European rabbis call new airports scanners ‘immodest’

By Cnaan Liphshiz
www.haaretz.com

The use of body scanners in airports would violate the rights of Religious Jewish women whose modesty would be compromised by the scan, the Rabbinical Center of Europe warned on Wednesday.

The statement by the center – an umbrella for Orthodox communities was made after the operator of London’s Heathrow airport announced that body scanners would be installed there in the near future.

Full-body scanners, unlike standard archway metal detectors used in airports around the world, use radio waves to generate a picture of the body that can see through a person’s clothing and spot hidden weapons or packages.

“While appreciating the concern of passenger safety we would recommend that men are scanned by men, and women by women, akin to body frisk, the center’s spokesperson, Asher Gold, said.

The Netherlands already uses some scanners, and announced last week that all its airports would use them, after the failed attack by a Nigerian suspect traveling on a plane from Amsterdam to Detroit.
Read more…

Related posts:

1. Airport-security plan calls for 500 body scanners in ‘11 By Thomas Frank, USA TODAY WASHINGTON — Body scanners...
2. Scanners At ‘All UK Airports’ www.dailyexpress.co.uk PASSENGERS will have to pass through body scanners...
3. Airport body scanners could ‘breach human rights’ Airport body scanners, which show the naked form of...
4. EU parliament closes tender for body scanners VALENTINA POP 01.03.2010 EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS – The European...
5. Commissioner Favours EU Rules On Body Scanners Valentina Pop 11.02.2010 EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS – The EU...
6. Transport ministers meet in La Coruña to weigh up the pros and cons of body scanners Ministers put airport scanners to the test By Jennifer...
7. Passengers laid bare as full body scanners are introduced at Heathrow and Manchester airports By Anny Shaw www.dailymail.co.uk 02nd February 2010 * Travellers...
8. Body scanners can store, send images, group says By Jeanne Meserve and Mike M. Ahlers, CNN Washington...
9. Airports look to thermal screening in battle to contain swine flu Airports around the world have been placed on the front...
10. Spanish Minister For Development Says Airport Body Scanners Are ‘Inevitable’ José Blanco has held a meeting on airport security...