By your logic I should have been jailed. Your logic leaves no room for human error. Understanding of human error -- that's why the congressman was released after being questioned. It's obvious that the officials in charge of screening have some common sense. What would you have them do?
Jail everyone who makes an honest mistake?Trying to get around the system is a whole different matter.
You provided few details about the guy who arrived in the UK with ammunition in his jacket. It hardly needs to be explained that putting ammunition in one's jacket is not in the same class as grabbing the wrong travel kit, or fogetting about a tiny knife on a keychain. Someone who puts ammunition in his jacket knows exactly what he's doing, and has it there for a reason. No way something like that is accidental. Furthermore, the guy almost certainly pulled some kind of shenanigans to get the ammunition through the checkpoint. Nothing bigger than a miniature Swiss Army Knife could possibly get through the sensitive checkpoint metal detectors.~~ AlanF
You know, FMZ, AlanF never said a word about terrorists and ammo being synonymous. You assumed that is what he meant IMO. Perhaps going back and reading where he said:
Trying to get around the system is a whole different matter.~~AlanF
He then went onto explain that putting ammo in your jacket prior to a flight is quite different than picking up a briefcase you forget you had a loaded weapon in. Now maybe your point is, perhaps the man forget he had ammo in his pocket and tried to board the plane? That was his claim.
I agree, it could happen, especially considering the fact he was traveling to his father?s funeral. Yet some of the bullets had been modified for some reason and he claimed he was given the jacket with the ammo in it. I know if someone gave me a jacket I would check to assure there were no belonging left in it from the previous owner.
Ironically enough the man is/was an airport security officer. All the circumstances, could, I suppose be blamed on grief, to me it sounds strange. And the congressman IMO was extraordinarily neglectful and foolish. Again, UK law and US law are two different animals. Part of Alan?s point. He is asking that it not be sensationalized as others do like the girl with drugs in school and the political spin but on many situations.
I do have to say that the ruling was IMO too harsh, but part of the opinion here should be said to the congressman:
He told Alwasila a prison sentence was "essential as a punishment to you and as a deterrent to others who may carelessly or recklessly carry firearms or ammunition on an aircraft".
Cassi