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UK urged to speed up body scanners at airports

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

London, March 24, IRNA -- A parliamentary committee Wednesday called on the British government to speed up the introduction of body scanners and "mix-up" security regimes at airports.

“International standards in aviation security must be made more stringent and more must be done to tackle terrorism at the source,” the Home Affairs Committee said in a new report that expressed concern at the government’s reluctance to adopt new measures.

"The threat to air passengers from terrorists is very real and as we have seen repeatedly over the last year or two, those who would do us harm are constantly evolving new ways to try to commit atrocities,” said committee chair Keith Vaz.

“We must be constantly evolving our response, developing and adopting new technologies as quickly as possible and creating an unpredictable mix of security measures at airports,” Vaz said.

The report expressed concern that the Government's position of adopting "proportionate measures is a euphemism for adopting a wholly reactive stance and waiting for terrorists to demonstrate their new capabilities before implementing improved security measures.”

It said it was satisfied that privacy concerns on the use of body scanners are “overstated” and that they should not prevent their deployment.

The committee of MPs criticised the delay in the introduction of other security devices such as hand-held Electronic Trace Detection equipment, warning that the “deployment of such equipment must be quicker.”

“As has been the case with Yemenea airlines, the Government should be more willing to refuse direct flights from countries which do not meet minimum security standards,” it also said.

Concern was also raised at the “institutional separation of airport security from wider counter-terrorism measures,” saying that the current set-up and demarcation is "unhelpful" and that the Home Office should become responsible for airport security measures.

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End News / IRNA / News Code 1023312