Posted on 07/27/2004 10:47:41 AM PDT by knighthawk
Text of report by Tolga Sardan, "State of alert Against Al-Qa'idah air attacks", published by Turkish newspaper Milliyet web site on 27 July
The airports in Turkey have been placed on "yellow alert" after the information Ankara received in connection with Al-Qa'idah's plan to use planes in its activities. The security units took action after they were informed by a reliable source on 16 July that "a plane might be hijacked to be used against a target or a home-made hand grenade might be exploded in one of the planes in flight".
The possibility of an Al-Qa'idah action was discussed during an urgent meeting that was held by the Turkish Civil Aviation Security Committee under Internal Affairs Ministry Undersecretary Sahabettin Harput last week. Officials from all the airports participated in the convocation. The General Directorate of Police conveyed a confidential message to the Ministry of Transportation and the governors of the cities that have airports to ask them to step up their security measures to the level of yellow alert.
An instruction signed by Ministry of Internal Affairs Deputy Undersecretary Zekeriya Sarbak listed the measures that will be taken as follows:
- The physical search of passengers, vehicles, and luggage will be increased from 10 per cent to 50 per cent. The percentage will be increased to, at least, 50 per cent for flights with a high risk factor.
- Some of the gates that are used by vehicles and passengers to enter and exit airports will be closed.
- Vehicles will be thoroughly searched before they enter the aprons and when they prepare to leave. Particularly, the exit of vehicles registered for the aprons from the areas they are assigned to will be limited.
- Penal measures will be taken against the personnel who fail to wear the identification cards that allow them to enter the airports.
- The way the companies that provide ground services for domestic and foreign airline companies fulfil their security obligations will be followed.
- Negligence will not be allowed to weaken the procedure that applies to unaccompanied luggage.
- Security measures related to the transfer of goods, packages, and mail will be stepped up. Meanwhile, additional security measures will be taken to protect airport storage facilities.
Source: Milliyet web site, Istanbul, in Turkish 27 Jul 04 p 13
Ping
The airports in Turkey have been placed on "yellow alert" after the information Ankara received in connection with Al-Qa'idah's plan to use planes in its activities. The security units took action after they were informed by a reliable source on 16 July that "a plane might be hijacked to be used against a target or a home-made hand grenade might be exploded in one of the planes in flight".
Refinery attack?
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