Air-scare pupil drinks homework

Airport security has been tight since terrorist attacks

A pupil in the United States is claiming airport security guards made him drink a murky sample of river water gathered for his biology homework.

Worried about what might be contained in his drinking container, airport officials in Aspen, Colorado are alleged to have asked the teenage boy to show that it was really water by drinking it.

Since the terrorist attacks of 11 September, passengers are required to show that any on-board liquids are not dangerous.

The pupil, Elliot Gosko, who had gathered the sample for a biology project at his Pennsylvania high school, says he agreed to drink the water.

He had been visiting his grandparents and had hoped to gain extra credits for bringing back the sample.

Nausea

But he has since missed two days of school because of nausea and is now believed to be undergoing tests for stomach illnesses.

This is in response to concerns that he could be suffering from giardia, an infection contracted through untreated water.

But representatives of the Federal Aviation Administration said that security officials were not aware that this was untreated river water.

"If we had been told it was creek water there is no way we would have asked him to take a swig of it, unless we had reason to believe it was something else," said FAA spokesperson, Mike Fergus.

And there were also statements from airport security saying that while there was a requirement to check liquids being taken on board, there was no obligation for passengers to drink anything.