bomb squad members who appears on Mythbusters.

EDIT: Oh man, it gets better:

[http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/11/man-
arrested-a...](http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/11/man-arrested-
after-airport-screeners-see-bomb-like-watch.html)

Apparently the fact that he sent his watch through the security screening
machine is evidence that he intended to blow up a plane or something. Other
warning flags that mark you as a terrorist: not checking a bag, not having
clothes in your backpack.

~~~
UnoriginalGuy
> The watch included a toggle switch, wires and a circuit board

What digital watch doesn't contain those things?

> "Apparently he was wearing it and took it off to go through the screening
> process,"

So he did the correct thing?

> McGann had "all the components" to make an "improvised explosive device,"
> except for the material that would have actually exploded, Nelson said.

So the dude had a standard watch then? Or a laptop? Or an iPod? Or a battery
powered alarm clock? Or a camera flash? etc.

Who exactly in this day and age hasn't boarded an aircraft without "all of the
components to make an improvised explosive device?"

Unless you're some kind of Luddite the answer is almost nobody...

> McGann also had no checked bag -- another warning flag

At $50+ a bag I would put my stuff in the overhead bins too.

> McGann also was wearing a military-style shirt [..] The shirts are available
> for purchase, but are not especially common, Nelson said.

This is too stupid to even remark upon.

Honestly I think everyone involved in this should be shown the door
immediately. This is clearly abusive.

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dia80
If your not going to investigate a guy with electronics that could reasonably
be thought to resemble a bomb part on his wrist who are you going to
investigate? The risks are totally asymmetric, if there are any doubts you are
not getting on the plane.

~~~
wellthat
Honestly, who boards a plane "for fun" in this day and age? We know it's a
hassle. Where is your letter of interest from an investor? What other reason
could you possibly have for travelling when you are a "founder", meaning you
are unemployed? This just does not add up.

The chances that one "founder" is really travelling instead of creating a
company are miniscule compared to the risk that this is a cover story and this
layabout intends to blow the plane up.

I hope you will agree that the only reasonable course of action is for you to
be jailed until you can come up with the truth. Honestly, dia80, why would you
even fly?

~~~
ryguytilidie
Are you being serious? You genuinely believe that people should be jailed for
not giving a good enough reason to be flying? Goddamnit, we should just decide
to shut it down as a society if this is the type of logic we find acceptable
at this point.

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duskwuff
So, the real question: What was the watch?

My guess is something like Sparkfun's BigTime watch:
<https://www.sparkfun.com/products/11178>

