"'Weak point' in UK airport security"

Saturday, September 24, 2005

'Weak point' in airport security
United Kingdom - The Manchester Evening News


MANCHESTER Airport has been urged to tighten a "weak point" in security
after a man caused a major terror alert when he sneaked through a perimeter
fence.

He got on to the apron where planes are parked before he was shot by police
with a Taser stun-gun.

Parts of the airport were closed yesterday after a man dressed in a suit and
carrying a briefcase abandoned his car and bypassed security at a checkpoint
for staff beside Terminal One. 

He ran across the taxiway and got close to two Continental aircraft
preparing to fly to New York, and an Astraeus aircraft about to jet off to
Naples.

Aviation experts called for bosses at the airport to tighten the "weak
point" in security.

Chris Yates, aviation spokesman for the security industry magazine Janes,
said: "It's always been a weak point in security at Manchester. But any
point in the perimeter where vehicles are required to gain access and people
need to gain access to the apron is always going to be a weak link.

Improve

"This doesn't necessarily mean Manchester Airport failed in their security.
It just means this man managed to walk in where most of the traffic was
going through.

"The security point that we are talking about has been undergoing quite a
lot of new construction recently and that I think will help improve things. 

"But obviously if we are talking about bog-standard barriers across the road
stopping people that's a weak link and perhaps we should be looking at a
double-barrier system for vehicles where they drive through one barrier and
then they are held where they can be checked and after that there is a
second barrier."

The man was detained following a dramatic struggle near Terminal One after
he breeched a security perimeter and ran 200 metres across the apron with
guards and officers in pursuit. Bomb disposal experts later carried out a
controlled explosion on a briefcase he had been carrying. It was found to
contain clothes, papers and a passport. 

No explosives were found in the case or in a car the man had abandoned close
to the perimeter.

Airport chiefs reassured passengers that security was tighter than ever,
even though the man had got within 60 metres of a plane.

Managing director John Spooner said: "The security at Manchester Airport is
tighter than it has ever been. It is working better than ever.

"This incident provides a model example of how airport security is supposed
to work. At no time was he not being pursued by security officers and then
by police officers." 

Assistant chief constable Steve Thomas said that no passengers leaving or
going into the airport were put in any danger. Planes continued to land but
departures were delayed for two-and-a-half hours.

A man was last night detained under the mental health Act after the security
alert.

Police said he was no longer being held under the Terrorism Act.

Tom Smith, president and co-founder of Taser International, which
manufactures Taser stun guns, said: "This shows how the Taser can end
confrontations very quickly and how useful it has been for the police."

On the web:

"Editorial: Palm Springs Airport incident a wake-up call for stricter
security measures"
 http://archives.californiaaviation.org/airport/msg35991.html

"A stolen truck reveals holes in protection at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport"
 http://archives.californiaaviation.org/airport/msg35423.html


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