TSA says stun guns suitable for deployment on planes WASHINGTON (AP) =97 The Transportation Security Administration says=20 non-lethal stun guns could be allowed on airplanes as another layer of security. In a report to Congress, the=20 agency said electronic shock devices could be an effective deterrent=20 against hijackers. But it deferred a decision on whether to approve=20 requests by United Airlines and Mesa Air Group to let their pilots carry=20 the weapons. Mesa Air Group operates America West Express, US Airways=20 Express and Mesa Airlines. "We see electrical shock devices as having the potential to contribute to=20 our layers of security, but when it comes to deploying any weapons systems= =20 on aircraft, we owe it to the traveling public to make sure we do it=20 safely," TSA spokesman Robert Johnson said Monday. United and Mesa are the= =20 only airlines that have asked the TSA for permission to arm pilots with=20 stun guns. In considering the proposals, the TSA needs to come up with=20 rules on who will be trained to use the weapons, what kind of training will= =20 be required, and whether the stun guns will be stored in cockpits or=20 cabins. Congress created TSA after the Sept. 11 attacks and gave it the=20 power to decide whether to allow pilots to carry guns or non-lethal=20 weapons. After the TSA decided against arming pilots, Congress overrode the= =20 Bush administration and enacted a law allowing pilots to volunteer to carry= =20 guns. Several dozen have been trained and are carrying guns in the cockpit. Last Friday, the TSA sent Congress the report saying stun guns could be=20 allowed. Johnson said the look at stun guns was part of a study of all=20 kinds of non-lethal weapons, including chemical systems. "Basically, we=20 opened James Bond's closet and took a look at everything in it to see what= =20 would be appropriate to put on board an aircraft in the name of security,"= =20 Johnson said. "Electronic shock devices were the only technology that would= =20 improve our ability." A study last year by the National Institute of=20 Justice found that such weapons could allow flight crews to stop=20 hijackings, but more tests were needed. Johnson said the TSA still is=20 working out the details of the United and Mesa proposals before giving them= =20 the OK. "The airlines should see this report as a positive step forward=20 and can expect a decision on their proposal soon," he said. "We're=20 confident we will be able to resolve these questions." *************************************************** The owner of Roger's Trinbago Site/TnTisland.com Roj (Roger James) escape email mailto:ejames@xxxxxxxxx Trinbago site: www.tntisland.com Carib Brass Ctn site www.tntisland.com/caribbeanbrassconnection/ Steel Expressions www.mts.net/~ejames/se/ Mas Site: www.tntisland.com/tntrecords/mas2003/ Site of the Week: http://www.natalielaughlin.com/ TnT Webdirectory: http://search.co.tt *********************************************************