(StellaStar) wrote:

Ever hear the saying "ignorance of the law is no excuse"?

http://www.tsa.gov/public/display?theme=177

Partial quote: "Prohibited items are weapons, explosives, incendiaries, and
include items that are seemingly harmless but may be used as weapons - the
so-called "dual use" items. You may not bring these items to security
checkpoints without authorization....

If you bring a prohibited item to the checkpoint you may be criminally and/or
civilly prosecuted or at the least asked to rid yourself of the item. A
screener and/or Law Enforcement Officer will make this determination depending
on what the item is and the circumstances. This is because bringing a
prohibited item to a security checkpoint - even accidentally - is illegal.

While a Leatherman may be pretty obvious, some things seem pretty
arbitrary. At work we are required to use security cables for our
laptops. We have been warned to pack them in checked luggage as a
number of people have had them confiscated from carry on. Apparently
the justification was that they could be used to strangle someone. For
some reason power cables, and indeed shoelaces and belts are OK though
:-)