February theme: Aviation securityFBI worried about surge in sales of book detailing airport security gaps
A book detailing gaps in airport security enjoys a surprising surge in sales; the FBI, which keeps track of sales of books which may benefit terrorists — and also of similar library books being checked out — wants to know more
Counterterrorist analysts at the FBI have been monitoring the sales of books dealing with aviation and other security issues. The bureau recently sent a letter to Prometheus Books in New York to inquire about a recent spike in sales of a title critical of gaps in airport security. The book, Aviation Insecurity: The New Challenges of Air Travel, by Andrew Thomas, saw a surge in orders in the fourth quarter, raising a red flag at the FBI. Originally published in 2003, the paperback gives a close examination of security missteps at Boston’s Logan International Airport, and paints a bleak picture of the security apparatus under the FAA and the airlines in the run-up to the 9/11 hijackings. In addition, it warns of continued vulnerabilities in the new aviation security system.
The 263-page book also includes an FAA executive summary from 9/11, first revealed in WND, that states that one of the hijackers shot a passenger aboard American Airlines Flight 11. More than 500 copies of the book were purchased in a short period in late November, an official familiar with the FBI inquiry said. It still is unclear who was trying to buy up available copies of the title. Thomas, the book’s author, declined comment. Thomas is an assistant professor at the University of Akron in Ohio. The FBI keeps a list of security books in addition to Thomas’s book, and tracks the titles through sales and distribution channels. Libraries also are monitored for activity and interest in the listed titles.
