New security equipment 'to be installed in UK airports this year'

Date: 7/1/2010

New explosion trace detection equipment is to be installed in all UK airports by the end of the year, home secretary Alan Johnson has stated.

He also told the House of Commons yesterday (January 5th) that body scanners will be introduced at Heathrow Airport in three weeks time.

The new measures follow a failed attempt by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab to blow up a plane bound for Detroit on Christmas Day.

The minister added that more detailed searches must be made of passengers at UK airports to tackle "inventive and determined" terrorists who are looking to evade airport security.

However, Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesperson Chris Huhne queried whether the full-body scanners would be capable of detected explosives such as those used by Mr Abdulmutallab.

During Prime Minister's Questions, prime minister Gordon Brown also stated the government is currently "reviewing and enhancing" its watch list arrangements in order to prevent a similar incident in the future.