Homeland Security warns airlines of new threat
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| FILE - In this Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2011, file photo, travelers, with luggage in hand, make their way toward Terminal A at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. The U.S Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2014, it is warning airlines that terrorists could try to hide explosives in shoes. It's the second time in less than three weeks that the government has issued a warning about possible attempts to smuggle explosives on a commercial jetliner. |
WASHINGTON
(AP) -- The Homeland Security Department has warned airlines that
terrorists could try to hide explosives in shoes. It's the second time
in less than three weeks that the government has issued a warning about
possible attempts to smuggle explosives on a commercial jetliner.
Homeland
Security said Wednesday it regularly shares relevant information with
domestic and international partners, but it declined to discuss
specifics of a warning sent to airlines.
"Our
security apparatus includes a number of measures, both seen and unseen,
informed by the latest intelligence and as always DHS continues to
adjust security measures to fit an ever evolving threat environment,"
the department said in a statement.
A U.S.
intelligence official told The Associated Press that DHS released a
notice to airlines reiterating that liquids, shoes and certain cosmetics
were of concern, all of which are covered under existing Transportation
Security Administration security policies.
The latest warning was focused on flights headed to the United States from abroad.
The
official said "something caused DHS concern, but it's a very low
threshold to trigger a warning like this."
The official spoke on
condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the
issue publicly.
Earlier this month Homeland
Security warned airlines with flights to Russia to be on the lookout for
explosive devices possibly hidden inside toothpaste. The Transportation
Security Administration then banned passengers from bringing any
liquids in their carry-on luggage on nonstop flights from the U.S. to
Russia.
That warning became public just days before the opening
ceremonies of the Winter Olympics in Sochi.
It
is unclear if the latest warning, first reported Wednesday by NBC News,
is related to the earlier threats to Russia-bound flights.
Air
passengers in the United States have had to take off their shoes at
airport security checkpoints since shortly after Richard Reid tried to
ignite explosives hidden in his shoes on a Miami-bound flight in late
2001. Reid pleaded guilty to terrorism charges and is serving a life
sentence.
The traveling public has grown increasingly impatient with expanding security checks at airports.
TSA
in recent years has changed some security procedures to allow young
children and passengers 75 and older to keep their shoes on. The
security agency has also launched a fee-based program that allows
willing flyers to submit to background checks and avoid having to remove
their shoes, jackets and small amounts of liquids packed in carry-on
luggage.
