Setting the tone
Home secretary Theresa May addressed Parliament earlier today to announce new air travel security measures to be put into place following the discovery of explosive devices on a cargo flight from Yemen to the UK.
There were two devices, which both consisted of explosives inside printer toner cartridges. They were then left inside a printer, which was rigged-up to allow remote detonation. It looks like the explosive used was undetectable by conventional methods, and it was only a tip-off from a former al-Quaeda member that led to the devices being discovered.
As a result May told the Commons that, from midnight tonight, printer toner cartridges weighing over 500g will be banned from hand luggage on all UK flights. There will also be restrictions on toner cartridges in air freight unless they originate from an approved supplier.
"At this stage, we have no information to suggest that another attack of a similar nature by al-Qaeda in the Arabian peninsula is imminent," she said, as reported by the Guardian."We are in a constant battle with the terrorists. They are always looking for another way, another innovative way, in which they can try to get around our defences."
There had been fears that this latest terror scare would cause more severe restrictions to be imposed on the air travel industry, which is already muttering about the superfluousness of some measures.
"They are laughing away in their caves this morning at the prime minister and his security team meeting to discuss printer cartridges," said O'Leary, also reported in the Guardian, in anticipation of the security meeting that preceded May's announcement.
