WASHINGTON – The US is going to investigate alternatives for using Sky Marshals on transatlantic flights. The reseach and the willingness to look for alternatives comes from a denial of some European nations to accept the marshals. This was reported by a representative of the US government last monday (april 26th).
Germany and the UK where open to the idea of accepting Sky Marshals, but a number of European countries including Italy did not want to give in to American wishes. The Dutch are willing to accept Sky marshals when certain conditions are met.
“We will not force Sky Marshals upon European countries when this is not feasable” (quote translated from Dutch translation back to English) says Asa Hutchinson, deputy secretary of the US department of Homeland Security.
In december and januari a number of transatlantic flights where cancelled when it was revealed that they where the possible target of terrorist attacks.
“Cancelling flights is one of the last measures that should be taken, this should happen as little as possible” said Hutchinson.
One of the measures that will be taken as an alternative for Sky Marshals is an international database with lost and stolen pasports.
Dutch only:
http://www.luchtvaartnieuws.nl/news/?id=3965
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I wonder what the replacing measures will be. Just a new database? And will Sky Marshals only be removed from those flights of nations that do not agree? Or will all sky marshals on transatlantic duty be removed?
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April 27, 2004 at 10:02 pm