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'Enhanced security' at overseas airports with US flights | 'Enhanced security' at overseas airports with US flights |
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The US homeland security department has said it will put into place "enhanced security measures" in certain overseas airports with direct flights to the US. | The US homeland security department has said it will put into place "enhanced security measures" in certain overseas airports with direct flights to the US. |
The UK transport department said the country would be among those to step up security procedures. | |
The move comes amid US media reports that al-Qaeda affiliates in Syria and Yemen are developing bombs to smuggle on planes. | The move comes amid US media reports that al-Qaeda affiliates in Syria and Yemen are developing bombs to smuggle on planes. |
The US security agency said the changes would be made in the "upcoming days". | The US security agency said the changes would be made in the "upcoming days". |
It did not specify which countries would be affected nor did it say what triggered the move. It is unclear if the move would be permanent or for a limited period, or would affect airports in the US. | It did not specify which countries would be affected nor did it say what triggered the move. It is unclear if the move would be permanent or for a limited period, or would affect airports in the US. |
"We will work to ensure these necessary steps pose as few disruptions to travellers as possible," Secretary Jeh Johnson said in a statement. | "We will work to ensure these necessary steps pose as few disruptions to travellers as possible," Secretary Jeh Johnson said in a statement. |
"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." |
In a statement, the UK Department for Transport said the country had "taken the decision to step up some of our aviation security measures". | In a statement, the UK Department for Transport said the country had "taken the decision to step up some of our aviation security measures". |
He added: "For obvious reasons we will not be commenting in detail on those changes. The majority of passengers should not experience significant disruption." | He added: "For obvious reasons we will not be commenting in detail on those changes. The majority of passengers should not experience significant disruption." |
What changes will we see? | |
Analysis by Richard Westcott, 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 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. | |
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. | |
An anonymous US official told Reuters news agency that European airports would be taking the extra precautions. | |
Law enforcement and security officials sources told the news agency that Western authorities were discussing security measures that included extra scrutiny of US-bound passengers' electronics and footwear, among other measures. | Law enforcement and security officials sources told the news agency that Western authorities were discussing security measures that included extra scrutiny of US-bound passengers' electronics and footwear, among other measures. |
Al-Nusra Front, al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria, and Yemen-based al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula are believed to be working together to try to develop explosives that could avoid detection by current airport scanners, US media report. | Al-Nusra Front, al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria, and Yemen-based al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula are believed to be working together to try to develop explosives that could avoid detection by current airport scanners, US media report. |