Security fears at Australian airports lead to delays

AN aviation security expert has issued a chilling warning to Australian passengers who are already reeling from news a terror cell was allegedly planning to blow up a plane in Sydney.

Roger Henning, CEO of Homeland Security Asia Pacific, told Radio National on Monday the alleged plot security agencies uncovered in recent days would likely have been stopped if the terrorists were using a metal kitchen object as part of their deadly plan.

He said a metal detector would probably have foiled that plan — but there were other methods possible.

“There are other ways of blowing up aeroplanes and they’re certainly not covered by anything the Australian government or agencies have done to date.

“It would not show up any plastic explosives inside any metal object, what would show up is the metal object and that should trigger a response to have it examined manually, and removed.”

The Daily Telegraph reported two would-be father and son terror teams linked by marriage are allegedly behind a plot to blow up an international flight out of Sydney using a homemade bomb disguised as a kitchen mincer. The Federal Government is holding the four men without charge under tough anti-terror legislation. Investigators have a week to build their case against the men.

New security measures have been introduced at major Australian airports in response to the alleged plot leading to major delays today.

Mr Henning said it was “ridiculous” for politicians to insist that scanning was the key when “plastic explosives bypass all metal detectors, all scanners at every airport. There is no scanners that can pick up plastic explosives”.

It was the same situation with gas, he said.

“There is nothing to really stop a gas attack, the same risk applies at Parliament House in Canberra where these two things can bypass the scanning…”

The Australian has been told the detained men were allegedly constructing a “non-traditional’’ device, one that would kill the occupants of the targeted plane with poisonous gas.

News Corp understands the plane was going to be an international flight to the Middle East, possibly Dubai, that was leaving from Sydney.

Source: Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane airport delays: ‘Crazy lines’ fray nerves