Laser beams being aimed at airliners?

Larry Dighera wrote:

On Tue, 4 Jan 2005 09:48:13 -0800, "gatt"
wrote in ::

Punch a few bullet holes in the nose or
wing of a jetliner that's landing or taking off. I know a couple of
locations that would be perfect, and escape without detection would be
trivial.

These days, in the metropolitan areas there are microphones on every
traffic-controlled intersection that can be used to triangulate the
report of the weapon to determine its location. Lasers don't make a
sound.

And now this from CNN:
http://tinyurl.com/497uv

Of course I'm glad they caught this guy but this part is troubling:

"Federal authorities Tuesday used the Patriot Act to charge a man with
pointing a laser beam at an airplane overhead and temporarily blinding the
pilot and co-pilot......

.....[he] admitted to federal agents that he pointed the light beam at a jet
and a helicopter over his home near Teterboro Airport last week.......

......According to the FBI, the Patriot Act does not describe helicopters as
``mass transportation vehicles.'' As for why Banach was not charged with
some other offense over the helicopter incident, Michael Drewniak, a
spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office, did not immediately return calls
for comment.....

.......But federal officials have said there is no evidence any the current
incidents represent a terrorist plot."


So they don't have anything else about interfering with air traffic besides
the "Patriot" Act?

And why would I believe anyone who claims the "Patriot" Act won't be abused,
just go ahead and renew it?

--
Frank....H