Video Of Much Of The Incident Posted To His Blog

John Tyner's trip through security at the San Diego Airport started out normally enough, but when he refused screening by the full-body backscatter scanner, it set in motion a series of events that ended with him being escorted from the airport.

About the only positive thing to come out of the incident so far was that American Airlines refunded his "non-refundable" ticket.

Tyner, a resident of Oceanside, CA, who blogs as "Johnny Edge," was on his way to go pheasant hunting in South Dakota, according to SignOn San Diego. In the security line at the airport, he was one of those randomly selected for additional screning by a backscatter scanning device. Tyner, for what ever reason, activated the video recorder on his smart phone before it went through the x-ray scanner, but after he knew he had been selected for additional screening, which allowed him to capture much of the incident. The video is also posted on his blog. Not much can be seen, but the audio is quite clear.

On the video, which has been viewed tens of thousands of times, you can hear the TSA agent describe the pat-down, and Tyner is heard saying "if you touch my junk, I'll have you arrested." The screener said "we're going have to get a supervisor over here because of your statement."

Tyner recounts on his blog, and the audio from the YouTube video confirms, that supervisors were called, as well as a uniformed police officer. He says he was told by a TSA agent that he "gave up a lot of rights" when he purchased a ticket for travel on an airline, and if he objected to the pat-down screening "you don't have to fly today." Tyner told the TSA screener that the "enhanced" pat-down, which on men includes touching the groin area, would be considered a sexual assault "if you weren't the government." He said that he was happy to submit to the metal detector and standard pat-down, as many others were doing as the incident occurred, but the TSA representative made it clear than once he was pulled aside for enhanced screening, there was no option other than the full body scan, the more intrusive pat-down, or leaving the airport. The TSA Security Manager for San Diego Airport, Mr. David Silva, eventually gave the order to escort Tyner from the airport.

After Mr. Tyner's ticket, which he said had been paid for by his father-in-law, was refunded, he said that a TSA representative told him that he would still have to re-enter the screening area and be patted down before he could leave because he might be carrying an explosive device. He refused, and was threatened by the TSA representative with a civil suit and a $10,000 fine. He continued to refuse, and asked if he was being detained. He says when he was again told that TSA would bring a civil suit, he replied "you bring that case" and left the airport.

The video seems to substantiate much of the story. There is no word as to whether charges will be filed against Tyner.

FMI: www.johnnyedge.blogspot.com