Anwar al-Awlaki, an al-Qaeda leader and prime U.S. target, has been killed in Yemen, the Yemeni government has announced. Born in New Mexico, al-Awlaki was an American citizen, but that didn’t spare him from what is reported to have been a U.S. air strike in Yemen. The action reportedly killed Awlaki and four others, who […]
Good news – researchers at Michigan State University have come up with a way to spot improvised bombs with a laser from a safe distance. The device – which works something like a laser pointer – can identify bombs made, for instance, from wood or fertilizer “from tens if not hundreds of feet away.” Soldiers […]
PRO Barrier is introducing a new concept in anti-terrorism access control – the VolarX™ roller barrier, which operates effectively with a minimum of mechanical systems and installation challenges. “We set out to develop a barrier that addresses common complaints with existing designs,” says Dr. Tom Potter, PRO Barrier’s president, “including mechanical complexity, disruptive roadway excavation, […]
Bruce Schneier calls attention to source material on “The Role of the Human Operator in Image-Based Airport Security Technologies.” In doing so, he notes that it has applications to wherever security guards are expected to react to images. “The human brain,” Schneier writes, “just isn’t suited to finding rare anomalies in a screening situation….Even people […]
As the U.S. seeks out remnants of al-Qaida there will be accompanying tensions for a long time to come, advises a Danger Room post in Wired magazine. The nation’s security posture needs to be maintained, which suggests a state of vigilant anxiety for the foreseeable future. “We must have a legal framework that provides our […]
We don’t pause very often to get a sense of “big picture” perspectives on security matters. But with the 10th anniversary of the September 11 attacks on Saturday, this is an appropriate time to refer you to once such appraisal, by Jeff Gaynor on what he sees as a culture clash at the Department of […]
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will soon be testing a Trusted Traveler program that, over time, could mean less time in airport security lines for many travelers. “When it comes to airport security today,” CNN reports, “everyone is treated as a potential threat when walking through the checkpoint. That’s why you still have to take […]