US lawmakers pledge to close air cargo security “loophole”

The United States looks set to tighten air cargo security rules both domestically and on international flights into the country, following last week’s interception of explosive materials on UPS and FedEx jets. The discovery of “suspicious” items at both a UPS hub in the UK and a FedEx facility late on Thursday and on Friday led immediately to the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) tightening procedures at US airports.

A DHS statement confirmed “heightened cargo screening” as well as an “unpredictable mix of security layers” taking in passenger flights as well as cargo-only.

Over the weekend US lawmakers called for more permanent measures to extend the security measures currently in place for passenger aircraft.

Representative Edward Markey, who wrote the 2007 law requiring screening of all cargo on passenger flights into and within the US, said on Sunday he would introduce legislation requiring 100% screening of all cargo on all cargo planes.

Rep. Markey suggested pressure from shipping companies had prevented his 2007 law from extending screening to all cargo planes, but that the events late last week meant “not is the time to finish the job”.

The Congressman from Massachusetts said:  “Friday’s incident shows that Al Qaeda is well aware of this loophole in the system, and they fully intend to exploit it. That is why I intend to introduce a bill that would close the air cargo plane screening loophole when Congress reconvenes following Tuesday’s elections.”

“It is time for the shipping industry and the business community to accept the reality that more needs to be done to secure cargo planes so that they cannot be turned into a delivery systems for bombs targeting our country,” Rep. Markey concluded.

The events last week saw intelligence tip-offs from Saudi Arabian intelligence pointing to the possible presence of 10-20 suspicious packages en route from Yemen to the United States.

President Obama’s advisor on homeland security John Brennan linked the terrorist group Al Qaeda with the packages in a Press briefing on Friday. He said: “There were explosive materials in both of these packages,” adding: “they were in a form that was designed to try to carry out some type of attack.”

Packages were found on one flight traveling from Yemen to the US via the UK, and at a second flight traveling via Dubai. An international investigation also saw three UPS aircraft screened at Philadelphia and Newark airports on America’s East Coast and a delivery truck within the New York area.

Later on Friday, an Air Emirates passenger jet was also escorted by military fighter jets into New York’s JFK Airport.

Both of the packages containing “explosive” materials were addressed to synagogues in Chicago, according to Mr Brennan. They were the size of breadboxes, said the President’s advisor, with the item found at the East Midlands Airport taking the form of a printer cartridge.

Both FedEx and UPS have now restricted shipments from Yemen while the investigation continues.

FedEx issued a statement on Friday confirming that it had stopped accepting shipments from the Yemen, and that it was currently cooperating with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and local authorities in Dubai.

The company said: “In compliance with regulatory directives, effective immediately, FedEx Express is not accepting shipments to or from Yemen. At this time we do not know when this restriction will be lifted.”

UPS issued a statement on Friday afternoon also confirming that it was immediately suspending its services from Yemen.

The company said: “Because security is of the utmost importance, UPS is immediately suspending service out of Yemen until further notice. UPS is fully cooperating with authorities who are monitoring reports of potentially suspicious packages onboard cargo flights.”