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Grave Lack of Security at Fed Buildings: GAO
Agents snuck in bomb parts, assembled them in restrooms
By Harry Kimball
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Posted Jul 8, 09 3:05 PM CDT
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(Newser)
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A covert investigation shows the nation’s federal buildings are woefully under-protected from potential terrorist attacks, CNN reports. Undercover agents were able to sneak bomb components through security into each of the 10 federal buildings—occupied by the Homeland Security, Justice, and State departments—they tested, assemble explosive devices in the restroom, and walk with impunity into offices.
The devices were made up of two parts, “a liquid explosive and a low-yield detonator, and included a variety of materials not typically brought into a federal facility by an employee or the public,” the report from the Government Accountability Office says. The components of each bomb were bought for less than $150. The report concludes that the Federal Protective Service, which handles security for the buildings, "does not fully ensure that its guards have the training and certifications required to stand post at federal facilities."