# Pants-wetting airline passengers doing the terrorists' job **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 20, 2006, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430 "2006-08-20T06:54:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/61 "2006-08-21T03:48:17Z")
Am I the only one who thinks the next 9/11-style attack will involve European converts and women? How do we profile people if the blonde Swedish women and white guys from Kentucky are the next wave of terrorists? ---
**Author:** ![Orbifold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orbifold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orbifold)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/62 "2006-08-21T03:53:26Z")
[QUOTE=Bricker] I’m sorry, but I believe your analysis of the above is simply not as good as mine is. [/QUOTE] Perhaps your analysis of what’s in my head would be better served if you, oh, I don’t know, read my other posts in this thread, particularly the one where I _reply to you_ and talk about “sensible precautions”. My OP is about people over-reacting hugely. Even taking international terrorism into account, air travel is statistically a safe way to travel. Does that mean it’s impossible for me to come to harm on an airplane? No. Does that mean there shouldn’t be precautions taken? No, of course not. What it does mean is that passengers shouldn’t run screaming to airport security at the first sign of an Arabic-speaking with a jacket and a watch. The level of risk involved, even taking terrorism into account, doesn’t warrant that level of disruptive paranoia and witch-hunting. ---
**Author:** ![Orbifold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/779978/32.png) [@Orbifold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orbifold)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/63 "2006-08-21T03:56:37Z")
[QUOTE=Orbifold] …at the first sign of an Arabic-speaking with a jacket… [/QUOTE] “Arabic-speaker”, I mean. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/64 "2006-08-21T04:02:20Z")
[QUOTE=Roonwit] My Dad said it reminded him of the Red Scare of the 50’s. [/QUOTE] Exdcept now Joe McCarthy is President of the US. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/65 "2006-08-21T04:10:35Z")
[QUOTE=alphaboi867] How do we profile people if the blonde Swedish women and white guys from Kentucky are the next wave of terrorists? [/QUOTE] Not to worry. My husband is a white guy from Kentucky but he gets pulled out of the line for extra goings over all the time. You tell me, does [this guy](http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v101/jsgoddess/?action=view¤t=santa20hat.jpg&refPage=&imgAnch=imgAnch3) look like a terrorist? Of course, he could be hiding all sorts of things under that hat. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/66 "2006-08-21T04:16:02Z")
I just wonder, after we’re all made to fly naked (like was suggested somewhere above), when will the cavity searches begin? Surely we can’t be too careful. And if that’s the case, those anal probes just might be designed by Jenna Jameson. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/67 "2006-08-21T04:30:53Z")
[QUOTE=jsgoddess] Not to worry. My husband is a white guy from Kentucky but he gets pulled out of the line for extra goings over all the time. You tell me, does [this guy](http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v101/jsgoddess/?action=view¤t=santa20hat.jpg&refPage=&imgAnch=imgAnch3) look like a terrorist? Of course, he could be hiding all sorts of things under that hat. [/QUOTE] So do I. Every time. I wear suspenders with metal clips and they set off the metal detectors which are cranked up so high that they would alarm on the aglets on your shoe laces if that’s all the metal you had. Being pulled out results in a complet wand scan, maybe a couple of times, and, of course taking off my shoes. [I don’t think I have that certain air of suspicion.](http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dwsimm2000/detail?.dir=8cf7&.dnm=4c57scd.jpg&.src=ph) Of course, maybe they figure I’ve already got one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel and with nothing to lose would be a likely candidate. Yes, those are the menacing suspenders. ---
**Author:** ![hawksgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ed655f/32.png) [@hawksgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawksgirl)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/68 "2006-08-21T04:33:21Z")
[QUOTE=David Simmons] So do I. Every time. I wear suspenders with metal clips and they set off the metal detectors which are cranked up so high that they would alarm on the aglets on your shoe laces if that’s all the metal you had. [I don’t think I have that certain air of suspicion.](http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dwsimm2000/detail?.dir=8cf7&.dnm=4c57scd.jpg&.src=ph) Of course, maybe they figure I’ve already got one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel and with nothing to lose would be a likely candidate. Yes, those are the menacing suspenders. [/QUOTE] Yep, we’ve clearly got some dangerous characters roaming these here boards. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/69 "2006-08-21T04:43:13Z")
[QUOTE=David Simmons] Of course, maybe they figure I’ve already got one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel and with nothing to lose would be a likely candidate. Yes, those are the menacing suspenders. [/QUOTE] If you and my husband walked through an airport, it’d be DEFCON 1 in a matter of _seconds_. ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/70 "2006-08-21T04:50:54Z")
[QUOTE=jsgoddess] If you and my husband walked through an airport, it’d be DEFCON 1 in a matter of _seconds_. [/QUOTE] I saw my boss, Jack, at the airport one time and just about yelled out, “Hi, Jack.” but then thought better of it. ---
**Author:** ![AFAIKnow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a6a055/32.png) [@AFAIKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AFAIKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/71 "2006-08-21T05:11:48Z")
Shirley you’re not advocating profiling! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![AFAIKnow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a6a055/32.png) [@AFAIKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AFAIKnow)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/72 "2006-08-21T05:12:51Z")
[QUOTE=jsgoddess] Not to worry. My husband is a white guy from Kentucky but he gets pulled out of the line for extra goings over all the time. You tell me, does [this guy](http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v101/jsgoddess/?action=view¤t=santa20hat.jpg&refPage=&imgAnch=imgAnch3) look like a terrorist? Of course, he could be hiding all sorts of things under that hat. [/QUOTE] My above reply was in response to this :smack: ---
**Author:** ![SpaceDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spacedog/32/9932_2.png) [@SpaceDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpaceDog)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/73 "2006-08-21T15:58:01Z")
[QUOTE=Bricker] From your link: > [@](#): > > For some real terror, picture twenty guys who understand op-sec, who are patient, realistic, clever, and willing to die, and who know what can be accomplished with a modest stash of dimethylmercury. > > You won’t hear about those fellows until it’s too late. Our official protectors and deciders trumpet the fools they catch because they haven’t got a handle on the people we should really be afraid of. They make policy based on foibles and follies, and Hollywood plots. > > Meanwhile, the real thing draws ever closer. The link explains that TATP, or triacetone triperoxide, is very unstable, and thus dismisses it as a real threat – at most, it says, the terrorists could have blown out a few windows. Putting aside what sort of havoc even that might cause, though, even the article itself acknowledges that the basic idea – a coordinated group of guys sneaking explosives on to planes in a tightly-timed effort – is “real terror”. Do you agree with that paragraph of your link, or only the paragraphs that support your “we have nothing to worry about” thesis? [/QUOTE] The point the article is trying to make is that if a number of well organised people decided to take out a plane or a building or a whatever the first you will hear about it will be when you see it on the news, or – god forbid – it happens to you. The majority of terrorist plots are foiled way before the reach the airport because frankly if they get that far you’re fucked anyway. I suspect there probably was a credible threat last week, and it was probably nothing to do with the details they released. Is there a non-zero chance of my being blown out the sky the next time I’m on a plane (Friday, for what it’s worth)? Sure. Just like there’s a non-zero chance that I might be the victim of a terrorist attack at one of the train stations I’ll go through to get to the airport, the stadium gig I’m at on Thursday, the cinema I’ll be at tomorrow, the supermarket I go to, my work, or any other place I happen to be. The thing is there are dangers of all sort everywhere, but somehow terrorists, and particularly terrorists in airports, are uber scary and get a vastly out of proportion response from the public. You’ll **always** find someone acting strange in an airport, they’ll be drunk, or lost, or cold, or distressed, or they hate flying, or whatever. Hell, you find someone acting strange everywhere if you just sit and watch for a bit. That doesn’t give you the right to call someone a terrorist. I worry more that the security measures and the public’s reaction will put increasing pressure on the airlines. So they’ll start to push to cut corners to keep everything on schedule. Then a plane’ll fall out of the sky because someone forgot to double check sprocket A. SD Who’d fly naked airlines, but can unfortunatly see it happening for real. “Ah, here’s your airline boiler suit Mr. Dog. You may change over there in front of Joe.”. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/74 "2006-08-21T16:08:01Z")
The latest “theory” put about by some idiots on other message boards and Talksport Radio (need I say more!) is that these two guys allegedly acted this way as part of a “publicity stunt” to draw attention to their cause (whatever that is) ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/75 "2006-08-21T16:32:05Z")
Seems to me that if there’s anything here at all, the most likely explanation would be that the “core” al-Qaida organizers floated this fringe group primarily as a test of airport security; in the unlikely event the newbie amateurs pull it off, great, but if not, the means by which their organization is penetrated, and their operation foiled, will provide valuable intelligence for a more serious “official” attack. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/76 "2006-08-21T16:37:26Z")
That pilot should have been fired. Those passengers should have been left at the gate. Either people will have to start buying the unrestricted tickets or they will have to get used to the idea that they do not get to pick and choose who they get to fly with. BTW has anyone else heard reports that the Brazilian guy that was shot in the head by British police was not only innocent but was restrained at the time he was shot. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/77 "2006-08-21T16:39:21Z")
[QUOTE=col\_10022] That pilot should have been fired. Those passengers should have been left at the gate. Either people will have to start buying the unrestricted tickets or they will have to get used to the idea that they do not get to pick and choose who they get to fly with. BTW has anyone else heard reports that the Brazilian guy that was shot in the head by British police was not only innocent but was restrained at the time he was shot. [/QUOTE] Yes he was held down while he was shot through the head. The police are only going to be charged with a breach of Health and Safety laws. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/78 "2006-08-21T23:21:36Z")
[QUOTE=Orbifold] “Vigilence”? Bullshit. Paranoia, is more like it. [/QUOTE] Let’s cut to the chase…a bunch of racist chav-spawning thugs decided they didn’t want any Pakis on their flight back to their white Wythenshawe ghetto. (As **Rayne Man** and I suggested earlier, this was hardly going to be a flight full of travel-familiar worldly-wise passengers.) [QUOTE=Rayne Man] Yes he was held down while he was shot through the head. The police are only going to be charged with a breach of Health and Safety laws. :rolleyes: [/QUOTE] God, I wish this were a joke: > [@BBC](#): > > The CPS said the office of Metropolitan Police Commissioner would be prosecuted under sections three and 33 of the 1974 Health and Safety at Work Act for “failing to provide for the health, safety and welfare” of Mr Menezes on 22 July. > **[BBC NEWS | UK | No charges for Menezes officers](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/5186050.stm)** > > No police officers will be charged over the fatal shooting of Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2006, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/79 "2006-08-21T23:33:59Z")
[QUOTE=SpaceDog] The thing is there are dangers of all sort everywhere, but somehow terrorists, and particularly terrorists in airports, are uber scary and get a vastly out of proportion response from the public. [/QUOTE] I agree. And smokers too. They won’t let smokers on a plane anymore if they want to smoke. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2006, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430/80 "2006-08-22T09:38:48Z")
I saw a particularly stupid quote from one of the passengers to the effect they the “actions of these two men had upset several children and made them cry” WRONG, it was the actions of the stupid passengers in spreading false stories and causing panic which would have upset the children. By all accounts the two men were sitting by themselves, looking at their watches and wearing their thick coats. Another thing that should be taken into consideration is that this was a late-night flight. I imagine that a certain amount of liqueur would have been consumed by some of the passengers, and will all know how drink and rational judgement don’t always go together. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pants-wetting-airline-passengers-doing-the-terrorists-job/369430.md?page=5)