"Snarls continue at UK airports"

Sunday, August 13, 2006

Get Britain flying again
By JAMES MASSY & JAMES CHAPMAN
United Kingdom - The Daily Mail


Ministers were under furious attack last night for their handling of the
security crisis at airports. 

With no end to the chaos in sight, there were growing calls to target extra
checks on passengers who fit the profile of potential suicide bombers. 

MPs warned that the shambolic scenes at Heathrow and other airports were
becoming an 'international embarrassment'. 

Critics said the Government was 'dithering' over how to support struggling
officials who appear unable to cope with new restrictions on hand luggage
and a vastly increased number of body searches in the wake of the alleged
foiled bomb plot. 

There were calls for troops to be brought in to help clear the security
bottlenecks. Scores more flights were cancelled at the weekend and hundreds
of delayed passengers were forced to sleep at Heathrow. 

British Airways is bearing the brunt of the cuts and by today will have
cancelled around 1,000 flights, hitting more than 100,000 passengers. The
misery is expected to continue well into the week. 

The call for passenger 'profiling' was led by former Scotland Yard chief
Lord Stevens, who said targeting those who more closely fit the bill of
potential terrorists was a way to stop unnecessary delays. 

He was backed by Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary, who said the disruption was
'playing into the hands' of terrorists. Home Secretary John Reid
acknowledged that new checks and restrictions were causing 'huge
inconvenience' and conceded they were not ' indefinitely sustainable'. 

He insisted they were right in the face of the continued threat, however. Mr
Reid claimed 'at least four major plots' had been thwarted since July 7 last
year and dozens more were being investigated. 

But the Tories and Ryanair called for troops to be sent in to airports, as
in the U.S. There was increasing concern that, with Tony Blair on a
Caribbean holiday, the Government was failing to get a grip on the crisis,
which is on course to cost the industry £100million. 

Lord Stevens insisted there was no operational need to carry out rigorous,
highly-expensive checks on all passengers waiting to board flights at UK
airports. 

He said they should be targeted on young Asian men, the most likely to be
suicide bombers. 

The retired Metropolitan Police Commissioner said: 'I'm a white,
62-year-old, 6ft 4in suit-wearing ex-cop - do I really fit the profile of a
suicide bomber? Does the young mum with three tots? The gay couple, the
rugby team, the middle-aged businessman? 

'No, but they are all devouring huge resources for no logistical reason
whatsoever.' 

Ryanair's Mr O'Leary said: 'If there is a threat to U.S. flights or from
specific extremist groups, then this is where the extra security measures
should be targeted. 

'By causing widespread cancellations and the breakdown of the main London
airports these blunt measures are handing the terrorists an enormous
success.' 

But Dr Muhammad Abdul Bari, head of the Muslim Council of Britain, said:
'Everything should be intelligence-led, not appearance-led. If it is
appearance-led, there will be lots of problems.' 

Professor Paul Wilkinson of the Centre for the Study of Terrorism at St
Andrews University said profiling was 'dangerous' as it would allow Western
Al Qaeda converts to slip through the net. 

Ministers will today launch a campaign to tell Muslim leaders they must do
more to root out extremism. Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott and
Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly are to hold a series of meetings with
religious leaders nationwide. 

But the news did nothing to calm critics of the Government's approach to the
airport crisis. Forthemer Labour minister Denis Mac-Shane said there
appeared to be a 'complete lack of grip'. Mr Mac-Shane was a victim himself
when a flight to Frankfurt was repeatedly cancelled. 

He revealed that on one occasion he was told it had been axed, only to
discover later that it had, in fact, taken off. 

The Rotherham MP said: 'The airline admitted they had been saying flights
were cancelled because there was no chance of getting people through
security in time. 

'I'm all for tougher security, but it's preposterous to see a big country
like Britain apparently unable to find ways of getting people in and out
without this internationally embarrassing spectacle. 

'We appear completely unable to handle this crisis. I'm very disappointed
that we don't seem able to show the terrorists that they might be able to
cause havoc for a day or two, but after that we are back in control.' 

Mr MacShane demanded that the Government appoint a 'supremo' and suggested
former Army chief General Sir Mike Jackson. He said: 'Somebody has got to
get a grip, bring in extra security lanes, extra staff or whatever is
needed. This cannot go on.' 

The Department for Transport was forced to deny that new Transport Secretary
Douglas Alexander was 'dithering'. 

It said he had worked from his office throughout the weekend and remained in
contact with airlines, airport authorities, departmental officials, the
Prime Minister and ministerial colleagues 'to monitor the new arrangements
and consider the measures that might be required in future'. 

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott visited staff and passengers at
Stansted, Humberside and Doncaster, but appeared unable to promise any help.
'He was there to listen,' said his spokesman. 

Shadow home secretary David Davis said it was clear troops should be sent
into airports to help with security checks and ease delays. 'The Government
ought to act to prevent thousands of holidaymakers having their break ruined
unnecessarily,' he said. 

There were signs of a growing revolt by airlines against the orders of
airport officials. 

On Saturday, after airlines were told to cut flights at Heathrow by 30 per
cent, BAA chief executive Tony Douglas sent a letter warning they would be
banned from the airport if they refused.

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

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


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