This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-28138526
The article has changed 17 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 11 | Version 12 |
|---|---|
| Tighter security for flights to US | Tighter security for flights to US |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| Security is being tightened at airports with direct flights into the US - including some in the UK - in response to US warnings of a "credible threat". | Security is being tightened at airports with direct flights into the US - including some in the UK - in response to US warnings of a "credible threat". |
| Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said the measures were being taken to keep the public safe. | Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin said the measures were being taken to keep the public safe. |
| While he would not specify what steps would be involved, he ruled out "significant disruption" to passengers. | |
| It comes amid US media reports that al-Qaeda affiliates in Syria and Yemen are developing bombs to smuggle on planes. | It comes amid US media reports that al-Qaeda affiliates in Syria and Yemen are developing bombs to smuggle on planes. |
| A US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official said the changes were a response to a "real time" and "credible" threat but it could not comment on specific intelligence matters. | A US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official said the changes were a response to a "real time" and "credible" threat but it could not comment on specific intelligence matters. |
| 'Harm' | 'Harm' |
| He said aviation remained an "attractive target" to global terrorists, but he could not reveal "sensitive" specifics to "those who would do us harm". | He said aviation remained an "attractive target" to global terrorists, but he could not reveal "sensitive" specifics to "those who would do us harm". |
| Mr McLoughlin told the BBC that "very stringent" measures were already in place, but that the UK had to take action when given information and advice to do so. | Mr McLoughlin told the BBC that "very stringent" measures were already in place, but that the UK had to take action when given information and advice to do so. |
| DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson also said in a statement: "We will work to ensure these necessary steps pose as few disruptions to travellers as possible. | DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson also said in a statement: "We will work to ensure these necessary steps pose as few disruptions to travellers as possible. |
| "We are sharing recent and relevant information with our foreign allies and are consulting the aviation industry." | "We are sharing recent and relevant information with our foreign allies and are consulting the aviation industry." |
| What changes will we see? | What changes will we see? |
| by Richard Westcott, BBC transport correspondent | by Richard Westcott, BBC transport correspondent |
| The UK government isn't giving any details about what these security changes actually are, but they haven't ruled out longer queues at security. | The UK government isn't giving any details about what these security changes actually are, but they haven't ruled out longer queues at security. |
| The statement from the department for transport merely says that the majority of passengers should not experience significant disruption. | The statement from the department for transport merely says that the majority of passengers should not experience significant disruption. |
| What we do know is that all of the old rules remain in place. So you will still have to put liquids into separate, see-through bags, take your laptop out of your bag, take off your belt and maybe your shoes before going through security. | What we do know is that all of the old rules remain in place. So you will still have to put liquids into separate, see-through bags, take your laptop out of your bag, take off your belt and maybe your shoes before going through security. |
| It's also not clear whether these changes will affect every airport, and whether they are limited to flights to and from the United States, which has prompted this move. | It's also not clear whether these changes will affect every airport, and whether they are limited to flights to and from the United States, which has prompted this move. |
| The actual terrorism threat level remains the same, at substantial. That's the middle of the five threat levels and means that an attack is a strong possibility. | The actual terrorism threat level remains the same, at substantial. That's the middle of the five threat levels and means that an attack is a strong possibility. |
| The changes will be made in the "upcoming days", the department added. | The changes will be made in the "upcoming days", the department added. |
| Some 80 commercial airline passenger flights are departing the UK bound for US destinations on Thursday, according to the National Airport Traffic Services (Nats), which only covers the 15 main airports and does not take into account cargo, business or private flights. | |
| Al-Nusra Front, al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria, and Yemen-based al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) are believed to be working together to try to develop explosives that could avoid detection by current airport scanners. | Al-Nusra Front, al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria, and Yemen-based al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) are believed to be working together to try to develop explosives that could avoid detection by current airport scanners. |
| The Arab Spring upheavals of 2011 have left much territory in Yemen ungoverned, giving the AQAP the opportunity to move in and carry out attacks on government positions there. | The Arab Spring upheavals of 2011 have left much territory in Yemen ungoverned, giving the AQAP the opportunity to move in and carry out attacks on government positions there. |
| Yemen also has become one of a handful of countries where the US acknowledges using drones. | Yemen also has become one of a handful of countries where the US acknowledges using drones. |
| US drone strikes in the country have killed large numbers of jihadist plotters, but civilians have also died in the attacks, prompting criticism from human rights groups. | US drone strikes in the country have killed large numbers of jihadist plotters, but civilians have also died in the attacks, prompting criticism from human rights groups. |
| What is the security risk? | |
| by Frank Gardner, BBC security correspondent | by Frank Gardner, BBC security correspondent |
| The reason behind these heightened security measures on transatlantic flights is the conclusion reached by western intelligence analysts that al-Qaeda's highly specialised bomb-making expertise has "proliferated" from Yemen to Syria. | The reason behind these heightened security measures on transatlantic flights is the conclusion reached by western intelligence analysts that al-Qaeda's highly specialised bomb-making expertise has "proliferated" from Yemen to Syria. |
| Three times since 2009 a Saudi bomb maker called Ibrahim Al-Asiri, hiding in Yemen, has been able to build viable explosive devices that evaded airport security. | Three times since 2009 a Saudi bomb maker called Ibrahim Al-Asiri, hiding in Yemen, has been able to build viable explosive devices that evaded airport security. |
| Since then it is believed he has been busy passing on his lethal knowledge to a whole generation of al-Qaeda operatives, some of whom are now thought to be in Syria with European passports. | Since then it is believed he has been busy passing on his lethal knowledge to a whole generation of al-Qaeda operatives, some of whom are now thought to be in Syria with European passports. |
| To date, the devices have been based on non-metallic 'low-vapour' explosives, hard but not impossible to detect. | To date, the devices have been based on non-metallic 'low-vapour' explosives, hard but not impossible to detect. |
| Al-Qaeda's branch in Yemen, known as AQAP, has surprised western intelligence officials with the innovation and sophistication of their devices. | Al-Qaeda's branch in Yemen, known as AQAP, has surprised western intelligence officials with the innovation and sophistication of their devices. |
| Ben Friedman, an expert in defence and homeland security at the Cato Institute in the US, said the authorities were particularly worried about bombs implanted inside people or bombs made from non-metallic elements. | |
| 'Serial failures' | 'Serial failures' |
| Mr Friedman told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that it was important to remember that attempts by the Yemeni bomb-makers in the past to blow up planes had failed. | |
| "These guys are serial failures," he said. | |
| He referred to the Christmas Day underwear bomber, who failed to take down a US-bound flight in 2009, and a failed attempt in which a bomb was hidden in a printer cartridge in a cargo plane in 2010, which was also bound for the US. | He referred to the Christmas Day underwear bomber, who failed to take down a US-bound flight in 2009, and a failed attempt in which a bomb was hidden in a printer cartridge in a cargo plane in 2010, which was also bound for the US. |
| "It's not like they have a track record of unmitigated success. It's closer to the opposite," Mr Friedman said. | "It's not like they have a track record of unmitigated success. It's closer to the opposite," Mr Friedman said. |
| Meanwhile, a picture of home-made bombs was posted on Twitter on Wednesday by a person claiming to be Nasser Muthana, from Cardiff, who appeared in an Isis propaganda video released last week. | |
| He tweeted next to the image: "So the UK is afraid I come back with the skills I've gained." | |
| Thwarted AQAP plots | Thwarted AQAP plots |
| The BBC understands the security changes are not expected to cause big delays at Heathrow - one of the busiest hubs for flights to the US. | The BBC understands the security changes are not expected to cause big delays at Heathrow - one of the busiest hubs for flights to the US. |
| It is understood airport terminals will appear unchanged and problems like those encountered when restrictions on liquids carried on board were introduced are not expected. | It is understood airport terminals will appear unchanged and problems like those encountered when restrictions on liquids carried on board were introduced are not expected. |
| 'Keep us safe' | 'Keep us safe' |
| Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said he could not discuss the intelligence and analysis that led to increased security, but he added that the "groups... who want to do us harm are constantly looking at new ways that they can seek to harm us and that is why we have to constantly review whether we need to implement new ways to keep us safe". | Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said he could not discuss the intelligence and analysis that led to increased security, but he added that the "groups... who want to do us harm are constantly looking at new ways that they can seek to harm us and that is why we have to constantly review whether we need to implement new ways to keep us safe". |
| Security experts told the BBC the best defence against the type of bombs al-Qaeda is thought to be developing was a combination of two things: both a body scanner and an ion body scanner. | |
| The former reveals concealed devices - even those hidden inside a bomber's body - and the latter detects the tiniest particles of explosive residue. | |
| Both devices are deployed at most major UK airports, but are used on only a minority of passengers, alongside more common measures including x-ray scans, pat-downs and swabs. | |
| Airports across the world ramped up security measures in the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks in the US. Cockpit security was also enhanced. | Airports across the world ramped up security measures in the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks in the US. Cockpit security was also enhanced. |
| They introduced security checks on footwear after a shoe bomb nearly brought down a plane a few months later. | They introduced security checks on footwear after a shoe bomb nearly brought down a plane a few months later. |
| Restrictions on liquids in hand luggage were introduced in 2006 after a British plot to blow up seven US and Canada-bound flights with liquid bombs was foiled by the security services. | Restrictions on liquids in hand luggage were introduced in 2006 after a British plot to blow up seven US and Canada-bound flights with liquid bombs was foiled by the security services. |
| Three men behind the terror plot were jailed for life. | Three men behind the terror plot were jailed for life. |
| Have you been affected by tight security when flying? You can share your experience with us by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using 'Airport security' as the subject heading. | Have you been affected by tight security when flying? You can share your experience with us by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using 'Airport security' as the subject heading. |
| Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
| Read the terms and conditions | Read the terms and conditions |