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Improved Security Lost in 'Maze'

Post-9/11 promises haven't translated into better airport security systems
By Will McCahill,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 8, 2008 5:22 PM CST
Improved Security Lost in 'Maze'
GE Security's CTX 9400 helps airport screeners detect explosives. The TSA has recently added 39 9400s to its 80 CTX order.    (Associated Press)

Whiz-bang technology that would keep terrorists from destroying airplanes, promised after the 9/11 attacks, hasn't materialized, the Washington Post reports. The various players blame each other for bureaucratic, legal, and market failures. One security-industry exec calls the Transportation Security Administration "a maze"; TSA officials blame firms for not delivering what they've promised.

Also at issue: general lack of investment in updated security technology. Investigators have found holes to exploit, and newer machines have raised concerns about passenger privacy or longer, congestion-worsening scanning processes. "The snail's pace of deploying new technology is unacceptable," said one lawmaker. "We remain vulnerable because we have not kept up with technological innovation." (More TSA stories.)

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