| I wonder what we don't know about... |
Flights from Yemen to the UK have been banned in a new crackdown aimed at increasing border security, Gordon Brown announced today. Two new terror watch lists will also be created as part of the package to counter terrorism following the failed Christmas Day bomb plot.
The Prime Minister, who unveiled the plans in a statement to the Commons, said a new 'no fly' list will be used to ban terror suspects from boarding flights to Britain. The list will be complemented by another, larger tally of people who will be subjected to greater security checks before they are allowed to fly to the UK.
Direct flights from Yemen operated by Yemenia Airways have been suspended while security is improved, he said. Yemen carrier Yemenia Yemen Airways, which had been operating two flights a week between London and Yemen, said it had suspended services last week.
The decision was made after the UK Government demanded flights stop in Cairo to be unloaded and checked.
| I imagine security in Egypt is marginally better than in Yemen, but does the prime minister seriously think it will meet Western standards? |
He warned that 'a number of terrorist cells' were 'actively' seeking to target Britain. Today's measures come after the failed bomb plot over Christmas.
The PM also pledged that all major ports and airports would be covered by the Home Office's £1.2billion e-borders scheme by the end of this year. Under the programme, passengers must provide detailed personal information when buying their tickets so they can be checked against watchlists before flying.
| Gosh, that seems an awfully similar to that dreadful Bush scheme that everybody was fussing about some years ago. It couldn't be that the cowboy Bush was actually right, could it? |
Serious questions were raised over e-borders last month after it was revealed that the compulsory element of the scheme breached EU law. EU citizens cannot be made to hand over personal details because stopping them travelling would breach rules on free movement, the European Commission said. |