Homeland Security

DATE=1/1/03

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=U-S / SECURITY (L-O)

NUMBER=2-311405

BYLINE=MICHAEL BOWMAN

DATELINE=WASHINGTON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: Another international flight to the United States has been canceled on the New Year day amid continued security worries. V-O-A's Michael Bowman has details from Washington.

TEXT: British Airways scrubbed one of three daily flights from London to the Washington area Thursday -- the latest in a series of cancellations of international flights bound for the United States. British Airways spokesman John Lamphill:

/// LAMPHILL ACT ///

The British government directed British Airways to cancel flight 2-2-3. We can only assume that is due to security reasons. We have no other explanation.

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Wednesday, another British Airways fight was detained several hours upon arrival at Washington's Dulles Airport while U-S authorities questioned a number of passengers and conducted extra baggage screening. All passengers were eventually allowed to disembark.

F-B-I spokeswoman Debbie Wierman said authorities acted on "routine interest" rather than a specific threat or allegation.

/// WIERMAN ACT ///

There were names listed on the manifest of the plane that matched (the names of) persons that U-S law enforcement officials were interested in interviewing. It was routine interest on our part, and, when it was all said and done, we had no concerns or worries.

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But not everyone sees the stepped-up security effort as benign. One passenger from the delayed British Airways flight vented his displeasure.

/// PASSENGER (MALE) ACT ///

This was detention without due process, as far as I am concerned. I am an American citizen and I expect to be treated as such in my own country.

/// END ACT ///

Last week, Air France canceled a half-dozen flights between Paris and Los Angeles. Wednesday, an AeroMexico flight bound for the United States was also scrubbed after U-S officials raised security concerns with their Mexican counterparts.

The Associated Press quotes a spokesman for Mexico's government as complaining that U-S officials did not share specific information about what provoked their concerns.

Two weeks ago, the U-S Department of Homeland Security raised the nation's alert status to "orange" -- the second highest level on a five color-coded scale. Earlier this week Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge announced new airline security measures, including an initiative to have sky marshals aboard certain flights operated by foreign carriers.(SIGNED)

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