"Russian Duma gives preliminary backing to air security legislation"

Friday, December 3, 2004

Russian Duma gives preliminary backing to air security legislation
The Associated Press


Moscow - Russia's lower house of parliament gave preliminary backing Friday
to a bill aimed at significantly increasing the security presence at
Russia's airports, three months after terrorist bombs downed two civilian
aircraft, killing 90 people.

The amendments to the Air Code - unanimously approved by lawmakers in the
first of three readings - would add a further 3,071 Interior Ministry
workers to security at Russia's 184 airports.

The two Russian jet liners crashed nearly simultaneously on Aug. 24 after
taking off from Moscow's Domodedevo airport. Investigators say two Chechen
women were suspected of bribing an airport official in order to get access
to the planes.

In the immediate aftermath, President Vladimir Putin ordered responsibility
for flight and airport security transferred to the Interior Ministry.

While police currently augment existing security organized by the airports
and air companies themselves, the changes to Russia's Air Code provide for
much broader, mandatory surveillance by police.

As well as guarding Russia's airports, police will be able to accompany
suspect flights, withhold luggage and cargo, and demand information and
documentation from air companies and airport administration.

The bill also requires carriers to transfer passengers' ticket data to
police.

The bombings ushered in a wave of violence attributed to Chechen rebels: a
bomb outside a Moscow metro station killed 10 people a week later, and a
school hostage taking by rebels ended in the first days of September with
330 dead, mostly children.

If adopted in all three readings, the bill moves to the Kremlin-loyal upper
house, the Federation Council, and then on to the president for signature.


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