UK to deploy armed sky marshals
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British passengers will face tighter security when traveling to the U.S.
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LONDON, England -- The UK government says it will deploy armed sky marshals on some passenger flights in the United States following an increased terrorism alert in that country.
"In response to the present heightened state of alert in the USA, additional security measures on the ground and in the air have been put in place for UK airlines operations in the USA," the Home Office and the Department for Transport said in a joint statement Sunday.
"Sky marshals will be deployed where appropriate. It is the government's policy, for obvious security reasons, not to comment on when and where additional security measures are being deployed."
A government-commissioned report recommended earlier this month that they be placed first on trans-Atlantic flights. That followed an announcement a year ago that the government was considering using undercover sky marshals on certain flights.
"I can assure the traveling public that if we believed it was not safe for them to travel or fly we would say so," Home Secretary David Blunkett said in the joint statement.
"What we are proposing are some sensible additional security measures."
Transport Secretary Alistair Darling said it is "essential that we take all reasonable steps" to deter terrorist activities.
"Our aviation security program works on many levels, with measures for all stages of the process, from check-in through to the flight itself. Not all of the measures are obvious and a lot goes on behind the scenes." he said in the statement.
Aviation security has been the subject of renewed attention worldwide since the U.S. raised its alert to orange, its second-highest level.
On Thursday, Australia said that armed sky marshals would guard some Qantas flights between Australia and Singapore and may be put on flights to the United States. Australia has posted armed undercover security officers randomly on domestic flights since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
Air France canceled six flights between Paris and Los Angeles on Wednesday and Thursday following security discussions between U.S. and French officials.
After the cancellations, French investigators questioned seven men pointed out by U.S. intelligence but found no evidence they planned to use a Los Angeles-bound jet to launch terror attacks against the United States, French authorities said. (U.S. may talk to flight no-shows)
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Associated Press contributed to this report.
