GAO not convinced current airport X-rays would catch Christmas bomber, despite TSA Pistole statement 11/17

.
GAO 3/17/10: "While officials said
AITs performed as well as physical pat downs in
operational tests, it
remains unclear whether the AIT
would have detected
the weapon used in the
December 2009 incident
(the Christmas bomber)
based on the preliminary
information GAO
has received."...


TSA official John Pistole, 11/17/10
tells the US Senate,
the current "x-ray" machine
screening passengers in airports could
have detected the Christmas bomber's device,
while the GAO (in March 2010 statement above)
said that had not been made clear:


"Currently, the most effective technology for
 detecting
small threat items concealed on
passengers, such as explosives used by
Abdulmutallab,
is Advanced Imaging Technology (AIT). AIT safely
and effectively screens passengers for
both metallic and non-metallic threats,
including weapons and explosives, without physical
contact." (top of page 6)

   
via FireDogLake 11/17/10