Full-Body Scanners May Soon Be Coming To Tri-State

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airport-securityThe botched airline bombing on December 25 is sparking a great debate about full-body scanners. The controversial scanners may soon be landing in the tri-state area. Terminal B at Newark Liberty Airport is in
the process of modernizing its passenger areas, and airport officials are said to be hoping to receive six full-body scanners within the next few months, in early 2010.

Some lawmakers say the full-body scanners, which operate almost like X-ray machines, could have prevented Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab from boarding a plane last Friday with explosive materials he had sewn into his underwear. 150 high-tech full-body scanners will be going to airports throughout the U.S. next year.

According to a Transportation Security Administration representative, Newark was likely to be among the first for two reasons: because it’s one of the nation’s busiest airports, and because one of the planes hijacked in the September 11 terror attacks came from Newark.

So what do passengers think about the installation of new full-body scanners?

Melissa Dobbs says she’s not worried about delays, and will be glad to have the extra security measure.

“If it keeps us safe, and keeps events like last week from happening,” Dobbs said. “There’ll always be delays.”

The full-body scanners cost about $160,000 each and are high-tech machines that can show hidden contraband, but the American Civil Liberties Union say they violate a passenger’s right to privacy, calling it a virtual strip search.

“We’ve already been checked, hands already up and down, so what’s one more thing?” airline passenger Jenn DeJulio said. “We’ve seen already what can happen, so more is better, I guess.”

A TSA representative says the new scanners will be less intrusive. Images will be looked at in a remote room by an officer who could not see or interact with passengers.

Terminal B at Newark Liberty will have a total of 12 passenger screening lanes when all the construction is complete. With recommendations of a scanner in every other lane, the cost will be close to one million dollars.

The full-body scanners are currently used in 19 American aiports. The closest is Ronald Reagan National Airport, right outside the nation’s capitol.

{CBS Broadcasting/Noam Amdurski-Matzav.com Newscenter}


1 COMMENT

  1. I think submitting to full-body scanning is outrageous. Big deal that the officer is in another room & doesn’t see my face & I don’t see him. It’s like being photographed with just bag over your head. What’s more, I don’t believe it will make us any safer. The terrorists will either hide explosives in body cavities or they will find other targets besides airplanes. I can think of a lot of other targets, but I don’t want to give them any more ideas.

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