Dec 30, 2009

Air passengers can be second security eye

I REFER to the terrorist plot to blow up a Northwest Airlines plane on Christmas Day as it made its final approach to land in the American city of Detroit.

Fortunately, thanks to the quick reaction of a Dutch passenger, the terrorist act was foiled. The incident reminds us that terrorism is still very much alive in the world.

I used to lament the troublesome checks one is subjected to when travelling abroad. Not any more.

Sometimes, each security check takes about 10 minutes. More often than not, checks are doubled at some airports – one when we enter the airport and another before we board the plane. Sometimes, one has to remove one’s shoes and be subject to body checks.

Now, I try to be patient when I am checked thoroughly as I realise it is for the good of all. A security lapse like the recent one could have tragic consequences. I do not want security to be so relaxed that anyone can smuggle a suspicious object onto my plane.

Passengers can be the second security eye here. They can inform airport security if they see any suspicious character lurking in the vicinity, and even deter would-be terrorists on board a flight if they see a terrorist act in progress. Of course, this takes courage and a lot of initiative.

Recent terrorist activities indicate that airport security must not be relaxed but enhanced. A successful terrorist act will trigger widespread panic, with adverse effects on both the economy and regional harmony.

Gilbert Goh