Interior Minister: Estonia should maintain current level of airport security

  • 2006-08-22
  • TBT Staff
Despite the recently foiled terrorist plot in the UK, Estonia's Interior Minister Kalle Laanet does not back an increase in security requirements in European airports, the daily SL Ohtuleht reported.

Laanet said the emphasis on stopping terrorist attacks should lie in intelligence gathering.
"Security checks must be stepped up in accordance with risk evaluation," he said. There should not be permanent safeguards in place.
He said Estonia was under no direct threat at the moment, but that could change within hours.
"Our structures of internal security are engaged in permanent surveillance," he said.
The UK's Home Secretary John Reid has said Europe faces a "persistent and very real" threat from terrorism and that stricter airport security measures should be introduced by all EU members.
In co-operation with BNS