LAX screeners fail 75% of bomb-detection tests

Nico Melendez, spokesman for the Transportation Security Administration, said he could not directly respond to reports of documents leaked to USA Today because they were classified. But Melendez said TSA officials were also not disputing the facts of the article.

The classified documents reportedly show security failures at two of the nation's largest airports: LAX and Chicago's O'Hare International Airport, where screeners missed more than 60% of fake bombs hidden on undercover agents posing as passengers.

Melendez said the article was based on tests conducted in 2006, and that he considered the results "old."

"These tests are designed to show our failures, our vulnerabilities" and so the 75% figure is only a snapshot, Melendez said.

The tests are designed to be tough enough so that screeners fail and if they were too easy, screeners would catch the explosives each time, Melendez said.

At LAX, screeners are given four hours of security training each week. The fourth hour is specifically devoted to detecting improvised explosive devices.

When screeners fail tests, Melendez said they get sent to remedial training until their performance in tests improves.

Jack Keady, a Playa del Rey-based aviation consultant, said airport security officials may be using the wrong techniques to catch terrorists.

"If you make anything innocuous-looking enough, you can usually get by," Keady said. "Because the only screening method they have is looking through the TV screen."

Keady said that random searches may be one of the best ways for officials to catch terrorists. Currently, a designation of a passenger as "4S" means they are subject to a random search.

Keady said that if someone makes it through the initial screening, there is no formal way to catch them. He suggested random secondary checks at boarding gates before takeoff.

ari.bloomekatz@latimes.com

molly.hennessy-fiske@latimes.com