In the news earlier this week .... Airport security officers have been advised to look out for terrorists doing "dry runs" - practicing to carry explosive components onto aircraft. The alerts were based on four separate incidents at different airports where people had been found carrying strange things. Investigations are continuing.
The four seizures were described this way:
* San Diego, July 7. A U.S. person -- either a citizen or a foreigner legally here -- checked baggage containing two ice packs covered in duct tape. The ice packs had clay inside them rather than the normal blue gel.
* Milwaukee, June 4. A U.S. person's carryon baggage contained wire coil wrapped around a possible initiator, an electrical switch, batteries, three tubes and two blocks of cheese. (The bulletin said block cheese has a consistency similar to some explosives.)
* Houston, Nov. 8, 2006. A U.S. person's checked baggage contained a plastic bag with a 9-volt battery, wires, a block of brown clay-like minerals and pipes.
* Baltimore, Sept. 16, 2006. A couple's checked baggage contained a plastic bag with a block of processed cheese taped to another plastic bag holding a cellular phone charger.
While it is possible that the two cheese incidents were part of a new cheese-smuggling ring, it's not likely.
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