Daughter of 9/11 victim says 'foolish' to deny evolving terror threat in aviation

[News_Editor]

Daughter of 9/11 victim says 'foolish' to deny evolving terror threat in aviation

2010-11-18 06:03:20 GMT+7 (ICT)

BOSTON (BNO NEWS) -- The daughter of a woman who died when terrorists crashed her plane into the North Tower of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001 said on Wednesday that it would be foolish to deny the threat of terrorism, arguing in light of recent criticism that aviation security is needed.

Carie Lemack is the daughter of Judy Larocque, who died aboard American Airlines Flight 11 after it had been hijacked by five al-Qaeda terrorists. Lemack is the co-founder of 'Families of September 11, Inc', an organization founded by the families of those who died in the attacks.

Lemack was responding to recent criticism about invasive security procedures of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) at airports. The criticism followed after a California man was thrown out of San Diego International Airport when he refused a full-body scan.

The incident happened on Saturday morning when John Tyner, 31, was about to fly to South Dakota with his father-in-law until a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officer directed him towards one of the recently installed full-body scanners. He refused, citing health concerns and invasion of privacy.

Tyner was instead offered a basic pat down, which he agreed to, but then refused a groin check. "You touch my junk and I'm going to have you arrested," he told the TSA officer. He was eventually not allowed to board his plane and later published an audio recording of the events online.

But Lemack argued that the security measures at airport are necessary. "The biggest insult to those murdered on September 11, 2001 is to ignore the lessons we have learned to prevent future attacks," she said, adding that she feels obligated to implore those opposing aviation security measures. "To deny the evolving threat we face is foolish," she added.

Lemack agreed that no one wishes to have to go through in-depth security measures in order to board a commercial aircraft, but said the 'difficult truth' is that the threat to commercial aviation continues.

"The difficult truth is that the threat to commercial aviation continues, and perhaps has grown, since the tragic day more than nine years ago when my mother and nearly 3,000 others lost their lives because those who were in charge of aviation security did not take the threat, nor their obligations to prevent attacks, seriously," Lemack said.

Lemack said U.S. citizens should engage in a healthy debate about providing the appropriate measures to 'meet the threat we face.' "However, we cannot denigrate those who dedicate their careers to keeping us safe," she said. "Instead, we need to join together to counter the threat, and keep in mind that we are all in this together."

Lemack further argued that the safety and security of U.S. citizens is not a political issue. "We owe it to our fellow citizens to be realistic about the threat still posed, and the innovative ways we can counter it," she said. "It will take an attitude of cooperation, not division to succeed and thrive in the current landscape in which we live."

On September 11, 2001, two hijacked airliners crashed into both towers of the World Trade Center in New York. Another airliner crashed into the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., while a fourth crashed in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.

Nearly 3,000 people from scores of countries were killed in the attacks, which was the deadliest terrorist attack in history. It led to the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan, where a war against the Taliban and other insurgent groups continue.

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