Airports warned of wristwatch danger

Gazette, The (Colorado Springs), Jan 6, 2005 by PAM ZUBECK THE GAZETTE

National security officials continue to worry about intelligence showing that terrorists might be targeting commercial aviation.

The warning involving airliners came Tuesday when the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI issued a bulletin calling for airport screeners to "keep an eye out for wristwatches containing cigarette lighters or altimeters."

Recent intelligence, the bulletin said, suggests that al-Qaida has expressed interest in obtaining wristwatches with a hidden butane lighter function and Casio watches with an altimeter function that have been extensively used by terrorists as timers for bombs.

Department spokeswoman Valerie Smith played down the bulletin, saying it would be "difficult" to trigger an explosion with a watch.

"We are unaware of any information indicating al-Qaida has developed specific plots to use butane lighters or watches with altimeter functions," she said.

She added that the department and FBI have "credible information about the desire to target commercial aviation."

The bulletin, which was issued to federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and the federal Transportation Security Administration, which oversees airport security, said the Casio brand is likely to be chosen because of its worldwide availability and low price. Casio watches are sold in many stores in Colorado Springs.

The bulletin was paralleled by another report from U.S. counterterrorism officials that said commercial aviation is again a likely target of terrorists.

Passengers can now carry altimeters and lighters onto airliners, but the Homeland Security Department will ban cigarette lighters beyond airport checkpoints beginning Feb. 15 as required by the intelligence reform bill signed by President Bush in December.

Smith said airport screeners won't be likely to confiscate watches but could use the information to help identify suspicious passengers.

"It's one more piece of information to consider when making law enforcement decisions," Smith said, noting that the bulletin is among 160 issued by the Homeland Security Department since it was created in January 2003.

FBI spokeswoman Monique Kelso in Denver said that although passengers shouldn't worry about having their watches taken, agencies take the bulletins seriously.