The United States has introduced tougher security measures for air passengers arriving to the country, following the attemped terrorist attack on Christmas Day.
The Transport Security Administration (TSA) has confirmed that any passengers arriving to the US will face increased random screening from today.
Anyone travelling from Nigeria, Yemen, Pakistan, Cuba, Iran, Sudan and Syria will be subject to extra checks including pat-down searches and carry-on baggage checks. These countries include four which the US considers as “state sponsors of terrorism” – Syria, Sudan, Cuba and Iran.
The TSA said: “The new directive includes long-term, sustainable security measures developed in consultation with law enforcement officials and our domestic and international partners.
“TSA is mandating that every individual flying into the US from anywhere in the world travelling from or through nations that are state sponsors of terrorism or other countries of interest will be required to go through enhanced screening.
“The directive also increases the use of enhanced screening technologies and mandates threat-based and random screening for passengers on US bound international flights.”
The new measures follow the attempt by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab to blow up an aircraft on its final approach to Michigan’s Detroit Metropolitan Airport. He is reported to be a member of an al-Qaeda off-shoot based in Yemen.
Both the US and Britain closed their embassies in Yemen on Sunday over security concerns.