"Critics said we couldn't do it -- that we couldn't get a workforce of more than 44,000 screeners hired and trained in time," said Sidney Hayakawa, Transportation Security Administration security director in Honolulu. Hayakawa said a "dark picture" was painted of mass confusion and missed flights. "Once again we've proved the critics wrong," he said.

As of last Tuesday, all six security checkpoints at the Honolulu airport were federalized. Approximately 525 screeners are employed at the airport, and the first of those employees reported to work on Oct. 1.

U.S. Rep. Neal Abercrombie said Hawai'i and the Honolulu airport in particular are among the safest in the nation. "I can assure you, as Honolulu is an international entryway from throughout Asia and the Pacific, that the security here will be the very best," Abercrombie said.

On display at the news conference was a table with dozens confiscated items seized from check in bags, including a box cutter, a lighter made to resemble a pistol, plastic razors and fake hand grenades. Officials said it was a sampling of what screeners typically confiscate in three days of work.

President Bush signed the Aviation and Transportation Seciutity Act one year ago, creating the administratioon in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks. In Washington, D.C., today, Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta said that in one year the agency has put more air marshals on more flights, named 158 security directors and met every mandate set by Congress.

U.S. Attorney Ed Kubo said that last year there were 10,280,307 domestic international and inter-island travelers that departed from Honolulu. Each day there are 28,165 outbound travelers passing through the gates.

"No doubt with such high volume of travelers from this airport, we need to ensure that our flying public is safe," Kubo said.

He said his office will "aggressively prosecute" anyone bringing destructive devices on planes. He also said that his office will arrest and prosecute anyone who threatens to harm security people, any individuals using false documents to travel and anyone assaulting a flying passenger or interfering with flight crews.