Tighter Security Measures Sought for Airline Safety

Tighter Security Measures Sought for Airline Safety

Tighter Security Measures Sought for Airline SafetyU.S. security officials are calling for tighter security measures at some foreign airports, as intelligence officials are concerned about a new al-Qaida effort to create a bomb that would go undetected through airport security, a counterterrorism official said Tuesday.

American intelligence has picked up indications that bomb makers from al-Qaida's Yemen affiliate have traveled to Syria to link up with the al-Qaida affiliate there. The groups are working to perfect an explosive device that could foil airport security, the counterterrorism official said.

Americans and others from the West have traveled to Syria over the past year to join al Nusra Front's fight against the Syrian government. The fear is that fighters with a U.S. or Western passport — and therefore subject to less stringent security screening — could carry such a bomb onto an American plane.

Al-Qaida's affiliate in Yemen, called al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, long has been fixated on bringing down airplanes with hidden explosives. It was behind failed and thwarted plots involving suicide bombers with explosives designed to hide inside underwear and explosives hidden inside printer cartridges shipped on cargo planes.

The counterterrorism official, who would not be named because he was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, declined to describe the bomb. But officials in the past have raised concerns about non-metallic explosives being surgically implanted inside a traveler's body, designed to be undetectable in pat-downs or metal detectors.

“The call for increased security was not connected to Iraq or the recent violence there,” said a second U.S. counterterrorism official who was not authorized to speak publicly by name.

Another U.S. official, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said that the increased security measures had nothing to do with the upcoming July Fourth holiday or any specific threat. The extra security is out of an "abundance of caution," the U.S. official said.

Meanwhile, the State Department has instructed U.S. Embassy employees in Algeria to avoid U.S.-owned or operated hotels through July 4 and the Algerian Independence Day on July 5.

"As of June 2014 an unspecified terrorist group may have been considering attacks in Algiers, possibly in the vicinity of a U.S.-branded hotel," according to the message from the U.S. Embassy in Algeria.

State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki did not provide details about the reasons for the increased security.

"I would say broadly speaking that the threat of foreign fighters is a concern that we share with many counterparts in the world, whether that's European or others in the Western world, where we've seen an increase in foreign fighters who have traveled to Syria and other countries in the region and returning," Jen Psaki, State Department spokeswoman said. "And so we have been discussing a range of steps we can take in a coordinated fashion for some time."

The U.S. shared "recent and relevant" information with foreign allies, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said in a statement. "Aviation security includes a number of measures, both seen and unseen, informed by an evolving environment."

“Southwest Airlines, along with subsidiary AirTran Airways, flies between the U.S. and Mexico and the Caribbean, doesn't expect the directive to have much impact on its operations,” spokesman Chris Mainz said.

He also said that the focus likely would be in other parts of the world, although the airline's security personnel have been contacted by the Homeland Security Department. Mainz declined to comment on those discussions.

American Airlines spokesman Joshua Freed said that the company has been in contact with Homeland Security about the new requirements but declined to comment further.

Story credited to Associated Press.

Featured

  • Achieving Clear Communications

    Achieving Clear Communications

    Technology within the security industry has adapted to numerous changes through the years, from the early days of analog devices to today’s IP-based solutions, networked cameras, and access control solutions, in addition to analytics, cloud-based products, virtual security guards, and more. Read Now

  • Taking Flight

    Taking Flight

    Airport security is a complex system that incorporates multiple technologies to ensure the safety and security of travelers, employees and the facility itself. Sound-based technologies are integral pieces of this system, providing means of communication, notification and monitoring. Read Now

  • Live From ISC West 2023 Preview

    Live From ISC West 2023 Preview

    ISC West 2023 is right around the corner! This year’s trade show is scheduled from March 28–31 at the Venetian Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Campus Security & Life Safety and Security Today staff will be on hand to provide live updates about the security industry’s latest innovations, trends, and products. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West
  • A Break from Routine

    A Break from Routine

    It was three years ago right about now that COVID was bringing the world to its knees. In mid-March of 2020, the president put travel restrictions on all flights in and out of Europe, the NBA suspended its season, and Tom Hanks announced that he’d tested positive for the disease—all in the same night. It was officially a national emergency two days later. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West

Featured Cybersecurity

New Products

  • CyberAudit Introduced to Manage Systems, Intuitive Interface

    CyberAudit Web

    CyberLock, Inc. announces the release of CyberAudit Web 9.4! CyberAudit-Web (CAW), the software suite for managing CyberLock systems, provides an intuitive interface to assign keys, set expirations, monitor staff and configure access schedules. 3

  • ComNet CNGE6FX2TX4PoE

    The ComNet cost-efficient CNGE6FX2TX4PoE is a six-port switch that offers four Gbps TX ports that support the IEEE802.3at standard and provide up to 30 watts of PoE to PDs. It also has a dedicated FX/TX combination port as well as a single FX SFP to act as an additional port or an uplink port, giving the user additional options in managing network traffic. The CNGE6FX2TX4PoE is designed for use in unconditioned environments and typically used in perimeter surveillance. 3

  • Pivot3 Surety

    Pivot3 Surety

    Pivot3 has announced Surety, a new intelligent software framework to simplify the management and monitoring of physical security environments. 3