Terrorism and the Crash of Flight 103

There can be little question that it is inappropriate to make public all threats to airline travel. Were this done, a simple phone call could have dire economic consequences for a targeted airline. Worldwide travel could easily be disrupted, thus creating a terrorist paradise.

What I find disturbing, however, is the selective notification of embassy personnel, or any others, not directly involved in the apprehension of potential terrorists. This situation is remarkably akin to that of insider trading. The latter activity enables a small group of illegally informed people to avoid financial loss by selling unwanted stock to (or to gain financially by purchasing desired stock from) unsuspecting members of the investing public. In the airline case, cancellation of a reservation by an individual notified of a terrorist threat can result in the transfer of that reservation to an unsuspecting member of the traveling public. This selective transfer of potential loss of life is unconscionable and should not be permitted.

MICHAEL HORSTEIN

Los Angeles