How Terrorism Puts Aviation At Risk

For safety in air transport globally, there must be comprehensive security apparatus that would guaranty fool proof system, writes WOLE SHADARE

Providing security

If airplanes and passengers, as well as property and people on the ground are to be protected, potential perpetrators of aviation terrorism must be prevented from breaching security checkpoints and gaining access to “secure” airport areas and aircraft. Given the inter-connectedness of the air transportation system, a sufficiently high level of security must be provided throughout the entire system. One area that has exposed aviation sector to terror act is one fueled by insiders within and around aerodromes.

Insider threat

For insider threat, an airport employee goes between secure and insecure areas to smuggle drugs and weapons. A contract worker with air side access places explosives on an airplane. A former worker provides detailed intelligence to a terrorist organisation about the innerworkings of a major airport. The thought of an insider threat brings considerable concern to organisations operating in the aviation industry. It’s not a new concept, but it’s receiving rising attention today because of recent security breaches. Will airports around the world adopt full employee screening as a countermeasure?

Aircraft as targets

Airports and aircraft continue to offer series of highly attractive targets to terrorists and insurgents for the following reasons: The high value of the aircraft themselves, the concentration of people (often representing different nationalities), the automatic media coverage (breaking news/headlines) generated by aviation related terrorism due to the drama, publicity and psychological effect associated with it and the uniqueness of airlines and airports as veritable instruments of national identity, which makes it targets for terrorist attacks. “It is worthy to note that the protection of civil aviation against global terrorism (Aviation Security) is normally tackled by a two-prong approach: the regulatory framework and the technical/physical protection measures.

Gun smuggling

There have been incidents all around the world that have forced airports to tighten security protocols. The boldest incident occurred last December when a gun smuggling ring was uncovered between the Hartsfield- Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Kennedy International Airport. Equipped with the perfect accomplice, an airline baggage handler gained easy access to secure areas of the airport. He was able to rely on the employee to smuggle in the weapons. The two met up after a passenger passed through the passenger security checkpoint to collect the firearms. Atlanta Airport has since employed a phased-in approach to improve security protocols. Currently, bags and personal belongings are checked before allowing workers into secure areas.

Lax Screening

Smaller airports around the world often lack rigorous screening for workers and have poor internal security measures. For Nigerian airports, the porosity of security is evident in many of the airports across the country. But the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) seems to be stepping up their game in protecting lives and property at all Nigeria’s airports.

Tightening the noose

In the light of Istanbul terror attack that left over 42 people dead and over a hundred injured, the Managing FAAN, Saleh Dunoma said the agency had made significant efforts to fortify security at the airports and beef up intelligence. “Security is already in place, the only thing, is that once things happen you need to beef it up to a certain level above what we already have on ground. Such measures have been put in place. All the airports have been advised through a circular that they should improve security intelligence in all the airports, especially on the land-side,” he said. Dunoma said FAAN is developing intelligence, which has become effective tool in result-oriented security apparatus, noting that intelligence has been part of the security system together with hi-tech and ever advancing security equipment. He pointed out that the agency had ensured effective security coverage of the airports over the years. “From time to time we improve on what we have as technology gets updated. Intelligence gathering is a normal thing; we have personnel doing that and analysis is also very important. Once it is analysed, we share this intelligence with security agencies around the airports to make sure they take necessary actions as dictated by the analysis.” Dunoma said. He said security personnel in FAAN and support security operatives undergo continuous training to ensure that they are fit and updated to effectively carry out their responsibilities. Dunoma also spoke on the fears of insider threat and explained that the agency profiles workers who have access to the sensitive areas of the airport, including the air side. He said that every six months the onduty cards (ODC) is renewed and before the renewal the agency carries out background checks of its personnel and that of other workers to ensure that every person with the card passes security screening. “There are a lot of efforts that have been put in by various security agencies and the federal government to ensure that our airports are secure. We have never disputed the possibility of insider threat. As people working for you, you cannot rule out the issue, but what we do in order to forestall that is that anybody that comes and wants to access any part of the airports, whether staff, personnel from government agencies or workers of our concessionaires, must go through some checks before we access them on-duty cards. “We subject them to background checks, especially if they are staff. This is the key and once we found you wanting we deny you the access and we send message to your agency and we do this periodically.

Airport security challenges

The challenge in airport security is the ability of a security programme to avert persons with bad intentions from gaining access to sensitive areas of the airport and the overall prevention of any kind of security breach. So, it is the responsibility of airport managers to ensure that certain security elements are in place and this includes airport perimeter control.

Expert’s view

A former Managing Director of FAAN, Richard Aisuebeogun recently said African airports within the limit of resources available to them have secured the perimeters of the airports by providing both Perimeter and Operational fences in some airports. The World Bank is also assisting African countries with some perimeter fence work. “We have also provided access control at designated gates / entry points to ensure strict access control to the airside so that only genuine passengers and staff gain access. “African airports are equipped with perimeter roads to enable security patrol and aid emergency operations. All entry points/gates are also manned and access control measures put in place to prevent intrusion; during periods of red alert, aircraft may also be escorted to holding points by security agents. “The introduction of the machine- readable travel document (MRTD) programme by most African countries Immigration Services which became a mandatory global standard by April 2010 is also a vital tool in addressing aviation terrorism. This programme has been acknowledged as one of the most important available tools for enhancing the security of global civil aviation and promoting global inter-operability, and an essential tool for preventing terrorist movement across borders,” Aisuebeogun said.

Conclusion

It has to be noted that many of Nigeria’s airports are yet to be fully fenced to stop unauthorised access by criminals and potential terrorists. The incidents of stowaways, which have gained frequency in recent times, indicate that the airports are still very porous. The physical fencing must be done before the protection of individuals from accessing the airports could be effectively enforced.

Wole Shadare