U.S. Security Looks for a Home Away from Home

Pentagon officials are drafting a plan which could see United States Homeland Security officers taking up residence across the globe at major international airports in a bid to prevent potential terrorists from boarding U.S.-bound planes in foreign cities.

According to a report in Monday's Wall Street Journal, the plans include a possible working partnership between U.S. agents and local security officers at Frankfurt Main airport in Germany, London's Heathrow and Gatwick airports, Narita International near Tokyo, Charles de Gaulle in Paris, Mexico City International and Schiphol airport in Amsterdam.

The agents would review passenger lists and question those travelers who arouse suspicion and those likely to be turned away once they reached the United States.

The Journal reported that of the 70 million people who fly to the United States every year, the seven airports listed account for 40 percent of those.

Cooperation would be voluntary

U.S. Customs Service director Robert Bonner told the newspaper he expected the trial to start with a pilot program at the airport in Warsaw, Poland and hoped that the likely success of any cooperation on security there would persuade the other airports to volunteer. No one would be forced to take U.S. agents into their airports.

However, the proposed initiative raises a number of symbolic and practical questions. If U.S. sovereignty is extended to foreign airports, could those Homeland Security agents abroad arrest someone in that foreign country? Would a Homeland Security officer be allowed to carry, and use, a firearm there? Who would make the final decision on who could fly to the U.S. and what would happen to anyone who refused the authority of the agent?

One European airlines group official asked The Journal whether the United States would reciprocate by allowing foreign officers to work in U.S. airports, seeing as how "the war on terrorism is global."

U.S. customs agents have operated outside the United States, in Canadian airports, for some time. In addition, their mandate has been extended to cover the screening of cargo headed to the United States from some international seaports.

Plans could cause more friction over airline security

Bonner also told The Journal that the program could avoid flight cancellations and fines to airlines which carry travelers without proper documentation to the United States, two of the main reasons behind recent friction between some governments and Washington regarding airline security.

Airlines already have to supply U.S. authorities with data on passengers on trans-Atlantic flights, but a December deal brokered between the EU and Washington limited the use of such data to comply with EU privacy rules.

However, it didn't stop a number of French flights to the U.S. being cancelled over Christmas and the New Year due to refusals to relinquish certain information. Since New Year's Eve, more than a dozen flights to the United States on British Airways, Aeromexico and Air France have been canceled or delayed because of security fears.

Sky marshal row rumbles on

Another sticking point in Europe is the U.S. demand for armed sky marshals on certain flights. At a meeting last month, the British and French governments expressed interest in the notion of armed agents on flights, but other Europeans largely stuck to their reservations.

"We do not want weapons in the cabin," said Bo Eckerbert of the Swedish Aviation Administration in an interview with reporters. "It may even create more problems than it solves."

Pilot organizations in Britain, Spain, Finland and other countries also expressed strong reservations. Some also called for vetted pilots to be shown documentation and examine intelligence reports of perceived terror threats to ascertain the risk themselves before flights are cancelled.

Concerns over finger-printing scheme

There are also fears about a new tracking system for foreigners inaugurated in January. The so-called US-VISIT program requires foreigners entering U.S. airports and seaports from all but 27 nations to have their fingerprints scanned and their photographs taken. The program will check an estimated 24 million foreigners each year, though some will be repeat visitors.

The only exceptions will be those from 27 mostly European nations whose citizens are allowed to come to the United States for up to 90 days without visas.