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Brady Campaign Statement on Arming Airline Pilots (9/29/2001)
Josey1
Member Posts: 9,598 ✭✭
Brady Campaign Statement on Arming Airline Pilots (Washington, D.C.) Michael D. Barnes, President of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, today issued the following statement regarding recent proposals to increase airline security by arming pilots of commercial aircraft: "The terrorist attacks of September 11 have inspired, and rightly so, a national debate regarding how best to heighten security at U.S. airports and on commercial flights. In this difficult time, we understand the intense fears of airline pilots, passengers and crew following the horrific hijackings, and we support doing everything we can to strengthen aircraft and airport security. "However, we do have some serious concerns about recent proposals to arm airline pilots. Safety begins with prevention. We need to make sure that armed terrorists are not able to board aircraft in the first place. In addition to dramatically increasing security at the airport (for instance, enhancing cockpit security and intensifying passenger and luggage screening), there are tangible things we can do to make our 'homeland' safer. "These measures include requiring background checks on all gun sales to prevent criminals, and would-be terrorists, from obtaining guns, and retaining records of gun purchases, so that weapons can be traced if they are used in a crime or terrorist act. If we can detect terrorists while they are attempting to amass their arsenals, we can help to prevent future attacks and take a key step forward in the effort to boost the security of all Americans. "Over the coming weeks and months, we can expect to see many proposals geared toward augmenting security on commercial flights. These proposals, in particular the question of whether to arm pilots, should be considered with great care. There are a number of questions that need to be answered before we proceed. Can we ensure that a weapon on an airplane will not fall into the wrong hands? Could firing the gun in a plane compromise its integrity, causing it to crash? When would pilots be authorized to use guns? "The FBI and the Federal Aviation Administration are looking at this issue, and we support their desire to study it. At a minimum, we need to ensure that anyone armed on a plane meets strict qualifications and is trained as a sworn federal law enforcement officer. Air marshals are an appropriate response to stopping terrorism in the air because they are law enforcement officers who are continually trained in firearms safety, appropriate use of force, and shoot/don't-shoot scenarios. Trained air marshals would have one purpose, which is to monitor the airplane and protect the passengers and crew. "Finally, models exist for preventing terrorism on aircraft without arming pilots. One such example is El Al, the Israeli airlines. I have traveled on El Al and was impressed with its security program. While we cannot draw exact parallels between the El Al and the entire U.S. airline industry, we should closely examine all such models and learn from their experience." http://www.bradycampaign.org/press/release.asp?Record=346
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