Electronic devices without battery on flights to U.S. not allowed

Strengthening security measures in some airports in Africa, Europe and Middle East with direct flights to U.S. cities can embarrass many passengers to the point of running out of mobile phone, tablet or computer. Fearing that Al Qaeda has developed a new type of sophisticated and difficult to detect bombs, transport authorities can order from Sunday to some passengers, security screening at some airports, to turn on electronic equipment and and confiscate those which do not have enough battery power.

Four days after the Department of Homeland Security Obama administration announced increased surveillance of its divisions, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), completed on the aircraft greater scrutiny electronic at some airports abroad, which are not specified. ” Security agents could ask  to turn on some devices, including mobile phones during the examination. The devices will not be permitted without a battery on board the aircraft, ” the TSA said Sunday in a statement.

The note does not reveal what the authorities will do with these devices – for example, whether stored at the airport, or duration of this additional security measure.

In parallel, the TSA has asked the airlines and airport authorities also examine more passengers wearing certain shoes, according to ABC. Washington has the legal authority to encourage foreign governments to increase controls at airports if they have direct air routes to American cities.

The tightening of controls was decided after the U.S. intelligence services alerted that terrorist cells of Al Qaeda in Syria and Yemen have developed new ways to disguise explosive devices and place in commercial aircraft. The fear is that the United States can be placed in the aircraft by terrorists with European passports who have fought in Syria. To have European passports do not require visas to travel to the U.S. and therefore raise less suspicion and more difficult to detect by security forces.

“We will continue to assess the situation,” Secretary of Homeland Security, Jeh Johnson said Sunday in an interview with NBC. “We know that it remains a terrorist threat to the United States. And safety in aviation is much of it. “

It is common in government buildings U.S. security officials ask visitors who turn on their computers, but rarely so far this measure was adopted in airports and there was no threat to confiscate equipment without battery.

The increased scrutiny comes to phones, also in October after U.S. Aviation Agency relax its use aboard aircraft to allow passengers to use portable electronic devices during takeoff and landing, hitherto prohibited. The requirement for passengers to use tablets, phones and e-books is that these remain in airplane mode, which prevents calls or connect to the Internet. In November, the European Union adopted the same decision.

Since 2009 the Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has tried unsuccessfully three times to set off explosives aboard commercial aircraft or cargo to USA. Responsible for designing artifacts, Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri, was never captured and, according to U.S. intelligence, has taught other terrorists to prepare sophisticated devices who can replace him if he is killed. The network of the terrorist organization in Yemen also maintains ties to jihadists Jabhat Nusra, fighting in Syria against the regime of Bashar Assad.

Short URL: https://www.newspakistan.pk/?p=46140

Posted by Maleeha Tareen on Jul 9 2014. Filed under USA. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.