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Electronic devices banned on some US flights from Muslim states | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The US has announced a ban on large electronic devices from cabin baggage on passenger flights from eight Muslim-majority countries. | |
Bombs could be hidden in laptops, tablets, cameras, DVD players and electronic games, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said. | |
The measure will affect nine airlines operating out of 10 airports. Phones are exempt from the new rules. | |
The UK is to due to announce shortly a similar ban on certain flights. | |
The Turkish government has said the US ban is wrong and should be reversed. | |
Large electronic devices will only be allowed on board in checked baggage. | |
Passengers on some 50 flights a day from some of the busiest hubs in the Middle East, Turkey and North Africa will be required to follow the new rules. | |
The nine airlines affected are Royal Jordanian, Egypt Air, Turkish Airlines, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Kuwait Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Qatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad Airways. | |
They have been given 96 hours, beginning at 07:00 GMT on Tuesday, to ban devices bigger than a mobile phone or smartphone from cabins, US officials said, adding that the ban had no end date. | |
The airports affected are: | |
EgyptAir said it would start implementing the ban as of Friday. | |
The restriction is based, we are told, on "evaluated intelligence, BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner writes. | |
That means that US intelligence has either intercepted discussion of a possible extremist plot or has been passed word of one by a human informant. | |
The Middle Eastern and North African airports affected are nearly all ones with close, friendly relations with Washington, so this will be seen by some as a drastic and unpopular measure. Wealthy Gulf Arab business leaders flying to the US, for example, will no longer be able to work on their laptops mid-flight. | The Middle Eastern and North African airports affected are nearly all ones with close, friendly relations with Washington, so this will be seen by some as a drastic and unpopular measure. Wealthy Gulf Arab business leaders flying to the US, for example, will no longer be able to work on their laptops mid-flight. |
But aviation security experts were alarmed by an incident in Somalia last year when the insurgent group al-Shabaab smuggled an explosive-filled laptop on a flight out of Mogadishu, blowing a hole in the side of the plane. The aircraft was still low enough that the pilot was able to land the plane safely. | But aviation security experts were alarmed by an incident in Somalia last year when the insurgent group al-Shabaab smuggled an explosive-filled laptop on a flight out of Mogadishu, blowing a hole in the side of the plane. The aircraft was still low enough that the pilot was able to land the plane safely. |
In a statement, the DHS said: "The US government is concerned about terrorists' ongoing interest in targeting commercial aviation, including transportation hubs over the past two years, as evidenced by the 2015 airliner downing in Egypt; the 2016 attempted airliner downing in Somalia; and the 2016 armed attacks against airports in Brussels and Istanbul. | In a statement, the DHS said: "The US government is concerned about terrorists' ongoing interest in targeting commercial aviation, including transportation hubs over the past two years, as evidenced by the 2015 airliner downing in Egypt; the 2016 attempted airliner downing in Somalia; and the 2016 armed attacks against airports in Brussels and Istanbul. |
"Evaluated intelligence indicates that terrorist groups continue to target commercial aviation, to include smuggling explosive devices in various consumer items." | "Evaluated intelligence indicates that terrorist groups continue to target commercial aviation, to include smuggling explosive devices in various consumer items." |
Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly called members of Congress over the weekend to explain the security issues behind the ban, congressional aides said. | Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly called members of Congress over the weekend to explain the security issues behind the ban, congressional aides said. |
The restrictions are said to have been under consideration for several weeks. | The restrictions are said to have been under consideration for several weeks. |
Turkish Transport Minister Ahmet Arslan told reporters the ban was "not a right move". | |
"We particularly emphasise how this will not benefit the passenger and that reverse steps or a softening should be adopted," he added. | |
Aviation security expert Jeffrey Price told the Associated Press news agency there could be downsides to the policy. | |
"There would be a huge disadvantage to having everyone put their electronics in checked baggage," he said. | |
Thefts from baggage would skyrocket and it would be more difficult to detect battery fires in laptops in the hold than in the cabin, he argued. | |
Officials quoted by Reuters news agency said the new measure was not connected to US President Donald Trump's efforts to ban travellers from six Muslim-majority states. | |
On 6 March, the US leader signed a revised executive order barring citizens of Iran, Libya, Syria, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen from travelling to the US for 90 days. | |
Federal judges in Hawaii and Maryland blocked the ban, which had been due to take effect last week. | |
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