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TIZ'fcNBolus On Business•y.; S.-i. . . • .lt;■ i.vSky Marshals Don't TalkBy WILLIAM BOLUSCitizen Business WriterV|Vfii'-.Av2VjI'.-ViI'BViViV*VIVi%- JrVjVI,3-,78_ '/ftV*— 3-'.'8?But They Pay AttentionUA725,7027.4027,6026,7525.6024.45? July20.2530.CS33.7532.5033.CO1135.00H34.303Br?0n3f.uo; May5.743M737.37 37.75 3U7 37.07 34.35 n37.75 r 1673?3076;cb 62;There’s a hush-hush about !ithe.Federal Availion Adroinis-tralion Security Office, scheduled to get new quarters at Tucson International Airporttoday.They don't even like to talk about their role in the prevention and thwarting of air piracy. Robert VYatmore, coordinator of Arizona operations, smiles, a mystical smile and admits reluctantly; that yes, there is a lot going on in the air piracy flight, but lie’s really not at liberty to discuss very much of it.'“I think you can understand,” he says politely, “that we don't want too many of our trade secrets known to would-be skyjackers. It’s difficultenough to catch them as it is.”He’s very nice about the way lie evades your questions, very polite Like most federal agents, but also very firm. Underneath that firm, quiet exterior, you feel that lie’s really a • very nice fellow who’d like very much to give you the story you want, but orders are orders and he has his. So. you try to be just.as nice as lie is, but you turn your questions to some other avenues in the hope that1 maybe he will reveal some inkling as to how his JamesBond, Agent 007-type operation works.Watmore was an airlines pilot for many years. He alsohad a stint as an PAA air traffic controller. The experience gives him the ability to envision from his office what might be going on in the cockpit of a jumbo jet 30,000 feet over the Arizona desert with a nervous skyjacker holding a cocked .45 automatic to the head of the pilot.A staff of U.S. deputy marshals will share lus .office space. Their duties include the screening of passengers before tiiey board planes. They also handle federal prisoners in transport. They undoubtedly uncover and pass along to Watmore much information. .Treasury Department customs security offteers, the formal name given to sky marshals, live a shadowy existence. You never know when one of them — man or woman — might be silling next to you on an airliner disguised as a business traveler, a hippie, a1student, a serviceman, a • housewife.Those iii Arizona are under ; Watmore’s command. Jle can ! call one of them and tell them j simply: “Pack a bag.” They may leave their wives or husbands some morning and not return for GO days. During that time, there might be no word as to their whereabouts. They could be only as far away as Phoenix — or they might be in an airliner over Europe or China.They are expertly trained in unarmed self defense and the use .of pistols. If a skyjacking occurs, it is their job to thwart it if possible, but to protect the passengers at all tost..They may have only to play comforter in soothing a wrought up skyjacker who merely wants to attract attention, or they might have to kill. Decisions must often be made In a fraction of a second.The FA A keeps track of airliners and passes along knowledge of any deviation from the normal flight pattern. Airlines attendants are expert at noting certain types of people psychiatrists say might have .a bent for skyjacking. They give Watmore information, too.If you've ever noticed the pilot and copilot giving the passenger 'compartment a close onee-over you may suspect that they* have good reason. They are also -proficient in spotting skyjacker types. Wat-more declined to say exactly what characteristics arewatched for.The skyjacker who got away with $200,000 ransom by parachuting from an airliner over the Northwest was an exception to the rule. He was after money rather than notoriety or escape to Cuba. Watm.orc does not believe a repeat of that performance would be successful.“We have new safeguards against such an escape,” he smiled mystically again. He declined to elaborate, but a recent news story revealed one of the safeguards — in the future, all. parachutes on airliners will have a- tiny device that emits an easily tracked radar signal.The Border Patrol, which keeps an eye on aliens, works closely with Wa'tmore’s office,as do, FBI and Secret Sendee agents, local police, the sheriffs offices and the Arizona Highway Patrol. ]“Our aim and our hope is to nab the skyjacker before he gets on a plane,” Watmore said. He revealed that in a comparatively short period recently, 140 “possible suspects” were denied access to airplanes in the Tucson area. Of the -total, about 30 were formally charged. Even a jesting remark can result in arrest.“That might seem harsh to some, but skyjacking is serious business and we don’t know at the time the remark is made whether it is a joke or not'. We prefer not to consider such remarks a joke,” Watmore explained.The maker of such remarks, whether jesting or not, may be prosecuted in Federal Court. Experience has shown that whether he is prosecuted or not, lie pays dearly in delay and inconvenience. He usually must miss his flight, and frequently must undergo extensive questioning.A look at the categories of charges investigated by Wat-more* s' office gives some idea of the scope of 'his duties. They include weapons possession, bomb reports, explosions, air piracy, disturbances at the airport or with crews, narcotics possession, illegal aliens, smuggling, wanted suspects and an innocuous tittle category called profile. The last, while Wat-more didn’t want to comment about it, covers a multitude of seemingly insignificant items which mean little whenviewed separately but might mean a lot when put together with other facts. They include such things as nervous habits, mode of dress, stammering orhalting speech.It adds up to a lot of hands in the antiskyjacker pot, and that's good for Tucson business. It's comforting to know that the amiable “businessman” on the plane next to you could be a sky' marshal.CPennzoilUnitedDIVIDEND NOTICEThe following dividends have been declared:20£ per share on the Common Stock of the Company payable on March 15, 1972 to stockholders of record at the close of business on February 29, 1972.33% £ per share on the $1.33% Cumulative Preference CommonStock of the Company payable on April 1. 1972 to stockholders of record at the close of business on February 29, 1972,39%e per share on the $1.58% Cumulative Preference Common Stock of the Company payable on April 1; '1972 to stockholders of record at the dose of business February 29, 1972.R. B. BERRYMAN Corporate SecretaryJanuary 18.1972Pennzoil United, Inc. 900 Southwest Tower Houston, Texas 77003Downtown Property OwnersHave you SOLD or PURCHASED Rea! Estate In the downtown area during the last three years. We need the location, description and price for our Tax Equalization Program.Information Will Be ConfidentialsoC. NICHOLS ENGHEERWG CO. HC. ESTABLISHED 1946HEATING AR C0NDITI0NWG PJEfTfl SALES — SERVICEPHONEPlease mail before Jan. 22nd.To; Roy J. Miller, ChairmanDowntown Tax Equalization Com Suite 1009 ... 32 No. Stone Tucson, Ariz. 85701
Newspaper Details
Tucson Daily Citizen
Tucson, Arizona, US
Wed, Jan 19, 1972
Page 85
Full Page
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WV, USA 05 May 2020
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