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Gaps in Egyptian Airport Security Face Scrutiny After Crash Gaps in Egyptian Airport Security Face Scrutiny After Crash
(about 3 hours later)
SHARM EL SHEIKH, Egypt — The airport is surrounded by a wall topped with barbed wire. Armed sentries are stationed at its entrance, and passengers pass through two security screenings before reaching departure gates; before a recent departing flight, there were no fewer than eight uniformed guards standing around the checkpoint. SHARM EL SHEIKH, Egypt — The airport is surrounded by a wall topped with barbed wire. Armed sentries are stationed at its entrance, and passengers pass through two security screenings before reaching departure gates; before a recent flight, there were no fewer than eight uniformed guards standing around the checkpoint.
But potential inconsistencies in airport security here and elsewhere in Egypt have never been hard to detect. As guards at a metal detector here forced a departing passenger recently to throw out a pack of safety razors found in his luggage, an airport cafe worker breezed past the checkpoint without any search or inspection. At the Cairo airport on Friday, an officer at an X-ray machine sent text messages while he was scanning luggage. Another guard took a passenger at his word when he said the phone in his pocket had caused a metal detector to beep.But potential inconsistencies in airport security here and elsewhere in Egypt have never been hard to detect. As guards at a metal detector here forced a departing passenger recently to throw out a pack of safety razors found in his luggage, an airport cafe worker breezed past the checkpoint without any search or inspection. At the Cairo airport on Friday, an officer at an X-ray machine sent text messages while he was scanning luggage. Another guard took a passenger at his word when he said the phone in his pocket had caused a metal detector to beep.
Those potential gaps are now under a spotlight, as preliminary evidence from the crash of a Russian charter jet on Oct. 31 points to the possibility of a bombing, and several countries have restricted flights to and from Sharm el Sheikh. Theories about how a bomb might have gotten onto the plane, whose passengers and crew were all from Russia or its neighboring countries, have focused on the possibility that an airport worker might have been involved.Those potential gaps are now under a spotlight, as preliminary evidence from the crash of a Russian charter jet on Oct. 31 points to the possibility of a bombing, and several countries have restricted flights to and from Sharm el Sheikh. Theories about how a bomb might have gotten onto the plane, whose passengers and crew were all from Russia or its neighboring countries, have focused on the possibility that an airport worker might have been involved.
Ayman al-Muqaddam, the Egyptian official leading the multinational committee investigating the crash, said at a news conference in Cairo that it was still premature to discuss any specific possibilities. He avoided even uttering the word bomb. Pressed about alternative theories under consideration, he mentioned the possibility of a lithium battery in luggage, a spark in a fuel tank, metal fatigue in the plane’s fuselage or “the explosion of something,” and then hurried away from reporters. Ayman al-Muqaddam, the Egyptian official leading the multinational committee investigating the crash, confirmed some details about the flight at a news conference in Cairo on Saturday, including that the plane’s cockpit voice recorder captured an unidentified sound in the last second it was operating. But he said it was still premature to discuss any specific explanations for what had happened.
Besides Egypt, the investigation involves experts from Russia and the Western European countries where the plane was designed, built and leased. In recent days, the Russian authorities have, unusually, asked the F.B.I. for assistance in the investigation, according to senior American officials. Airport officials have been trying to reassure travelers by letting foreign reporters tour and film the airport, including its baggage scanning facility. “We can say that an in-flight breakup took place,” Mr. Muqaddam said. “Saying more than this would be entering the space of inference.”
President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt said in London last week that Egyptian airport security authorities had willingly complied with specific requests the British government made 10 months ago about improving procedures at Sharm el Sheikh, a resort city on the Red Sea where many Britons vacation. “We have cooperated with them,” Mr. Sisi said. “And they checked the security actions; they were happy with that.” He avoided even uttering the word “bomb.” Pressed about alternative theories under consideration, he mentioned the possibility of a lithium battery in luggage, a spark in a fuel tank, metal fatigue in the plane’s fuselage or “the explosion of anything,” and then hurried away from reporters.
Besides Egypt, the investigation involves experts from Russia and the Western European countries where the plane was designed, built and leased. In recent days, the Russian authorities have, unusually, asked the F.B.I. for assistance in the investigation, according to senior American officials.
Airport officials have been trying to reassure travelers by letting foreign reporters tour and film the airport, including its baggage scanning facility.
President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt said in London last week that Egyptian airport security authorities had willingly complied with specific requests the British government made 10 months ago about improving procedures at Sharm el Sheikh, a popular Red Sea resort on the Sinai Peninsula. “We have cooperated with them,” Mr. Sisi said. “And they checked the security actions; they were happy with that.”
Officials from several European countries have raised concerns about Sharm el Sheikh and other Egyptian airports over the years, diplomats and other officials said last week. They have repeatedly complained that X-ray and explosive-detection equipment used to scan baggage is out of date, poorly maintained or poorly operated by inadequately trained staff members, officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the airport assessments were not public.Officials from several European countries have raised concerns about Sharm el Sheikh and other Egyptian airports over the years, diplomats and other officials said last week. They have repeatedly complained that X-ray and explosive-detection equipment used to scan baggage is out of date, poorly maintained or poorly operated by inadequately trained staff members, officials said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the airport assessments were not public.
Britain, which sends tens of thousands of tourists to Egypt each year, has provided the nation with more advanced detection equipment, and has insisted on precautions like special security checks at the boarding gate for Britain-bound flights. It requested further precautions after a specific threat arose around the Cairo airport this year.Britain, which sends tens of thousands of tourists to Egypt each year, has provided the nation with more advanced detection equipment, and has insisted on precautions like special security checks at the boarding gate for Britain-bound flights. It requested further precautions after a specific threat arose around the Cairo airport this year.
“We have been working for some considerable time with the Egyptians on Sharm,” said a British official, adding that the Egyptian authorities had been responsive. “We set out a number of measures that we thought would be helpful and that should be put in place, and the Egyptians worked very closely with us on those,” the official said. “We have been working for some considerable time with the Egyptians on Sharm,” said a British official, adding that the Egyptian authorities had been responsive. “We set out a number of measures that we thought would be helpful and that should be put in place, and the Egyptians worked very closely with us on those.”
Before the Oct. 31 crash of the Russian-operated Airbus jetliner, which killed all 224 people on board, the concerns about the Egyptian airports were never considered serious enough to warrant suspending flights there. But after the crash, the British took another look at Sharm el Sheikh, and found problems with the way checked baggage was screened and safeguarded afterward, according to officials briefed on the matter. Before the Russian-operated Airbus jetliner crashed in the Sinai Desert, killing all 224 people on board, the concerns about the Egyptian airports were never considered serious enough to warrant suspending flights there. But after the crash, the British took another look at Sharm el Sheikh, and found problems with the way checked baggage was screened and safeguarded afterward, according to officials briefed on the matter.
Britain suspended flights for more than a day last week to put in place additional safeguards, including transporting passengers and luggage in separate planes. Several other countries have followed suit, including Russia, which sends by far the most tourists to Sharm el Sheikh.Britain suspended flights for more than a day last week to put in place additional safeguards, including transporting passengers and luggage in separate planes. Several other countries have followed suit, including Russia, which sends by far the most tourists to Sharm el Sheikh.
Russian officials said Saturday that more than 70,000 of their citizens were in Egypt awaiting the arrival of jets being sent to carry them home. British officials said on Saturday that there were about 19,000 Britons at Sharm el Sheikh and that it would take 10 days to get them all home.Russian officials said Saturday that more than 70,000 of their citizens were in Egypt awaiting the arrival of jets being sent to carry them home. British officials said on Saturday that there were about 19,000 Britons at Sharm el Sheikh and that it would take 10 days to get them all home.
The exodus from Sharm el Sheikh has left Egypt’s already sputtering tourism industry, which is vital to its economy, potentially facing collapse. The exodus from Sharm el Sheikh has dealt a devastating blow to Egypt’s already sputtering tourism industry. The loss of foreign currency from tourists is likely to greatly increase downward pressure on the value of the Egyptian pound, compounding the damage to the broader economy.
Only a small number of Western European airlines operated direct flights to Sharm el Sheikh before the crash, flying from cities in Britain, Belgium, Germany, Italy and Switzerland. Airlines from some countries, including France and the Netherlands, stopped offering direct service in recent years, in part out of security concerns, European officials said. Only a small number of Western European airlines operated direct flights to Sharm el Sheikh before the crash, flying from Britain, Belgium, Germany, Italy and Switzerland. Airlines from some countries, including France and the Netherlands, stopped offering direct service in recent years, in part out of security concerns, European officials said.
Yasser Jahin, the deputy director of the Sharm el Sheikh airport, said that staff members were “following international standards, with a precise and high level of security.”Yasser Jahin, the deputy director of the Sharm el Sheikh airport, said that staff members were “following international standards, with a precise and high level of security.”
Since the crash, he added, the number of military and police patrols outside the perimeter of the airport had increased. He noted that several airlines were still showing confidence in the airport, with five German charter flights arriving on Saturday alone, bringing in more than 800 tourists and departing with passengers and their luggage. German security specialists were on hand at the airport, Mr. Jahin said. Since the crash, he added, the number of military and police patrols outside the perimeter of the airport has increased. He noted that several airlines were still showing confidence in the airport, with five German charter flights arriving on Saturday, bringing in more than 800 tourists and departing with passengers and their luggage. German security specialists were on hand at the airport, Mr. Jahin said.
As Egypt has faced growing pressure to explain its theories of the crash, government officials have lashed out at allies, including the United States and Britain, saying they had leaked intelligence about the disaster to news outlets without sharing it with the Egyptians.As Egypt has faced growing pressure to explain its theories of the crash, government officials have lashed out at allies, including the United States and Britain, saying they had leaked intelligence about the disaster to news outlets without sharing it with the Egyptians.
“We expected that we would have been informed of any available information on the technical level, instead of it being released so widely in the media,” the foreign minister, Sameh Shoukry, complained in a news conference on Saturday.“We expected that we would have been informed of any available information on the technical level, instead of it being released so widely in the media,” the foreign minister, Sameh Shoukry, complained in a news conference on Saturday.
Mr. Shoukry said he understood the “worries of some states” regarding the crash. The authorities were working “to reassure these states that the procedures being taken in Egypt are up to international standards,” he said. Mr. Shoukry said he understood the “worries of some states” regarding the crash. Officials are working “to reassure these states that the procedures being taken in Egypt are up to international standards,” he said.
In Sharm el Sheikh, a cluster of soldiers and security guards stood at the entrance to the airport on Saturday in a show of increased vigilance, screening drivers and passengers arriving in cars and buses as the airport filled with anxious passengers trying to fly home. The Egyptian military also took control of registering stranded Russian passengers, according to Arkady Dvorkovich, the Russian deputy prime minister who is in charge of the efforts to repatriate Russians from Egypt. In Sharm el Sheikh, a cluster of soldiers and security guards stood at the entrance to the airport on Saturday in a show of increased vigilance, screening drivers and passengers arriving in cars and buses as the airport filled with anxious passengers trying to fly home. The Egyptian military also took control of registering stranded Russian passengers, according to Arkady Dvorkovich, the Russian deputy prime minister in charge of efforts to repatriate Russians from Egypt.
Egyptian officials told Reuters that they were checking airport security-camera video from the day of the crash to see whether someone might have sneaked past security officials, or if there was “any unusual activity among policemen or airport staff” at Sharm el Sheikh.Egyptian officials told Reuters that they were checking airport security-camera video from the day of the crash to see whether someone might have sneaked past security officials, or if there was “any unusual activity among policemen or airport staff” at Sharm el Sheikh.
But the security officers at the airport entrance also barred several journalists from entering the airport on Saturday, a sign that the government may be growing wary of the heightened international attention to the airport and its operations.But the security officers at the airport entrance also barred several journalists from entering the airport on Saturday, a sign that the government may be growing wary of the heightened international attention to the airport and its operations.
Philip Baum, the editor of Aviation Security International, said that while attention was focused on Sharm el Sheikh and other Egyptian airports because of the disaster, the same “limitations and fallibilities exist in many other airports around the world.” Russia has asked the F.B.I. to help analyze forensic evidence from the crash to pinpoint its cause, American officials said. The F.B.I. and its Russian counterpart, the Federal Security Service, often collaborate against common enemies like Al Qaeda and the Islamic State, but the request for help on the plane crash was seen as unusual.
The theory some have advanced — that an airport insider may have been able to place a bomb on the plane — “could happen at a multitude of airports,” he said. “With sophisticated devices concealed by intelligent terrorists, systems can by bypassed.”
Signs have increasingly pointed to an explosion onboard the aircraft, including a sound heard in the last second recorded by the plane’s cockpit voice recorder, which Egyptian officials confirmed on Saturday.
Russia has asked for the F.B.I.’s help in analyzing forensic evidence from the crash to pinpoint its cause, American officials said. The F.B.I. and its Russian counterpart, the Federal Security Service, or F.S.B., often collaborate against common enemies like Al Qaeda and the Islamic State, but the request for help on the plane crash was seen as unusual.