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US toughens air screening rules US toughens air screening rules
(about 1 hour later)
The US authorities are introducing tougher screening rules for passengers arriving by air from nations deemed to have links with terrorism. The US has introduced tougher screening rules for passengers arriving by air from nations which the authorities deem to be a security risk.
Reports say people flying from Nigeria, Pakistan, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Yemen and Cuba will have pat-down body searches and have carry-on baggage searched. Travellers from Nigeria, Pakistan, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Yemen and Cuba will be among those facing body pat-down searches and carry-on baggage checks.
President Barack Obama condemned lapses following the alleged Christmas Day bomb plot against a US plane. It follows an alleged attempt to blow up a plane on Christmas Day.
He promised "to act quickly to fix flaws" in the security system. US President Barack Obama has been under pressure to make visible security improvements.
The new security directives will come into effect on Monday. He promised to act quickly to fix flaws in the security system, in the wake of the alleged bomb plot.
But hours after the new measures were announced, there was a security alert at Newark International Airport near New York City as a man entered a secure area without being screened. WHERE NEW MEASURES APPLY Flights from Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria (countries classified by US as state sponsors of terror)Also, flights from Afghanistan, Algeria, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Yemen class="" href="/2/hi/middle_east/8437724.stm">Profile: Al-Qaeda in Yemen class="" href="/2/hi/middle_east/8433519.stm">Attack stokes Yemen terror fears
Terminal C was locked down and passengers were evacuated from the secure area, then re-screened. Flights from the terminal were grounded. The new security directives came into effect on Monday.
But the BBC's Jane O'Brien in Washington says it is unclear whether a pat-down could have found the device investigators say the alleged would-be bomber, 23-year-old Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, had in his underwear.
The Transportation Security Administration said in a statement the new rules apply to flyers coming from or via countries on the US state department's state sponsors of terrorism list.
Washington lists Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria as state sponsors of terrorism.
Random checksRandom checks
The Transportation Security Administration said in a statement that the new rules apply to passengers flying from or through countries on the US state department's "State Sponsors of Terrorism" list - Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria - and "other countries of interest". The other nations whose passengers face enhanced screening include Afghanistan, Algeria, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Yemen.
We're determined to destroy al-Qaeda, whether it's in Pakistan, Afghanistan, or in Yemen John BrennanUS deputy national security adviser We're determined to destroy al-Qaeda, whether it's in Pakistan, Afghanistan or Yemen John BrennanUS deputy national security adviser
Nigeria and Yemen have been linked to the alleged failed Christmas Day plot. The main suspect in the alleged airliner plot is Nigerian, and Yemen-based militants have said they trained and equipped him.
The main suspect is Nigerian, and Yemen-based militants have claimed the attack.
The BBC's Jane O'Brien in Washington says it is unclear whether a pat-down could have detected the device carried by 23-year-old Nigerian accused Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab in his underwear.
But Mr Obama has been under pressure to make visible security improvements, she says.
As part of the new guidelines, passengers travelling from any other foreign country will also be checked at random.As part of the new guidelines, passengers travelling from any other foreign country will also be checked at random.
Hours after the measures were announced, there was an alert at Newark International Airport near New York City as a man entered a secure area without being screened.
Terminal C was locked down and passengers were evacuated from the secure area, while some flights were grounded.
The man was not found, but officials said every passenger was fully re-screened.
Earlier, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown gave the go-ahead for full body scanners to be introduced at Britain's airports.Earlier, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown gave the go-ahead for full body scanners to be introduced at Britain's airports.
The machines are expected to be installed at London's Heathrow Airport and other hubs within weeks.The machines are expected to be installed at London's Heathrow Airport and other hubs within weeks.
Also on Sunday, both the US and Britain closed their embassies in Yemen because of what officials say are continuing threats from al-Qaeda. Embassies shut
'Determined' Also on Sunday, both the US and Britain closed their embassies in Yemen, citing security threats.
John Brennan, the US deputy national security adviser, said the group had "several hundred members" in Yemen and was posing an increasing threat there. John Brennan, the US deputy national security adviser, said an al-Qaeda offshoot had "several hundred members" in Yemen.
YEMEN FACTS Population: 23.6 million (UN, 2009)Capital: SanaaLanguage: Arabic Major religion: IslamOil exports: $1.5bn/24.5m barrels (Jan-Oct 2009)Income per capita: US $950 (World Bank, 2008) href="/2/hi/middle_east/8437724.stm">Profile: Al-Qaeda in Yemen class="" href="/2/hi/middle_east/8433519.stm">Attack stokes Yemen terror fears class="" href="/2/hi/middle_east/country_profiles/784383.stm">Country profile: Yemen class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=7384&edition=2">Send us your comments YEMEN FACTS Population: 23.6 millionCapital: SanaaLanguage: Arabic Major religion: IslamOil exports: $1.5bn/24.5m barrels (Jan-Oct 2009)Income per capita: US $950 Country profile: Yemen
"This is something that we've known about for a while," he said. "We're determined to destroy al-Qaeda, whether it's in Pakistan, Afghanistan, or in Yemen.""This is something that we've known about for a while," he said. "We're determined to destroy al-Qaeda, whether it's in Pakistan, Afghanistan, or in Yemen."
Mr Brennan added: "We know that they have been targeting our embassy, our embassy personnel." Mr Brennan added: "We know that they have been targeting our embassy."
Last week an organisation called al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula urged Muslims to help in "killing every crusader who works at their embassies or other places". Last week, a Yemen-based group called al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula urged Muslims to help in "killing every crusader who works at their embassies or other places", as it claimed the alleged US plane bomb plot.
In an internet statement, the group also said it was behind the alleged Christmas Day airliner bomb plot.
On Saturday, President Obama said the organisation appeared to have trained Mr Abdulmutallab, who is being held in a US prison.
The US mission in Sanaa was the target of an attack in September 2008, which was blamed on al-Qaeda, and in which 19 people died, including a young American woman.The US mission in Sanaa was the target of an attack in September 2008, which was blamed on al-Qaeda, and in which 19 people died, including a young American woman.
Also on Saturday, Gen David Petraeus, head of US military operations in the Middle East and Central Asia, visited Yemeni President Ali Abdallah Saleh to pledge US support for the fight with al-Qaeda.Also on Saturday, Gen David Petraeus, head of US military operations in the Middle East and Central Asia, visited Yemeni President Ali Abdallah Saleh to pledge US support for the fight with al-Qaeda.
The visit came a day after the general announced that the US would more than double counter-terrorism aid to Yemen this year.The visit came a day after the general announced that the US would more than double counter-terrorism aid to Yemen this year.
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