France tightens security on flights to US, Britain

PARIS, Aug 10 (Reuters) France will order full searches of all handluggage on flights to the United States, Britain and Israel as part of stepped up security after the foiled plot to blow up transatlantic airliners, Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy said TOday.

He said France would keep its current security alert level at red, the second highest, and that security on the Eurostar rail link between France and Britain would be increased.

France went on red alert on July 7 last year in response to attacks on London transport by Islamist suicide bombers that killed 52 people.

British police TOday foiled a suspected plot to blow up several aircraft mid-flight between Britain and the United States in what Washington said might have been an attempted al Qaeda strike.

REUTERS MQA KP2112