Airport security stepped up in Britain over al-Qaida bomb plot fears

Security at British airports is to be tightened after US officials raised fears about terrorists in Syria and Yemen developing explosives that could be smuggled onto planes. The Department for Transport said on Wednesday night that it would "step up some of our aviation security measures" following the warning from US security chiefs. US officials told Reuters that security at European airports would be increased following intelligence that al-Qaida operatives in Syria and Yemen had joined forces to develop bombs that would avoid detection and bring down aircraft. A spokesman for the Department for Transport said the changes would not caused significant disruption to passengers and that the threat level remains at substantial, meaning an attack is a strong possibility. The spokesman said: "The UK government keeps aviation security under constant review in conjunction with international partners and the aviation industry. "We have taken the decision to step up some of our aviation security measures. For obvious reasons we will not be commenting in detail on those changes. The majority of passengers should not experience significant disruption. There will be no change to the threat level, which remains at substantial. "The safety and security of the public is our paramount concern. The UK has some of the most robust aviation security measures and we will continue to take all the steps necessary to ensure that public safety is maintained." The US department of homeland security said "enhanced security measures" would be implemented in the next few days at "certain overseas airports with direct flights into the United States." Department secretary, Jeh Johnson, said: "We are sharing recent and relevant information with our foreign allies and are consulting the aviation industry." The US did not specify which airports or what countries would be affected, nor did it say what triggered the extra precautions. However, the Department for Transport confirmed that aviation in Britain would be affected by the heightened measures. A spokesman for Heathrow airport in London declined to comment.