US to Add 5,000 Armed Air Marshals

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, September 03, 2003

US to Add 5,000 Armed Air Marshals

The Bush administration is shuffling its homeland security operation to make 5,000 more armed agents available to protect commercial flights.

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

The Bush administration is shuffling its homeland security operation to make 5,000 more armed agents available to protect commercial flights.

The reorganization will combine the air marshal's program with the customs and immigration security programs. This will allow the government to put extra agents on airliners when officials believe they are being targeted by terrorists.

The Homeland Security Department says the immigration and customs agents and the air marshals will be cross-trained so they all can be deployed to stop attacks on planes.

The air marshal program was practically nonexistent at the time of the September 11 attacks. Only 32 agents were employed at the time, but the number has since increased dramatically.

Questions?Comments? Click here

Bush Outlines Plan to Boost Aviation Security

Why Japanese PM Proposes Amending Constitution Now ( 3 Messages)

Commentary Urges No Interference with Chinese Yuan ( 9 Messages)

DPRK Accuses US of Insincerity at Six-party Talks ( 13 Messages)

Beijing Six-party Talks Reach Six-Point Consensus ( 13 Messages)

China to Cut Troops by 200,000 Before 2005 ( 3 Messages)