The US has declared that it will not allow mobile phones - especially iPhones and Samsung’s Galaxy - onto US bound planes from some airports in Europe, the Middle East and Africa if the devices are not charged.
The new measure is part of the US Transportation Security Administration’s effort to boost security observation resulting from concerns that terrorists are plotting to blow up an airliner. It is likely to cause chaos at airports around the globe.
As part of the increased examination at certain airports, security agents may ask travelers to turn on their electronic devices at checkpoints and if they do not have power, the devices will not be allowed on planes, the TSA said.
US officials are concerned that a cellphone, tablet, laptop or other electronic device could be used as a bomb by Yemen-based al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula and the Islamist Nusra Front, al Qaeda’s affiliate in Syria. They fear bomb-makers from the Yemen-based al Qaeda have figured out how to turn the phones into explosive devices that can avoid detection. They also are concerned that hard-to-detect bombs could be built into shoes.
A TSA statement said: “As the traveling public knows, all electronic devices are screened by security officers. Powerless devices will not be permitted onboard the aircraft. The traveler may also undergo additional screening.” Airlines or airport operators that fail to strengthen security could face bans on flights entering the United States, the officials said.
An official familiar with the matter said the United States believes that while it is possible there may be some additional delays at security checkpoints, at most major airports passengers will not be seriously inconvenienced.
In his weekly radio phone-in programme, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg warned last week that travelers may have to get used to the extra checks. “I don’t think we should expect this to be a one-off temporary thing,” he said. “We have to make sure the checks are there to meet the nature of the new kinds of threats.”
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