Airport Security Workers Probed
By JONATHAN D. SALANT
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - The government is checking the backgrounds of security workers who screen passengers at the 20 largest U.S. airports, including the three where the terrorist hijackers took off on Sept. 11.
The Federal Aviation Administration and the parent Transportation Department's inspector general also plan a separate audit of the screeners employed by Argenbright Security Inc., which operates at 14 airports.
The investigations were announced Friday after federal prosecutors charged Argenbright with failing to adequately check employees' backgrounds.
Argenbright handles passenger screening at Washington Dulles and Newark International airports, where two of the four hijacked flights originated. The company also provides security at Boston's Logan Airport, but does not work for United or American, the airlines whose planes were hijacked there and crashed into New York's World Trade Center towers.
Federal prosecutors said Argenbright had hired convicted criminals to staff security checkpoints at Philadelphia International Airport even after the company was fined $1 million last year for failing to check the backgrounds of its employees.
In filing a motion against Argenbright on Thursday, U.S. Attorney Patrick Meehan said inspectors found the company also failed to do adequate background checks of employees at 13 other airports.
Meehan said he wanted new sanctions, including an order that the company regularly audit its work force and fingerprint all employees.
Argenbright President Bill Barbour said the company was willing to make the changes, including fingerprinting of employees. He denied that the problems were widespread.
The Transportation Department announced it was sending an enforcement team to the Philadelphia airport to make sure security officers receive thorough background checks before being hired.
In addition to Boston, Newark and Washington Dulles, the joint FAA-inspector general teams will visit Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Columbus, Ohio; Detroit; Las Vegas; Los Angeles; New York LaGuardia; Philadelphia; Phoenix; Seattle; Trenton, N.J.; and Washington Reagan National.
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On the Net: Transportation Department inspector general: http://www.oig.dot.gov
Federal Aviation Administration: http://www.faa.gov
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