Security in our Skies

Remarks by Michael Limpantsis
Regional Security Officer,
Embassy of the United States of America at the
Airports Authority of Jamaica Conference

Air Transportation: Developmental Impacts on Caribbean Economies

December 2, 2003

The worst act of terrorism on U.S. soil was committed on September 11, 2001, when bands of four to five terrorists took control of four airliners and crashed them into the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon and a remote field in Pennsylvania.  Almost three thousand people on that day were cut with knives, burned alive and crushed to death all because of these small bands of lightly armed, committed terrorists. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) knows from witness accounts of cell phone conversations with passengers on the hijacked airliners that the terrorists eluded security measures, by using simple household items -- cardboard-box cutters and razors --to take control of the four aircraft.   Investigators also believe that the hijackers smuggled other types of knives through airport security, and turned off cockpit transponders to evade detection by air traffic controllers.  How did they manage to do this?  Security experts say the hijackers almost certainly scouted their locations with care, choosing flights and airports that would give them the greatest chance of success.  The airports that were seen to be "soft targets."

In the post-September 11th era, the United States Government, and indeed the world, realizes that any country can become a target for terrorism.  The Caribbean is no different.  Terrorism knows no borders and is not selective in its carnage.  What we must call upon from our close allies and neighbors is that everything possible be done to prevent another terrorist attack.  We must be aware that as U.S. airports beef up their own security, terrorists will seek to use new methods, and find new targets. 

We recognize that the so-called "Third Border" of the United States includes Jamaica and the Caribbean.  It is therefore essential that we work together to ensure that we facilitate smooth and efficient travel for legal travel and trade between our economies.

In this era of globalization, Caribbean economies are faced with tremendous opportunities in the airport industry.  As Ambassador Cobb has noted through her "Building Bridges" initiative, it is in many ways easier to do business between Florida and Jamaica than between Florida and New York. With our common Caribbean border, Miami and Norman Manley Airport are a mear one and a half hours apart by air.  Moreover, with plans for the Free Trade Area of the Americas moving ahead, we can look forward to increased trade, tourism, communication and cooperation between our countries and with our neighbors throughout the hemisphere.

That said, as Caribbean economies consider the impact of globalization on their development, it is essential for the tourism industry, and especially the Airports Authority, to recognize the impact of organized crime on your industry.  Terrorists use the same travel routes used by traffickers in drugs, illegal migrants and other illicit cargo.  What should the airline industry know, and do, to ensure your borders and tourism sectors do not become soft targets?

The low-tech aspect of terrorism as it relates to the airline industry bears mentioning.  As shown in the September 11 attacks, a large jet plane loaded with fuel makes a devastatingly effective missile.  By any measure, the hijacking of these planes has become an overwhelmingly attractive target for terrorists. 

Traditionally, terrorists have been known to use high-tech bomb-making equipment and other devices, which required the terrorist to be well educated in the fields of electrical and mechanical engineering.  Although we know that some of the 9/11 had at least some degree of pilot training, we also know through witness accounts that they used knives and boxcutters - relatively low-tech weapons requiring very little formal training.  They also trained in hand-to-hand combat at local gyms.

One of the best ways to defeat terrorists using these low-tech strategies is also one of the most simple: airports must conduct a thorough screening of all passengers.  The Airports Authority of Jamaica is keenly aware of this, and has been doing an excellent job of tightening security checkpoints at airports in Jamaica.  

Another measure that will greatly assist in the fight against terrorism is the sharing of information.  Whenever the United States Government learns of a potential terrorist attack, we immediately pass this information on to relevant local authorities.  Within the Jamaican government in particular, and the Caribbean as a whole, the highest emphasis must continue to be placed on the need for threat information to be quickly and accurately disseminated to law enforcement and appropriate authorities.

A third method to combat terrorism is through education.  Educating airport staff, ground crews and airline employees to watch for and report anything suspicious is key to detecting pre-attack surveillance.  Prior to the attacks on September 11, we know that the terrorists conducted long hours of surveillance on security and access measures at the targeted airports.  An alert airport employee could make the difference in stopping an attack at the most crucial time - before it starts. 

Another measure is to implement and enforce stringent standards for tarmac access and use perimeter patrols to mitigate unauthorized breeches of the planeside area.  A completely sterile planeside environment offers safety, security, and a positive account that everyone who may be traveling on a particular flight should be there.  Remember, one unauthorized person can place smuggled cigarrettes, cocaine, or a bomb in the air.  To borrow a term from the medical field, we must develop, and use, "universal precautions" so that organized crime or terrorists do not corrupt our borders. 

What else should be done?  Employees at ticket counters and security checkpoints should carefully check travel documents and match them to the respective ticket holder.  They should be trained in identifying stolen and forged documents.  Now more than ever, the employees who deal directly with travelers serve as a front-line defense against terrorist attacks.  A decision as simple as not allowing a suspected terrorist to board a flight may save countless lives.

I would like to take a moment to mention the new entry-exit system currently under development in Jamaica.  The International Organization for Migration (IOM) will implement the project in consultation with the Government of Jamaica and the U.S. Embassy.  The project includes the modernization of the GOJ's current technical infrastructure at the ports of entry as well as training and technical assistance in policy matters, harmonization of legislation and regulations, and training in risk profiling for counter-trafficking, documentation fraud prevention, criminal intelligence, and transnational organized crime.  

Once the project is complete, the Government of Jamaica will have an enhanced capacity to control the irregular movement of persons into and through Jamaica, to facilitate regular movements of people, and to develop and disseminate actionable intelligence for law enforcement purposes.

I know there are some people who are concerned that a new system for entry and exit controls may hinder airline travel.  Our experience shows the exact opposite happens.     Think of how dramatically global stock markets rise and fall in relation to national and international security.  Capital flees corruption and insecurity.  Investors love security and a return on their investments.  The drop in tourism after 9/11 was caused by the public's insecurity about using the airline industry.  That feeling of insecurity greatly affected the Caribbean, causing a respective loss of jobs in your local economies.  Today, we know that safe borders and safe airports can stop organized crime and terrorism.  Safe borders and safe airports attract increased travel, tourism and trade.  

Caribbean security officials must remember that terrorists do not care who or where they attack.  They are merely searching for an opportunistic target that provides the least amount of resistance and the maximum amount of exposure.  With stringent and solid security practices, airports and airlines will greatly reduce the opportunity for a terrorist to strike. 

While it seems as if we are always fighting an uphill battle in these matters, the United States government believes that Jamaica is committed to and working assiduously in the fight against narcotics traffickers and other criminal elements.  I'd like to commend Airport Authorities of Jamaica on their successes to date and on their careful groundwork to position Jamaica and the Caribbean for a safe and secure future.

Thank you.