Pacific Rim airports vulnerable to attacks

MANILA: -- Airports in Pacific Rim countries are vulnerable to rocket attacks, the head of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum's anti-terrorism task force said Tuesday.

Benjamin Defensor, former Philippine air force chief, said terrorists could use shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles to blow up commercial airliners because many airports are located on major roads and in residential areas.

He said shoulder-fired missiles were traditionally used in conventional warfare to defend against enemy aircraft but could also be used against commercial aircraft.

"I will tell you right now, our airports are not safe," he told a forum in Manila for the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines.

Defensor said APEC's 21 member governments are currently reviewing security at their airports ahead of a test of at least one major facility in each country to determine if it could repel a terrorist attack using shoulder-fired missiles.

While the APEC agreement requires only one major airport per nation to be tested, Defensor said he will recommend that experts test the country's facilities in Manila, Clark in the north and Davao City in the south.

--DPA 2006-02-14

Pacific Rim airports vulnerable to attacks

MANILA: -- Airports in Pacific Rim countries are vulnerable to rocket attacks, the head of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum's anti-terrorism task force said Tuesday.

Benjamin Defensor, former Philippine air force chief, said terrorists could use shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles to blow up commercial airliners because many airports are located on major roads and in residential areas.

He said shoulder-fired missiles were traditionally used in conventional warfare to defend against enemy aircraft but could also be used against commercial aircraft.

"I will tell you right now, our airports are not safe," he told a forum in Manila for the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines.

Defensor said APEC's 21 member governments are currently reviewing security at their airports ahead of a test of at least one major facility in each country to determine if it could repel a terrorist attack using shoulder-fired missiles.

While the APEC agreement requires only one major airport per nation to be tested, Defensor said he will recommend that experts test the country's facilities in Manila, Clark in the north and Davao City in the south.

--DPA 2006-02-14

I wonder who could want to attack civilian aircraft, without provacation. Surely no peace loving religion would do such a monstrous act.

Bangkok airport is especially vulnerable and has been for years.

There is no screening of hand bags taken into the airport terminals.

The check is only done just before boarding the flight.

Sheer negligence and has been pointed out in the press many times,

but no-one takes any notice.

And it's taken how long for them to figure this out??? Surely anyone who's living near an airport can see how easy this would be.

Besides airplanes, if terrorists really wanted to strike, there are plenty of targets without adequate security. Astral just mentioned one. What we need is more stringent measures in respect to airport security. Not just placing 'guards' at key locations without actually checking properly. Go through the airport and you can see the security there is slack. It could be alot better.

Unfortunately, the sad reality is that it's just a matter of time. We are all potential targets. This 'religious', 'cash crazy' and 'power' war will not stop anytime soon.

How come I don't feel at war at all? I'm surely not alone because most people I know don't feel at war either.

I don't feel secure with all this "security" around. Like someone wrote to Bangkok Post - it felt far more secure at Central Lad Prao ten years ago when there were no guards of any kind, than now, with armed commandos positioned at every entrance.

I feel secure when there are no threats.

Agreed - the "security guards' are sometimes as intimidating and dangerous as any perceived "threat" - ask those girls who were shot in the bank queue the other day - just because of queue jumping and raised tempers - if these d*ckheads are given guns the net result is often less secure than before.

Pacific Rim airports vulnerable to attacks

MANILA: -- Airports in Pacific Rim countries are vulnerable to rocket attacks, the head of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum's anti-terrorism task force said Tuesday.

Benjamin Defensor, former Philippine air force chief, said terrorists could use shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles to blow up commercial airliners because many airports are located on major roads and in residential areas.

He said shoulder-fired missiles were traditionally used in conventional warfare to defend against enemy aircraft but could also be used against commercial aircraft.

"I will tell you right now, our airports are not safe," he told a forum in Manila for the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines.

Defensor said APEC's 21 member governments are currently reviewing security at their airports ahead of a test of at least one major facility in each country to determine if it could repel a terrorist attack using shoulder-fired missiles.

While the APEC agreement requires only one major airport per nation to be tested, Defensor said he will recommend that experts test the country's facilities in Manila, Clark in the north and Davao City in the south.

--DPA 2006-02-14

I wonder who could want to attack civilian aircraft, without provacation. Surely no peace loving religion would do such a monstrous act.

I think peace loving is a matter of interpretation when you think of 9/11, Bali, London, the list is long but it's the same peace loving people who would attack civilian aircrafts.