U.S. air cargo security criticized

NEW YORK, Oct. 24 (UPI) -- A test of airline cargo security in Europe and Brazil shows five of six lead-lined packages shipped to the United States were not opened or X-rayed, CBS said.

Over a 2-month period, CBS News shipped the specially created packages from London, Paris and Rio de Janeiro to various airports in the United States.

While the lead lining would have concealed a bomb from X-rays, the network instead shipped a high-speed type of film that would fog if X-rayed. The packages were also rigged so they would reveal if they had been opened.

Only one -- from Brazil -- had been opened when it arrived, and none showed signs of having been X-rayed, the report said.

However, Robert Jamison, second-in-command at the Transportation Security Administration, said the test didn't accurately represent inspection techniques and procedures, as even without opening cargo, it can be inspected with explosive-detection devices and bomb-sniffing dogs.