Not Everything is for Television
Last Thursday, a television crew went to the Newark Liberty International Airport with the sole intention of passing a fake explosive through airport security undetected while covertly filming the deed. I'm not sure what this crew expected would happen, but I am sure they were surprised to find that the TSA doesn't take explosives in an airport lightly.
The group of seven were arrested at the airport after TSA agents did find the suspicious item in a carry-on bag. The item had "all the makings of an improvised explosive device" according to officials.
It is not currently confirmed which TV network the crew is associated with, but sources close to the story told NJ.com that the crew members were from a Dutch production company called Endemol Shine Group, responsible for shows such as "Fear Factor," "The Biggest Loser," and "Deal or No Deal."
“We are looking into the details of what happened as a matter of priority and are in contact with relevant authorities on the ground," A spokesman for the Endemol Shine Group said in a statement to NJ.com. "While this process is ongoing we are unable to comment further but in the meantime, we sincerely apologize for any disruption caused.”
Law enforcement said that the group would most likely be charged by Essex County Prosecutor's Office. TSA said they could face civil penalties of more than $13,000 for each security violation.
“This type of stunt is reckless, dangerous, uninformed and totally insensitive to the reality of the terror threat we face. It is the equivalent to yelling ‘Fire!’ in a crowded theater or using a toy gun to rob a bank and then claiming that it was just a toy, just to see what happens,” Tom Carter, TSA’s federal security director for New Jersey, said Friday in a statement. “There is simply no excuse for trying to do something like this knowing it had the great potential to cause panic with the intention of turning that panic into a reality show. The reality is that all of these individuals were arrested and face heavy civil penalties as well.”
Posted by Sydny Shepard on Jan 22, 2018