Copyright 2002 The Washington Post

The Washington Post
August 20, 2002 Tuesday
Final Edition
SECTION: A SECTION; Pg. A02

LENGTH: 570 words

HEADLINE: Airports Push for Deadline Extension

BYLINE: Sara Kehaulani Goo, Washington Post Staff Writer

BODY:


Directors of 133 U.S. airports urged senators yesterday to delay a requirement that all passenger luggage be screened for explosives by the end of the year, a request that comes only days after James M. Loy, head of the Transportation Security Administration, said he may support efforts to push back the deadline.

Last month, as part of legislation to create a Cabinet-level Homeland Security Department, the House moved the luggage-screening deadline to Dec. 31, 2003.

Meanwhile, two Massachusetts men who were doing work for Airtag Inc. of Cedar Grove, N.J., were indicted yesterday in federal courts in Boston and Providence, R.I., for allegedly attempting to bribe TSA officials who were testing the company's luggage-screening equipment at T.F. Green Airport in Providence.

These developments came as the TSA raced to meet new requirements to improve airport security and prevent hijackings. They demonstrate the challenges faced by the agency, which is under pressure from airports to abandon policies that could cause delays and to quickly approve new technologies that could help both security and efficiency.

Under a law passed by Congress in November, the TSA must screen all checked luggage for explosives by Dec. 31.

In yesterday's letter -- signed by managers of major airports, including Baltimore-Washington International and Washington Dulles International -- officials said the TSA plan "involves squeezing both equipment and personnel into already-congested airport ticket lobbies."

As a result, said the letter, at some airports, "it is estimated that passenger delays could exceed three hours during peak travel times."

Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) has proposed legislation similar to the version in the House, but key Senate Democrats are opposed.

Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ernest F. Hollings (D-S.C.) may consider delays on a case-by-case basis, his spokesman Andy Davis said, but he is wary of granting a blanket delay.

In testimony before Congress in July, Loy said he intended to meet the deadline. But last week, he told some airport directors that he was growing skeptical about the timetable, given the current budget constraints.

Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta said in May that the TSA, which is part of the Transportation Department, needed $ 4.4 billion. But Congress authorized only $ 3.85 billion on the recommendation of Mitchell E. Daniels Jr., director of the Office of Management and Budget.

In yesterday's indictments, Darrall Loren Redburn of Weymouth, Mass., and Angelo M. Troisi of Peabody, Mass., are accused of conspiring to offer payments of $ 1,000 to TSA employees testing Airtag equipment.

The men were arrested yesterday by agents of the Transportation Department's inspector general. Neither is an employee of Airtag. Redburn worked for an Airtag contractor, according to the U.S. attorney's office in Providence. It did not release details of Troisi's employment, and his attorney, John Wall, said he did not know further details.

Airtag makes a plastic clip and a plastic tag that can be attached to the zipper of luggage to show that it has been screened. To open the luggage, the clip or tag must be cut.

William Dimitri, an attorney for Redburn, said his client pleaded not guilty yesterday. Wall said his client will plead not guilty later this week.

An employee at Airtag reached yesterday said he was unaware of the indictments.

LOAD-DATE: August 20, 2002