Who let the dogs out? The LAPD and LAX police did — in order to detect possible terrorists with bombs moving through the airport.

The announcement of the new, specialized canines — the first team of dogs in the nation to focus on possible bomb-carriers walking through an airport — came as news spread that Osama Bin Laden's diaries name-check Los Angeles specifically as a target.

Bin Laden, paraphrased by Associated Press (via LA Observed):

Don't limit attacks to New York City, he said in his writings. Consider other areas such as Los Angeles or smaller cities. Spread out the targets.

Los Angeles or smaller cities? Puleeze, Osama. We're the, er, bomb — the second largest metropolitan region in the United States (actually closer to number one if you consider Santa Barbra to the I.E. to Tijuana) and the home of that American culture industry you so loathe, Hollywood.

Well, it's okay if you don't recognize.

But Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, LAPD Chief Charlie Beck, and LAX police honcho George Centeno were on the case today as they announced the canine team at LAX. (Take that, Osama. Oh yeah, you're dead).

Villaraigosa via press release:

Our highly trained canine bomb detection unit, combined with our additional security measures and protocols, will keep LAX on the cutting edge of airport security. We know that our airport is a terrorist target, and we remain committed to keeping LAX one of the safest airports in America.

What they really need is paparazzi-detecting dogs to ferret out that LAX-dwelling terrorist organization known as TMZ.

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