Travellers across Europe face tougher airport security and new restrictions on hand luggage after interior ministers from France and Germany on Wednesday supported British calls for tighter standards.
John Reid, Britain’s home secretary, urged all European countries to adopt a similar approach to that of the UK, which has banned liquids and gels from being carried on board aircraft since last week’s terrorism alert.
The ministers discussed a range of anti-terrorism measures, including unified airport security standards and funding for research into liquid and other explosives.
After a meeting in London with ministers from six other European Union member states, Mr Reid said Europe faced “a persistent and very real threat” from terrorism.
His comments came as the US scrambled two F-15 fighter jets to escort a Washington-bound United Airlines flight from London that was diverted to Boston airport after a disturbance involving an unruly passenger. The Transport Security Administration later said there was no evidence to suggest a terrorist link.
It also emerged on Wednesday that the investigation into an alleged plot to blow up US-bound airliners flying from London’s Heathrow Airport had been expanded beyond the UK and Pakistan.
In Islamabad, senior government officials said that countries elsewhere in Europe and north Africa might be involved. One Arab diplomat said the investigation had widened to include Germany and Belgium.
Security officials and diplomats in Pakistan believe al-Qaeda, which has been linked to the alleged plot, has been planning attacks on the transport systems of European capitals before the end of the year.
After the European ministers’ meeting, Franco Frattini, the EU justice commissioner, pledged €350,000 ($450,000) for research into liquid explosives and promised concrete proposals for a meeting in Finland next month of all EU interior ministers.
■Michael Chertoff, the US homeland security secretary, on Wednesday said the administration hoped to introduce a new rule early next year requiring all airlines to provide passenger data for all flights into the US before take-off, Demetri Sevastopulo adds from Washington. Under current regulations, the information must be provided within 15 minutes of take-off. Airlines have previously raised concerns that the new requirements would result in costly delays to flights.
Separately, Mr Chertoff dismissed suggestions that the US had put pressure on the UK to arrest the terror suspects earlier than MI5 – the UK domestic intelligence service – would have liked, saying both countries were on “the same page”.
Additional reporting by Hugh Williamson in Berlin and Tobias Buck in Brussels
