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→History: Added references and more specifics to Feb. 22 2009 Seattle-Tacoma airport laser incident |
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Then in late 2004 and early 2005, came a significant increase in reported incidents linked to laser pointers. The wave of incidents may have been triggered in part by "copycats" who read press accounts of laser pointer incidents. In one case, David Banach of New Jersey was charged under federal [[Patriot Act]] anti-terrorism laws, after he allegedly shone a laser pointer at aircraft.<ref>[http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2005-01-04-laser-aircraft_x.htm USATODAY.com - N.J. man charged with aiming laser at aircraft:By Alan Levin (Posted 1/4/2005 12:41 PM)]</ref>
Responding to the incidents, the [[Congressional Research Service]] issued a study on the laser "threat to aviation safety and security."<ref name="CRSreport"/> Because there was no federal law specifically banning deliberate laser illumination of aircraft, Congressman [[Ric Keller]] introduced H.R. 1400, the "Securing Airplane Cockpits Against Lasers Act of 2005."<ref>[http://keller.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=34996 U.S. Congressman Ric Keller : 8th District Of Florida:Committee Passes Keller Pilot Protection Bill (Washington, Sep 29, 2005)]</ref> The bill was passed by the U.S. House and Senate, but did not go to conference and thus did not become law. <ref>[http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h109-1400 H.R. 1400 (109th): Securing Aircraft Cockpits Against Lasers Act of 2005 (GovTrack.us)]</ref> In 2007, Keller re-introduced the bill as H.R. 1615.
On March 28 2008, a "coordinated attack" took place using four green laser pointers aimed at six aircraft landing at the [[Sydney]] ([[New South Wales]]) Australia airport. <ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/citys-worst-laser-attacks-on-aircraft/2008/03/29/1206207485440.html "City's worst laser attacks on aircraft", Frank Walker, March 30 2008, smh.com.au]</ref><ref>[http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23453714-5005961,00.html Laser 'cluster' attacks Sydney planes | Herald Sun (March 29, 2008 10:37pm)]</ref>. As a result of this attack plus others, a law was proposed in mid-April 2008 in NSW to ban possession of handheld lasers, even "harmless classroom pointers".<ref>[http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/backlash-over-ban-on-laser-pointers/2008/04/21/1208742851975.html Backlash over ban on laser pointers - National - smh.com.au (Jordan Baker Chief Police Reporter April 22, 2008)]</ref><ref>[http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/04/21/australia-takes-on-laser-lunatics/?hp Australia Takes On Laser Lunatics(April 21, 2008, 10:52 am By Mike Nizza)- The Lede - New York Times Blog]</ref> The Australian state of [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]] has reportedly had a similar ban since 1998, but press reports state that it is easy to buy lasers without a permit. <ref>[http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,23577920-662,00.html Laser pointers ban spread (April 22, 2008 12:00am) Herald Sun]</ref>
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