"Scottish summit on threat to airports; Missile attack from outside could succeed, experts warn"

Thursday, February 13, 2003

Scottish summit on threat to airports; Missile attack from outside could
succeed, experts warn
United Kingdom - The Herald


JACK McConnell will chair a Scottish summit on terrorism today in Bute House
with police chiefs and senior cabinet colleagues.

The meeting comes as terrorism experts warned yesterday that the security
forces could not prevent an attack on a Scottish airport from outside the
boundary fence.

In briefings given to the cabinet yesterday, Jim Wallace, justice minister,
talked of security measures being taken across the country and Colin Boyd,
the lord advocate, told ministers the background to recent arrests in
Scotland under the Terrorism Act.

At today's meeting, the chief constables will discuss their contingency
plans for dealing with terrorism, an executive spokesman said, adding:
''There remains a high level of threat from terrorism, as the current
international situation makes clear.

''The executive is keeping security measures under constant review, and as
part of this work the first minister will chair tomorrow's meeting.''

He said that there were no immediate plans to mount Heathrow-type security
operations at any Scottish airport. He declined to discuss ''operational
matters'', but added: ''Ministers noted the particular precautions taken at
Heathrow. At present these are not thought to be needed at other airports
which have police protection.''

Yesterday, BAA Scottish Airports, which owns Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen
airports, said it was stepping up patrols by its security staff of the
perimeter fences. Police and the airports' owner said they could not comment
on any further security measures, but there were no current plans to bring
in soldiers.

The 450 troops drafted in to Heathrow with armoured vehicles were continuing
patrols amid fears that terrorists could be on the loose with a
shoulder-held missile launcher similar to that used in an attack on an
Israeli jet in Kenya last year.

Around 1700 extra police officers were at Heathrow and other key London
sites yesterday in response to a ''specific'' threat. Officers searched
nearby areas and set up roadblocks amid fears that terrorists might launch
missiles at planes from the ground.

Heathrow is one of only two airports in the UK used by the Israeli airline
El Al. The other is Stansted.

Police warned that there could be more operations involving the Army.
Yesterday, experts acknowledged that the dozens of roads that surround the
main airports in Scotland would cause policing problems because missile
launchers could be used from a distance of up to five miles away.

Magnus Ranstorp, of St Andrews University, warned of attacks from outside
airports. ''We cannot prevent everything every time. On the outside of an
airport, it is very difficult.''

However, he said the threat of an attack from outside a Scottish airport
perimeter was minuscule because Scotland was not seen as a major target.

Dr Ranstorp, who works for the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and
Political Violence at St Andrews, said he had confidence in the vigilance
and procedures of police and staff at the airports. He said: ''I don't think
it's a major concern for Scottish airports because there are relatively low
numbers of passengers.''

Tim Ripley, an international security expert at Lancaster University, said
the vastly increased security presence at Heathrow would act as a deterrent.
However, he warned: ''Any western city is by definition undefendable if you
follow the logic of suicide bombers. You cannot put roadblocks on every
street corner unless you want a police state.''

A Strathclyde Police spokes-man said: ''We have contingency plans to deal
with any situation.''


 Do you have an opinion about this story?
Share it with other readers in our CAA Discussion Forums

http://www.californiaaviation.org/dc/dcboard.php

*****************************************