US urges private plane owners to be on alert

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, July 06, 2002

US urges private plane owners to be on alert

The United States government on Friday urged owners and operators of private planes to be on alertto prevent terrorists from using general aviation (GA) aircraft for attacks.

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The United States government on Friday urged owners and operators of private planes to be on alertto prevent terrorists from using general aviation (GA) aircraft for attacks.

"Terrorists who are no longer able to hijack commercial airliners because of increased security at commercial airports mayturn to GA airports and aircraft to conduct operations," the alertsaid.

Citing "credible indications" that terrorists were planning attacks, the US Transportation Security Administration urged private plane owners and operators to lock vulnerable airplanes, check all crew members and passengers and make sure there was no unidentified baggage or cargo on board.

The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association says more than 200,000 of the 215,000 planes flying in the United States are small private planes. These are known as general aviation (GA) aircraft.

Meanwhile, US airline pilots unions have warned members that terrorists might watch their movements or try to steal their uniforms and identification.

US Transportation Department spokesman Chet Lunner said becauseof reports of thefts from pilots' hotel rooms, the government had asked airlines to tell their pilots to be more careful.

Some pilots had reported that their hotel rooms were broken into and their uniforms and IDs stolen, said pilots unions.

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