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Opinion: Aviation security depends on detecting the threats from within

We've made it harder for an attacker to get through a passenger check-in. But what about insiders who already have permission to be there?

On Sept. 30, the co-pilot of a Flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv attacked the captain with a cockpit crash axe and tried to seize control of the aircraft, according to the United Arab Emirates’ prosecutor general. Emirati authorities have described it as an attempted terrorist attack. The investigation must establish the full circumstances, including motive and any outside connections.

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Americans should pay attention. September 11 demonstrated that an aircraft can become a weapon, with consequences far beyond the passengers on board. An attack on a flight to Israel may appear to be a regional security problem. The vulnerability it exposes belongs to the entire aviation system.

Opinion: Aviation security depends on detecting the threats from within Back to video

Columnist Jesse Kline keeps you up to date with what’s happening in Israel and the effects of antisemitism on life here in Canada. Friday mornings.

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We have spent decades making it harder for an attacker to get through the passenger checkpoint. The insider threat starts with someone who already has permission to be there.

Pilots, maintenance workers, baggage handlers and catering staff perform essential jobs. Their access is necessary for aviation to function. It also places a particular responsibility on those who employ them, issue their credentials and evaluate security concerns. A trusted position cannot become a reason to stop asking whether that trust remains justified.

The bombing of Metrojet Flight 9268 is a warning. On Oct. 31, 2015, the Russian airliner was destroyed after taking off from Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport in Egypt, killing all 224 people aboard. ISIS claimed responsibility. Reuters later reported suspected involvement by airport insiders, including a mechanic and a baggage handler; Egyptian officials disputed the reported arrests and suspicions. Those allegations should not be treated as settled fact. Airports must........

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