US: Extra screening for travellers from 14 nations

New York, Jan 4: Barely two weeks after the failed attempt by a Nigerian to blow up a US plane midair, US has implemented first of the many additional airport security measures to come.

Starting from Monday, Jan 4, travellers from 14 nations including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia will face additional screening.

Transportation Security Administration on Sunday, Jan 3, informed that the heightened security procedures include full body pat downs before boarding, checking of carry on baggage, and random checks on US bound flights.

"The directive also increases the use of enhanced screening technologies and mandates threat-based and random screening for passengers on US-bound international flights.

"TSA is mandating that every individual flying into the US from anywhere in the world travelling from or through nations that are state sponsors of terrorism or other countries of interest will be required to go through enhanced screening," TSA said in a statement.

The other nations include Algeria, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen, Somalia. The US considers Cuba, Iran, Sudan as well as Syria as state sponsors of terrorism.

The new measures will apply to anyone stopping in these 14 nations and passport holders of these nations.

OneIndia News