I was pleased to see your coverage of the important issue of gaps in the airport security “safety net,” as exemplified by the story “Airports still vulnerable to terrorism, critics warn” (Main news, Nov. 25).
Your readers should be aware, however, that bomb detectors as efficient and reliable as X-ray machines do in fact exist today. Security systems made by our firm, American Science and Engineering, Inc., incorpor-ating our patented Backscatter X-ray technology, are used by law-enforcement agencies and private corporations around the globe to detect plastic explosives and plastic weapons. These systems can be used in airports without any modifications and would add to the safety of air travel.
Our systems can also be used to scan air cargo, most of which goes unscreened at the present time, creating a weak link in our air travel security system.
