Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Lost In Translation

How does one say "Sorry" in Slovakian?

Ah sure and the unfortunate Slovak speaks English after four years in Ireland. Stand the man to a pint at the local and all will be forgiven.

An electrician from Slovakia was returning to Ireland after spending time with the folks back home, only to be picked by local officials as one of eight Grand Prize Winners.

The lucky man had 3 oz. of plastic explosives tucked into his personal luggage, all without his knowledge.

Don't the Slovaks just love to spring surprises on people? Great partiers, those Slovaks.

Seven stashes of dangerous contraband were found, to the joy of Slovakia's anti-terror squad. Airport security was working. To a large extent.

The electrician managed to land at Dublin Airport with his RDX undetected, however. The Slovakian government then had to ring up Dublin to let them know that, so sorry, our bad, but there's a man with enough explosives to turn a corner of Dublin into rubble and could the gardai maybe stop in and retrieve it?

Retrieve it? A nation that went through decades of IRA bombings did more than that. Irish authorities raided the man's flat, turned it upside down, evacuated the area, and tossed the unwitting bomb carrier in jail after charging him with terrorism. Up the 'RA indeed!

Minister Dermot Ahern is put out about the Slovaks failing to let him know about the stray explosives for three days, with Irish citizens put at risk by a gang of feckin' eejits in Eastern Europe. What kind of government puts bombs into people's luggage without letting them know? And what kind of moron would think it was a good way to test airport security, anyway?

The Slovakian national has since been released, and is re-considering ever returning to the land of his birth, even though the geniuses in Bratislava managed to convince Irish authorities that the man really and truly was innocent.

Doesn't exactly make us all feel safer about flying, does it?

No comments: