US Tightens Airline Security Procedures

Kirsty Donald, Sky News Online
The US has tightened security procedures for airline passengers travelling into the country, with particular attention to those arriving from seven other nations.

All air passengers bound for America from foreign countries will face increased random screening under the new rules, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) confirmed.

But anyone travelling from Nigeria, Yemen, Pakistan, Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria will be subjected to extra checks.

They will all be patted down and have their hand luggage searched as part of the new procedures, which take effect on Monday.

The seven countries include four that the US lists as "state sponsors of terrorism" - Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria.

The TSA said the new rules, which have been issued to all airlines with flights into the US, included "long-term, sustainable security measures".

It has issued an order that: "... every individual flying into the US from anywhere in the world travelling from or through nations that are state sponsors of terrorism or other countries of interest will be required to go through enhanced screening.

"The directive also increases the use of enhanced screening technologies and mandates threat-based and random screening for passengers on US bound international flights."

The new measures are being brought in after Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab allegedly tried to blow up a plane while he was on board a flight to Detroit on Christmas Day.

In the UK, airports operator BAA has announced plans to introduce full-body scanners at Heathrow "as soon as is practical".