Security flap arises over nipple ring removal
Washington Times


March 29, 2008

By Audrey Hudson - The Transportation Security Administration (TSA)
yesterday stood by its decision to require a Texas airline passenger to
remove a nipple ring with pliers before boarding a flight, but says more
discreet screening procedures may allow sensitively placed piercings to
be worn in the future.

"TSA acknowledges that our procedures caused difficulty for the
passenger involved and regrets her discomfort with the situation," said
TSA spokesman Christopher White.

"In the future, TSA's procedures will meet the security need while
giving additional flexibility for this kind of screening situation," Mr.
White said. "This could include a visual inspection without removal."

Mandi Hamlin, 37-year-old graphics artist, said she was forced to remove
the nipple ring with pliers on Feb. 24 before boarding Southwest Flight
35 from Lubbock, Texas, to Dallas.

Gloria Allred, Ms. Hamlin's lawyer, read from a letter to the TSA during
a video teleconference Thursday asking the TSA's Office of Civil Rights
and Liberties to investigate the incident.

"After nipple rings are inserted, the skin can often heal around the
piercing, and the rings can be extremely difficult and painful to
remove," Ms. Allred said in the letter.

"Still crying, she informed the TSA officer that she could not remove it
without the help of pliers, and the officer gave a pair to her," said
Ms. Allred.

"This encounter was one that she will never forget," Ms. Allred said.
"The conduct of TSA was cruel and unnecessary. The last time that I
checked a nipple was not a dangerous weapon."

Mr. White said security screeners properly followed procedures during
the incident when they asked Ms. Hamlin to remove the piercings. One was
removed easily, but the skin had grown over the second piercing stud and
Ms. Hamlin asked for the pliers to remove it.

The TSA defended the extra scrutiny, saying that terrorists have hidden
dangerous items in "sensitive areas of the body" in the past.

"We have a duty to the American public to resolve any alarm that we
discover," Mr. White said. "Incidents of female terrorists hiding
explosives in sensitive areas are on the rise all over the world. This
scenario must be addressed at our nation's airports."

On Nov 28, 2007, in Sri Lanka, a woman linked to the Tamil Tiger
terrorist organization, detonated a bomb from her bra killing herself
and one other.

TSA's Web site informs passengers that body piercing may prompt
additional screening procedures and that they may be asked "to remove
your body piercing in private as an alternative to a pat-down search."

"Our security officers are well trained to screen individuals with body
piercing in sensitive areas with dignity and respect while ensuring a
high level of security," Mr. White said.


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Ahh, the Bush Administration. We're going to miss the high level of
incompetence.