Main NZ airports to screen passengers

By JOHN ROUGHAN, JOHN YELD and AGENCIES

The Government has ordered the country's main airports to screen domestic air passengers as well as international travellers in response to the United States catastrophe.

Acting Prime Minister Jim Anderton told Parliament: "There is no indication of an increased security threat within New Zealand, but no country can be complacent.

"Several steps have been taken to deal with the immediate concerns of New Zealanders."

Aviation security services, civil aviation and the police beefed up security at airports yesterday.

Civil aviation issued an alert to all international airlines operating out of New Zealand to heighten precautions.

"As a temporary measure, security screening will be in place for domestic passengers at major airports," Mr Anderton said.

The move would "undoubtedly" extend aircraft boarding times.

And "strong measures" would be taken if anyone left a car next to an airport in an unauthorised park.

"If any baggage is left unattended at airports, one could expect to lose it pretty quickly," Mr Anderton said.

How long the measures would continue depended on advice given to the Government, he said.

Police had also reviewed security arrangements for foreign embassies and consulates in New Zealand yesterday and set up additional measures, he said.

Security measures elsewhere included the indefinite closure of some US embassies in the Middle East, flight paths being changed to avoid the centres of big European cities, private flights being banned in some countries, and the closure of some US nuclear and weapons facilities.

American Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta immediately promised much tighter security at airports, railway stations and other transport centres in the US.

But his pledge follows longstanding criticism that security at US airports has been dangerously lax.

A former State Department counter-terrorism expert, Larry Johnson, said: "Aviation security in this country is handled by workers who couldn't normally get a job serving hamburgers in McDonald's."

Auckland Mayor Christine Fletcher convened a meeting yesterday with the Auckland Regional Council - responsible for regional civil defence - business leaders, infrastructure providers, police, airlines and the airport authority to discuss the city's security and its ability to respond to such emergencies.



"We are taking every possible security measure to ensure there is no repeat of this disaster," Mrs Fletcher said. "We have every agency on high alert."

She said the ARC and police had also assured the meeting that "we are as prepared as we can be for any civil or emergency situation".



Elsewhere in the world, security forces were on high alert.

In Canberra, thousands of staff arriving for work at Australia's Parliament House were screened by security officers, who took the unusual step of x-ray scanning bags and personal items at entrances to the building.

Acting Prime Minister John Anderson said Australian security was at its highest possible level, and all state and territory police were on high alert.

Roadblocks were set up around the US embassy in Canberra.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair announced major security measures in Britain, including a ban on most private flights.

And he said flight paths into London had been changed to avoid any civil flights over the central city.

Security had been increased at all Government buildings, and police were on full alert.

Belgium banned commercial flights over its capital, Brussels.

Japan ordered its military to tighten security for the huge US bases scattered across the country, and US Marines in Japan went on maximum alert.

South Korea also stepped up security around American diplomatic and military buildings.

France called a general security alert, and Germany convened its national security council.

US Secretary of State Colin Powell said the State Department had told all US embassies and consulates to take extra precautions and be vigilant.

Several US embassies in the Middle East decided to close indefinitely.

They included those in Yemen, Kuwait, Oman and the United Arab Emirates.

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Emergency telephone numbers for friends and family of victims

These numbers are valid for calls from within New Zealand, but may be overloaded at the moment.

United Airlines: 0168 1800 932 8555

American Airlines: 0168 1800 245 0999

NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade: 0800 872 111

US Embassy in Wellington (recorded info): 04 472 2068

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