Man Dodges JFK Airport Security By…Swimming?
- Posted on August 13, 2012 at 9:00pm by
Mytheos Holt
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NEW YORK (AP) — In an era when airline passengers can’t get past a checkpoint with a bottle of shampoo, security experts were shocked Monday by the case of a man who swam ashore, scaled a fence and walked dripping wet into Kennedy Airport despite a $100 million system of surveillance cameras and motion detectors.
“Thank God it wasn’t a terrorist, but we have to look at it as if we had another attack,” said Isaac Yeffet, former chief of security for Israeli airline El Al. “That‘s the only way we’ll improve the system.”
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which oversees JFK, quickly added police patrols to the airport perimeter and said it is investigating the security breach.
Authorities said the trouble began Friday evening when 31-year-old Daniel Casillo’s jet ski ran out of fuel in Jamaica Bay. Casillo swam toward the bright lights of Kennedy’s runway 4L, which juts out into the bay, then climbed an 8-foot fence that is part of the airport’s state-of-the-art Perimeter Intrusion Detection System, authorities said.
Daniel Casillo (Photo Credit: ABC)
Soaking wet, wearing a bright yellow life jacket, Casillo made his way across two intersecting runways — an estimated distance of nearly two miles — before he was spotted on a terminal ramp by an airline employee, authorities said.
According to the police report, Casillo told an officer: “I needed help!”
The intrusion-detection system, manufactured by defense contractor Raytheon Co., should have set off a series of warnings, said Bobby Egbert, spokesman for the Port Authority police officers union.
“This system is made specifically for those types of threats — water-borne threats,” Egbert said. “It did not detect him climbing over a fence. It did not detect him crossing two active runways.”
Photo credit: Getty
Port Authority police interrogated Casillo and charged him with criminal trespassing. Authorities said the airport grounds were clearly marked with no-trespassing signs that indicate it is a “restricted area for authorized personnel only.”
Casillo was released without bail for a court appearance Oct. 2. A man who answered the phone at the home of Casillo‘s girlfriend said the couple’s lawyer had advised them to stop speaking to the media.
“We have called for an expedited review of the incident and a complete investigation to determine how Raytheon’s perimeter intrusion detection system — which exceeds federal requirements — could be improved,” the Port Authority said in a statement.
The agency offered no explanation of what went wrong or whether it was human error or equipment failure.
A spokesman for Raytheon would not comment.
“The catastrophic failure was that nobody sounded the alarm to go to condition red intruder alert,” said former New York City Detective Nicholas Casale, who was deputy director of security for counterterrorism at the New York metropolitan area’s transit agency.
“Immediately there should’ve been an armed response. Heavy weapons, armored cars to the area that the perimeter was breached. The airport should have been locked down.”
The intrusion-detection system employs sensors, motion detectors and video surveillance, Egbert said. A security guard employed by a private contractor is supposed to keep an eye on the footage from a monitoring room, the union spokesman said. If the guard determines there is a threat, a private security officer is sent to investigate, Egbert said.
From there, it is up to the private security force to decide whether to notify Port Authority police, Egbert said.
The detection system, which was phased in several years ago, has been a source of tension between the Port Authority and the police union. The union contends that manpower — in the form of patrols in the air, on the water and on the ground — is the best way to protect the airport.
“This has all been structured to remove the police from the situation,” Egbert said. “Technology doesn’t catch terrorists. Boots on the ground do.”
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OniKaze
Posted on August 14, 2012 at 12:24pmThis just goes to show you… You cannot EVER be secure… There is only an illusion of security…
Fact is… When someone really wants to do you harm… THEY WILL… Its just a good thing that this guy had no such ill-intentions…
Report Post »therealstory
Posted on August 14, 2012 at 11:31amTSA is so busy feeling up old ladies and babies to watch out for thing like this! Another government run operation that is a joke. The TSA needs to be disbanded !
Report Post »EqualJustice
Posted on August 14, 2012 at 9:07amAGAIN, Billions wasted by the PC police state while the terrorists walk in from Mexico or by using a boat at airports surrounded by water. SO STUPID. Time to PROFILE and put remaining funds toward actual security!
Report Post »sjohn70037
Posted on August 14, 2012 at 9:04amI have been saying this for years: h e TSA is harasses paying customers in airports while nothing but a chain link fence stands between the aircraft and a terrorist. Not to mention the felons and illegal aliens that clean and restock the aircraft. The TSA is just symbolism over substance.
Report Post »Flyingfish
Posted on August 14, 2012 at 8:26amSecurity is not surprisingly pathetic at airports. We used to carry a metal snow shovel in our flight line truck since the card scanners wouldn’t always work at the gates leading to the flightline. All you did was walk up to the gate and throw the shovel over the fence. It would set off the exiting vehicle sensor and you drove right in.
This guy being able to easily walz right in does not suprise me one bit. You could do that at any airport in the country.
Report Post »Chuck Stein
Posted on August 14, 2012 at 2:02amI‘m glad he wasn’t killed by a plane on a runway.
Report Post »Eyes
Posted on August 14, 2012 at 1:50amThe “No Trespassing” warnings mean nothing to a terrorist. He probably couldn’t read it and if he could, he’ll ignore it to complete the mission. But, they need an excuse for the failed program.
Report Post »Listen_then_think
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 10:44pmThe only reason they charged the guy is because he made NY look like the fools they really are. The jet skier should send Bloomberg a bill for being a security consultant and a your welcome for me testing your failed 100 million security system. Man I hate NY. I also hate the TSA bunch of wanna be cops/perverts.
Report Post »LameLiberals
Posted on August 14, 2012 at 5:00amI agree. He was looking for help. There was nothing else in the area but the airport. Instead of helping him, they were embarrassed and charged him.
TSA idiots.
Report Post »Ragnars Repos
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 10:25pmAre you really shocked by this?
Earth to Americans: The TSA is for you, not terrorists.
Report Post »Batjak456
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 10:23pmI GOT IT!!
As demonstrated by all our ‘overly-qualified’ high school grads (and our national debt)…
why not throw more money at it??
Doesn’t it say somewhere “You can BUY security”?
BATJAK456
ALL GAVE SOME
Report Post »SOME GAVE ALL
LeaveMeBe
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 10:10pmThe headline could’ve read… “Over the top police response to minor security breach leads to man’s death.” …. “Joe Blow runs out of gas winds up shutting down half of New York seeking safety.” The response seemed appropriate.
Report Post »weskets
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 9:59pmHmm, Union has been trying to tell them that only their boots on the ground can protect the place. Sounds like they sent him out there to prove their point. Maybe not,could be coincidence i guess..
Report Post »trinklefinder
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 9:39pmThey should be thanking him for highlighting their inept security system that were it breached by terrorists could possibly cost them millions upon millions in lawsuits.
Report Post »BryanB
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 9:56pmThis is what happens when you embarrass the Government.
They prosecute you to the fullest extent of the Law………..
Report Post »rookorami
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 9:39pmThey are going to prosecute him for making them look like fools. They tout this security system and it doesn’t stop Joe Smoe who just ran out of gas. Hard to explain the expenditure on a security system that apparently doesn’t work.
Report Post »True2thereplublic
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 9:29pmI like the way the airport officials blame it on the private security. You need people with eyes watching plane and simple.
Your multi-million $ system failed.
Report Post »Darmok and Jalad at Tanagra
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 9:26pmWow, all that just to keep your junk from getting touched. I bet somewhere there is a Mob boss that was just told, “Daniel Casillo sleeps with the fishes.” Vinny, then who is that on the TV?
Come on, the guy ran out of gas and swam ashore, what the heck, they gave him a ticket because he just embarrassed the heck out of them.
Report Post »NOBALONEY
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 9:12pmTraninig for 2016 Olypic triathlon 2016?
Report Post »JACKTHETOAD
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 9:09pmQ: Why doesn’t Mexico have a good Olympic team?
A: Because everyone that can run, jump or swim is over here.
Report Post »Tri-ox
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 9:08pmThank God that muslims can’t swim.
Report Post »sooner12
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 10:04pmI don’t know if what you said was true, but I got a hell of of laugh out of it.
Report Post »normalmom
Posted on August 13, 2012 at 9:03pmHoly smokes, and to think if he was a terrorist. How many runways could he put IED’s at?
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