Ahern Backs Full Body Scanners

Dermot Ahern

By Jason Michael
www.irishtimes.com

Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern today told a Council of Ministers meeting in Toledo, Spain, he supported the introduction of full-body scanners to Irish airports.

During a 90 minute session on the subject of counter terrorism, Mr Ahern told other European ministers and US Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano that Ireland would play its part in overcoming international terrorism.

“If additional measures are required – and they are – either in exchange of passenger information or better technology, then we should do so. We need to fast track exchange of information which can play a very important role in defeating international terrorism. Law-abiding citizens have nothing to fear from increased information exchange, particularly internally in the EU, and better scanning devices and technology,” he said.

“International co operation and co-ordination of all our efforts, particularly with the United States, will be essential to meet the terrorists head on. The clear message to send out is that terrorism will not win over the rule of democratic nations.”

Britain and France are leading calls at EU level for the introduction of passenger name recognition (PNR) – information exchange used in profiling and detecting terror suspects – across the EU. Such a system is in place between the EU and the United States.

Ms Napolitano briefed Ministers regarding recent attempted bombing of a Detroit-bound aircraft on Christmas Day, and she called for information exchange and security co-operation during the summit of European interior ministers. Read more…

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