These days one requires a permit, and a three day waiting period, just to acquire a pair of boxcutters in the United States. And thankfully, nail clippers and plastic knives have been recognized for the deadly weapons they are, and frequent flyers can feel safe knowing that their transport is free of such dangers.
But yesterday...
A would be hijacker armed with wooden stakes stabbed two flight attendants as he tried to break into the cockpit of an Australian Qantas jetliner, apparently in an attempt to crash the plane. Cabin crew and passengers managed to overpower him as he attempted to storm the cockpit while shouting threats and brandishing two 15-centimetre stakes (about 6 inches). He stabbed the flight attendants as they tried to push him back. The male attendant, in his 30s, had a gash in the back of his head and other cut. A female flight attendant, in her 20s, had facial cuts and two passengers were also slightly injured as they and the crew restrained the man and bound his hands with plastic straps. Officials say the attack was not terrorism related, and the Australian Transport Minister called it a "lesson about unforeseen tools being used" since the weapons made it through security checks. "We'll leave no stone unturned; plainly we don't want to see a repeat of this." View the entire story here
Photographs taken at the crime scene show the stakes to be of the variety used to kill vampires...
Experts from the U.S. were on scene to examine the evidence and provide support to the Australian investigators...
Hours later, a composite was released...
In response to tighter airport restrictions, hijackers have begun development on a new top-secret weapon, designed to fool airport security...
What's next?,
- The Madd Monk
Source Material:
CTV.ca, "Australian flight attendants stabbed in scuffle", 05/29/03
Stakes and Stones... 
