Wednesday, November 14, 2007

PM to unveil anti-terror measures

Plans to protect public places, railway stations and other key buildings from terrorist attacks are due to be launched by the prime minister.
The security minister, Lord West, was asked to draw up the proposals after the summer's attempted bombings in London and at Glasgow Airport.
Gordon Brown warned that attacks could hit "anywhere and from any place".
He is also due to unveil a report on a planned border force which combines immigration, customs and visa staff.
Shattered glass
Lord West had been asked to look at ways of strengthening security on the transport network, in public areas such as sports stadiums and shopping centres, and at utility sites.
He has called for architects to include anti-terror features in new buildings and projects, it is believed.
BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said the minister had recommended that access roads leading to stations and crowded areas should be constructed so that drivers cannot build up speed.
Lord West is also understood to have said that windows need to be more carefully positioned - to minimise the risk of injury from glass shattered by an explosion.
But he has added that features such as barriers need to be as unobtrusive as possible, and that efforts should be made to minimise disruption to people's day-to-day lives.
Local communities
Details of the unified border force, first announced by Mr Brown in July, are also due to be outlined.
A study led by the Cabinet secretary, Sir Gus O'Donnell, considered whether it should include police officers as well as those from the Border and Immigration Agency, Customs and the overseas UK Visa operations.
As part of a range of security announcements, the prime minister is also expected to update MPs on measures to counter radicalisation and extremism in local communities.
Writing in the Sun newspaper, he said: "Terrorism can hit us anywhere from any place.
"But just as the terrorists use every method and the very freedoms we enjoy to kill or maim people, so we must also adopt new tools to beat the terrorists, secure our borders and create a safe global society."
Story from BBC NEWS:

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