BBA have announced that the new full body scanners will be installed at Heathrow Airport as soon as supply and installation can be effected to combat the additional concerns over the Christmas day bomb attempt by the radicalised Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab 23 year old Nigerian.
BAA has confirmed that the new full body scanners currently on trial at Manchester will be initially installed at Heathrow and other airports as soon as feasible. This follows Gordon Brown; Prime Minister announced we have to play a bigger role in the screening and prevention of such incidents which could have been disastrous.
The controversial ‘naked’ full body scanners will be installed at the UK’s busiest airport as soon as possible and other airports throughout the year. Critics have warned this additional form of body scanning will lead to longer delays at airports and questioned if they will really be that effective. Alongside the Body Scanners passengers will see additional checks being made for explosive traces on hand luggage and controls to cover transit and transfer passengers.
Passengers flying in from the following countries can expect a higher degree of overall surveillance – Afghanistan, Algeria, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Yemen, Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria.
The British & US Governments believe that the Christmas day bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab the 23yr old Nigerian was radicalised in the unstable Yemen where extremists can easily take over parts of the country as only 30% in under any form of control by the lack lustre and poorly equipped government.
Such territories will become the new breeding grounds for militants and extremists as they find alternative countries that are not strong enough to monitor their borders and inhabitants.
Travel to the US will be tougher with longer delays at immigration and hand luggage checks as the American Airport Authorities take more stringent action to prevent a repeat of Christmas day to hopefully stop persons boarding planes in the first place.
Gordon Brown made it clear that whilst the more intrusive ‘Naked’ Scanners are likely to cause some delays and will face criticisms by some religious sects due to the imagery of seeing through clothing to reveal on a screen seen by an operative in a closed room the body outline, passenger safety comes first and no mechanical device is foolproof.
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