Airport Harassment to Increase, May 3 2011

by Ray Massey
UK Daily Mail
(dailymail.co.uk)

You would think that the death of the most famous terrorist of all time would bring about peace, right?  Especially considering the famed story of how the most notorious terrorist who ever lived attacked NYC.  You'd be wrong.  BUT, because Americans (of all people) take all the government nonsense that comes their way, I'll pay you a nickle that nobody does nothin.

Millions of Britons face tougher security checks and longer queues amid fears of reprisals by terrorists seeking to avenge the death of Osama bin Laden.

Full-body ‘nude’ scanners now in use at three UK airports could now be rolled out across the UK by ministers, according to Whitehall insiders.

A small number of the new scanners are already in use at Heathrow, Manchester and Birmingham airports following an attempted suicide bomb attack at Detroit on Christmas Day a year ago.

The new scanners act like a mini radar device that can ‘see’ beneath ordinary clothing but have been strongly criticised by civil liberties campaigners as an invasion of privacy because they reveal ghostly outlines of the most intimate parts of their body.

Three days ago the Government also extended restrictions on passengers carrying liquids on aircraft which were due to expire on April 29. The rules - introduced across Europe in the wake of the Heathrow bomb plot in 2006 - bar passengers from carrying liquids on to planes unless they are in individual containers no bigger than 100ml.

But airline, airport and pilots’ leaders say the Government should also now be less ‘politically correct’ and target the highest risk passengers - based on their age, origin, background and travel plans - rather than maintain the current ‘blanket approach’ that treats all passengers as an equal threat.

Pilots’ leaders warned that airports are a ‘sexy target’ for terrorists and are demanding an urgent and ‘fundamental’ security review following the killing of the Al Qaeda leader.

British Airways chairman Sir Martin Broughton yesterday (MON) won more support for a less politically-correct and ‘one size fits all’ approach to airport security.

Last month he said students from the Yemen - a known hotbed of Al Qaeda support - should face tougher airport checks than ‘trusted frequent flyers’ such as airline pilots, despite official sensitivity about ethnic profiling of potential terrorists.

Travellers should not face long queues ‘in the name of uniformity’, the 64-year-old BA chairman said.

Scan: The devices which can 'see' beneath ordinary clothing have been strongly criticised by civil liberties campaigners

Jim McAuslan, general secretary of the British Airline Pilots’ Association (BALPA) yesterday agreed: ’Resources must be targeted at the greatest threats rather than the current blanket approach.’

He added:’Aviation continues to be under threat because it’s a sexy target.’

The Department for Transport’s security arm Transec is reviewing security on land, sea and air in the wake of bin Laden’s demise.

Foreign Secretary William Hague ordered UK embassies around the world to review their security noting: ”We will still have to be vigilant, even more vigilant, in the coming days about the international terrorist threat.’

A worldwide travel alert issued by the US State Department, which put its embassies on high alert and warned of the heightened possibility for anti-American violence, will also have a knock-on effect on British travellers.

Target: Security levels are already at an 'extremely high level' but they will be kept under constant review

Airport operator BAA which last year carried 104million passengers from its six UK airports - including 65million from Heathrow - said security levels were already at an ‘extremely high level’ but would be kept under constant review.

Passengers going through archways that scan for metal and explosives, while their hand luggage is screened by specialised X-ray machines, also face random checks and ‘unpredictable’ changes - including checks on shoes, computers and mobile phones.

Eurostar carries 9.5 million passengers a year between the UK and the Continent, subjecting passengers to airline style security checks and baggage screening.

It said:’We work very closely with the governments of the UK, France and Belgium. If they tell us to increase security checks, we will do so. But we cannot discuss it.’

A Department for Transport spokesman said the safety of the travelling public was ‘paramount’ and the security regime for the transport network - including rail, Underground, roads, ferries and air - combined intelligence and technology: ’This regime is kept under constant review, but for obvious security reasons we do not comment on the specifics.’

I'm a magician - POOF!  Your freedoms are gone.  Thank you, i'll be here till you die.