A day after word broke that federal agents were examining the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport prior to federal screeners taking over security in November came word that four private screeners had been fired for missing items secretly brought through checkpoints by agents.

The Transportation Security Administration sent the agents through the airport as part of its nationwide effort leading up to the feds taking over security screenings and guarding checkpoints at more than 100 airports around the country.

"I don't want to give the testing protocols, I mean obviously we want to keep that operational security piece safe," Ken Kasprisin told a local Twin Cities television station. "But they were devices that could cause harm, but they were not real significant.

"Small enough that they would have caused alarms and they should have been caught," he said.

Each of the fired screeners missed an item.

Tuesday's announced security examination also included eyeing the location and equipment used at the checkpoints and for baggage.