ICAO says blowing up aircraft illegal

IN a move sure to worry terrorists, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), part of the United Nations, has made it a criminal act to use civil aircraft as weapons. It has also made the illegal transport of biological, chemical and nuclear weapons a punishable offence.

These announcements were part of the ICAO’s more stringent air cargo security standards it has introduced in the wake of the ongoing bomb threat.

The new standards require more extensive screening of cargo, better protection from tampering, better deployment of security equipment, more security of air traffic service providers, training programmes and instructor certification systems, and protection from cyber threats.

“This latest revision to the Security Annex has been in development for some time and reflects our determination to constantly review and adapt ICAO security standards to address a rapidly evolving security situation,” said Roberto Kobeh González (above), the ICAO council president. “It also complements a number of recent initiatives to significantly increase the level of aviation security, in a proactive and concerted manner.”