US air security shifts beyond borders

US air security shifts beyond borders

At Reagan National airport just outside Washington this morning the runways were still lined with ploughed snow from the biggest storm to hit the city in 80 years.
 
It was freezing cold and a bright but powerless sun was glinting off the US Capitol building in central DC, which could be seen about six miles away across the Potomac River.
 
I was at Reagan National because Federal authorities had just introduced increased random screening for all flights destined for the US from around the world.
 
For passengers from 14 countries in particular, however, the searches will be compulsory.
 
The 14 are the four countries cited by the US state department as sponsors of terrorism - Sudan, Syria, Iran and Cuba - plus a further 10 "countries of interest" which officials say are "terrorism-prone": Afghanistan, Algeria, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Somalia and Yemen.

Criticism

But analysts worry that targeting just 14 countries is not enough.

Aviation security expert Chris Yates told Al Jazeera: "We need to be looking at all high risk flights irrespective of where they come from or where they're going to, for that matter, and apply all the appropriate measures to all passengers."

On the other hand some human rights advocates are concerned that mandatory searches for passengers from the 14 countries are a form of racism.

Nawar Shora from the American/Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee spoke on AJE's 18 GMT news show here in Washington DC.

"Every single person from all of these 14 countries is all of a sudden suspect, perhaps a possible terrorist.  It's not only foolish in the civil rights lens but it is foolish in the security lens because it does not make us safer even though it might make some of us feel safer."

US officials won't elaborate on what the enhanced security procedures fully involve … but it's assumed it means body pat downs and closer examination of hand luggage.

It also means screeners in airports many thousands of miles away from the United States will be chiefly responsible for carrying out the enhanced security measures.

In Nigeria - one of the 14 named countries - people seemed split on whether the new rules are unfair or understandable.

Joe Ume, a lawyer from Lagos, said:

"America should not make the mistake of generalisation, because we are now talking of one single person out of over 140 million Nigerians."

His colleague, Gabriel Oviewnona, took a different view.

"With the background of what has happened recently with the Abdulmutallab issue, in fact every responsible government will take such a step, such a measure."

Military or civilian court?

The new security directive was issued to all US domestic and international airlines in light of the Christmas Day attempt to bring down a Delta/Northwest flight over Detroit.

Twenty-three-year-old Nigerian, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, has been charged with trying to destroy the plane and faces more than 20 years behind bars if found guilty.

By the way, there's a big row going on in the media here about whether Abdulmutallab should be dealt with by the judicial system or tried in a military court.

As things stand he's been charged as an alleged criminal, which means he's got lawyer and isn't talking.

But there are plenty of people in the US who would rather see him treated as an enemy combatant and interrogated by the military.

They say that's the best way to get Abdulmutallab to open up and to try to prevent anyone else from trying the same thing.

The argument goes on.