FBI: Airports to take anti-missile measures
From Kevin Bohn
CNN
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- New security measures will be put in place at several of the nation's leading airports to try to better protect against the threat of a shoulder-launched missile being fired at a plane taking off or landing, the FBI confirmed Sunday.
Officials would not say where the extra measures will be put into place due to security concerns. Some steps being implemented include further restricting public access to airports and surrounding areas and increased patrols of airport perimeters.
A government official emphasizes these measures are all precautionary and there are no specific threats to use such missiles, known as man portable air defense systems, at U.S. targets.
"There is not a legitimate or credible [threat] on the horizon, but we are not going to wait for one" to take preventive action, the official told CNN.
Because of the attempt by terrorists to use a missile against an Israeli plane last November in Kenya, federal aviation, law enforcement and homeland security officials conducted an assessment of security at 80 airports across the United States looking at possible vulnerabilities. Security officials looked at such items as how close members of the public could get to runways and what land surrounded the airports.
After the initial assessment, federal officials then went back and did a more thorough examination of 20 of the bigger U.S. airports.
