"Terror fears after latest Heathrow security blunder"

Saturday, December 4, 2004

Terror fears after latest Heathrow security blunder
United Kingdom - The Express


HEATHROW was at the centre of a new major security alert yesterday after an
undercover TV reporter was allowed to wander into highly restricted areas.

Despite supposedly tightened security in a bid to counter the Al Qaeda
terrorist threat, the journalist easily entered British Airways offices and
other out-of bounds areas before examining confidential anti-terror
documents.

Exposing a catalogue of security blunders, he also walked up to passenger
planes on the Tarmac hours before they were due to take off.

The breach - described by the Tories last night as astonishing - highlights
continuing security problems at Britain's main airport.

Problems were exposed last year when a reporter used fake references to get
a job as a baggage handler at Heathrow. Earlier this year we revealed a
convicted terrorist was working on the construction of Terminal 5.

Ulster loyalist fanatic William McArthur, who was jailed for taking part in
a plot to smuggle guns to paramilitary killers, was working for Laing
O'Rourke, the Irish firm building the airport's new GBP2billion passenger
terminal.

The British Airports Authority, which owns the airport, admitted it had not
carried out criminal record checks on McArthur or any of the other
construction workers. Last night BA launched an investigation into the
latest security breach, by a Sky News journalist, as the airports authority
was forced to admit "there was room for improvement".

A BAA spokesman said: "We are constantly seeking ways to maintain an
effective barrier between the landside and airside parts of the airport, and
to remain alert to any potential vulnerabilities.

"On the basis of the information provided by Sky News, it would appear that
there is room for improvement in this particular area."

But Conservative Shadow Home Secretary David Davis said: "There should be a
minister for homeland security who concerns himself with how well we are
protected on all these key targets, particularly ones like Heathrow."

The undercover Sky reporter was able to find and examine manuals detailing
BA's security procedures inside an unlocked office of the airline.


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