Airports, airlines across Europe step up security after attempt to blow up US-bound plane foiled

It is being investigated how a Nigerian, aged 23, who reportedly has links to the terrorist outfit Al-Qaeda, managed to smuggle onboard explosives which he tried to detonate on Christmas Day.

The man was overpowered on time, thus averting a major tragedy.

The aircraft, an Airbus A330 wide-body jet with 278 passengers on board, coming from Amsterdam, landed safely in Detroit around noon on Christmas Day, after passengers helped the security personnel to overpower the suspected terrorist.

Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab, the Nigerian who attempted to blow up the Detroit-bound Northwest Airlines plane, boarded it at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.

The White House had declared the incident “an attempted act of terrorism.”

Airports as well as airlines across Europe have stepped up security for flights bound for the United States.

The United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands either intensified passenger checks or tightened the security measures which had already been increased ahead of the busy travel period during Christmas and New Year travel period.

The National Coordinator for Counterterrorism (NCTb), the national counter-terrorism agency of the Netherlands, said security procedures at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol – which was used by the attacker as a transit point from Nigeria – has been stepped up. The enhanced measures would be in place for “an indefinite” period, an official of NCTb said.

Authorities in Germany said that they were considering stepping up the security at airports in Germany, but had not yet done so.

British Airports Authority Limited (BAA), the United Kingdom-based airports group that manages airports, including Heathrow International Airport in London – the busiest airport in Europe in terms of passenger numbers – said airlines in Britain had beefed up security and that travellers have to expect delays.

British Airways, the flag-carrier airline of the United Kingdom, which operates dozens of flights to the United States each day, said that passengers would be subject to restrictions on baggage in order to facilitate tighter security.

For all passengers leaving on a flight from London’s Heathrow Airport or London’s Gatwick Airport to the United States, only one item of hand-baggage is permitted, an official of British Airways said. However, those passengers travelling to destinations others than in the United States are exempt from these extra restrictions.

An official of Frances’ Aeroports de Paris said that the United States Department of Transportation has asked airports in France to search passenger’s luggage meticulously and also to conduct additional “pat-down searches” of passengers before they board flight bound for the United States.

In Rome, where the 6^th busiest airport in Europe is located, Ente Nazionale per l’Aviazione Civile (ENAC), the civil aviation authority of Italy, said that it has ordered that security for all United States-bound flights be increased.

Authorities in Madrid, the capital of Spain, said that passengers were being held in a “sterile zone” – similar to the steps taken after the September 11 terror attacks on the United States. The passengers also are being told to check in as much luggage as possible in order to reduce the carry-on luggage.

Authorities in Brussels said that new safety measures for the United States-bound flights will re-evaluated after December 30, 2009.

Canada has announced “immediate action” and also has warned that the tighter security steps could lead to delays.

Jacques Barrot, vice-president of the European Commission (EC), the executive arm of the European Union (EU), told reporters that the authorities in Europe were in constant touch with authorities in the United States, and that everything possible will be done to maintain tight airline security.

The incident on Northwest Airlines’ Detroit-bound plane from Amsterdam, Jacques Barrot added, shows once again that “vigilance is needed at all times in the fight against terror.”

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Security at airports as well as for airlines across Europe has been stepped up after the attempt to blow up a plane of the United States-based Northwest Airlines, flying from Amsterdam in the Netherlands to Detroit in the United States, was foiled.

It is being investigated how a Nigerian, aged 23, who reportedly has links to the terrorist outfit Al-Qaeda, managed to smuggle onboard explosives which he tried to detonate on Christmas Day.

The man was overpowered on time, thus averting a major tragedy.

The aircraft, an Airbus A330 wide-body jet with 278 passengers on board, coming from Amsterdam, landed safely in Detroit around noon on Christmas Day, after passengers helped the security personnel to overpower the suspected terrorist.

Abdul Farouk Abdulmutallab, the Nigerian who attempted to blow up the Detroit-bound Northwest Airlines plane, boarded it at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.

The White House had declared the incident “an attempted act of terrorism.”

Airports as well as airlines across Europe have stepped up security for flights bound for the United States.

The United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands either intensified passenger checks or tightened the security measures which had already been increased ahead of the busy travel period during Christmas and New Year travel period.

The National Coordinator for Counterterrorism (NCTb), the national counter-terrorism agency of the Netherlands, said security procedures at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol – which was used by the attacker as a transit point from Nigeria – has been stepped up. The enhanced measures would be in place for “an indefinite” period, an official of NCTb said.

Authorities in Germany said that they were considering stepping up the security at airports in Germany, but had not yet done so.

British Airports Authority Limited (BAA), the United Kingdom-based airports group that manages airports, including Heathrow International Airport in London – the busiest airport in Europe in terms of passenger numbers – said airlines in Britain had beefed up security and that travellers have to expect delays.

British Airways, the flag-carrier airline of the United Kingdom, which operates dozens of flights to the United States each day, said that passengers would be subject to restrictions on baggage in order to facilitate tighter security.

For all passengers leaving on a flight from London’s Heathrow Airport or London’s Gatwick Airport to the United States, only one item of hand-baggage is permitted, an official of British Airways said. However, those passengers travelling to destinations others than in the United States are exempt from these extra restrictions.

An official of Frances’ Aeroports de Paris said that the United States Department of Transportation has asked airports in France to search passenger’s luggage meticulously and also to conduct additional “pat-down searches” of passengers before they board flight bound for the United States.

In Rome, where the 6^th busiest airport in Europe is located, Ente Nazionale per l’Aviazione Civile (ENAC), the civil aviation authority of Italy, said that it has ordered that security for all United States-bound flights be increased.

Authorities in Madrid, the capital of Spain, said that passengers were being held in a “sterile zone” – similar to the steps taken after the September 11 terror attacks on the United States. The passengers also are being told to check in as much luggage as possible in order to reduce the carry-on luggage.

Authorities in Brussels said that new safety measures for the United States-bound flights will re-evaluated after December 30, 2009.

Canada has announced “immediate action” and also has warned that the tighter security steps could lead to delays.

Jacques Barrot, vice-president of the European Commission (EC), the executive arm of the European Union (EU), told reporters that the authorities in Europe were in constant touch with authorities in the United States, and that everything possible will be done to maintain tight airline security.

The incident on Northwest Airlines’ Detroit-bound plane from Amsterdam, Jacques Barrot added, shows once again that “vigilance is needed at all times in the fight against terror.”