New York:
It's the toughest airport security rules ever for passengers bound for the US. Starting today, passengers flying to the United States from 14 countries with terrorism problems will face extra checkpoint screening at airports around the globe.
"It's at airports across the globe, where terrorists are trying to slip through the cracks and attack us. The terrorists are smart; they know where security is good, they know where security is lax," says Charles Schumer, US Democrat Senator for New York.
On the list are Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria, which the US State Department identifies as "state sponsors of terrorism." And other countries as Nigeria, Yemen and Pakistan.
Pakistan's national airline said it has begun applying the new security standards on
US-bound passengers. But that's leading to frustration among passengers already facing intrusive and lengthy security screening.
"When our people travel abroad they get treated like this, and whenever the white people come here they are given red carpet treatment," says Malik Mohammad Asram, passenger at airport.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said that British airports will soon begin using full-body scanners to screen all passengers. Britain is the third country to deploy the new scanners since the failed attack on a US-bound jetliner on December
Nigeria and the Netherlands ordered the screening last week.
The bottomline is that in addition, all international passengers will see enhanced random screening, which may include pat-downs, swabbing of luggage or body scans at airports that have body scan machines. Though India is not on America's list of 14 countries with terrorism problems that will face extra checkpoint screening, Indians traveling to the US at any airport the world over should be prepared for this.
"It's at airports across the globe, where terrorists are trying to slip through the cracks and attack us. The terrorists are smart; they know where security is good, they know where security is lax," says Charles Schumer, US Democrat Senator for New York.
On the list are Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria, which the US State Department identifies as "state sponsors of terrorism." And other countries as Nigeria, Yemen and Pakistan.
Pakistan's national airline said it has begun applying the new security standards on
US-bound passengers. But that's leading to frustration among passengers already facing intrusive and lengthy security screening.
"When our people travel abroad they get treated like this, and whenever the white people come here they are given red carpet treatment," says Malik Mohammad Asram, passenger at airport.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said that British airports will soon begin using full-body scanners to screen all passengers. Britain is the third country to deploy the new scanners since the failed attack on a US-bound jetliner on December
Nigeria and the Netherlands ordered the screening last week.
The bottomline is that in addition, all international passengers will see enhanced random screening, which may include pat-downs, swabbing of luggage or body scans at airports that have body scan machines. Though India is not on America's list of 14 countries with terrorism problems that will face extra checkpoint screening, Indians traveling to the US at any airport the world over should be prepared for this.
