AST Digital Magazine February 2017 AST Digital Magaiinse Volume 10 | Page 51

Volume 10
Feb 2017 Edition
“ America ’ s aviation sector remains a crown jewel of ISIS and other terrorist groups targeting our homeland ,” said Committee Chairman Michael McCaul .
Chairman John Katko
“ As they continue to plot against us , we must be ready to confront them at every turn . I commend Rep . John Katko ’ s leadership on this important national security issue and specifically the subcommittee ’ s hard work assessing the vulnerabilities facing our aviation sector from within .”
At a time when we face increased threats from homegrown radicalization and lone-wolf terrorism , we must ensure that our airport access controls are strong and that we are doing all we can to mitigate the insider threat to aviation security ,” commented Chairman Katko .
“ The recommendations outlined in this report , along with the requirements of the Aviation Employee Screening and Security Enhancement Act of 2017 , which I introduced today , will serve as a roadmap for TSA , airports , and air carriers to close security vulnerabilities at our nation ’ s airports .”
“ Our nation ’ s aviation system is interconnected , and we are only as secure as our least secure airport .”
( From Jul 6 , 2016 , following the Orlando Terror Attack – ISIS Targets US Airports and other soft targets in Terror Threats interview with Scott Mann . Courtesy of ABC News , TopGun- Military and YouTube )
In response to the House Homeland Security Committee Report , Dan Gelston , President of Smiths Detection ( SDI ), has issued the following statement :
This
statement
includes
an
announcement
of
a
pilot
project
with
Miami
International
Airport on a
first-of-itskind
airport
employee
screening project .
Dan Gelston , President , Smiths Detection
“ This report provides further evidence for what experts have known for a long time , that despite employee background checks and access control measures at airports , the ‘ insider threat ’ remains one of the greatest threats to aviation .”
“ As a result , technology solutions must play a key role in addressing this issue . We commend U . S . Representative John Katko ( NY-24 ), Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee ’ s Transportation and Protective Security Subcommittee , for releasing this important report .
“ The report makes clear that only a two-pronged approach to combating the ‘ insider threat ’ at airports – namely relying on people ( background checks ) and process ( access control ) — is leaving a dangerous gap in efforts to mitigate the threat .”
“ A truly comprehensive approach to preventing criminal and terrorist acts in airports must include threat detection technology solutions with
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