Return to Transcripts main page
Live From...
England Beefing Up Security
Aired December 23, 2003 - 14:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. can pressure airlines in this country to bolster their security but what about the airliners from abroad? Are extra security measures being taken over seas? Let's go live to London and CNN's Matthew Chance. He's got the details from there -- Matthew.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, thanks. In stark contrast in this period of heightened tensions in the United States, here in Europe, at least, the level of terrorism threat has remained steady, at least that disclosed do us by the authorities here.
Britain in particular is considered to be a prime target by al Qaeda and its affiliates for a possible attack. That was a demonstrated in quite devastating fashion last month when terrorists targeted British interests in the Turkish city of Istanbul, killing at least 50 people there.
There is concern that Britain may at some point be targeted in the future, but what the authorities here are saying is that they're already very vigilant, they're on a heightened state of vigilance because of the Istanbul attacks. But they haven't said any specific intelligence that there may be some kind of plot during this holiday day period -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Now, Matthew, Sir John Stephens (ph), the police commissioner there in the U.K. talking about the threat of suicide attacks since 9/11. That seems to be what they've been dealing with there.
CHANCE: Of course, all this falling into the context of a much greater security concern since 9/11 here in Britain as well as in other countries across the world, to John Stephens, the head of the Metropolitan Police here in London, urging the public to be vigilant.
But to be frank, this is something that happens to Britain every year. Terrorism is not something new to the people of this country. Remember, for more than three decades the people of this country have had to be vigilant for suspicious parcels, suspicious activities and things like that because of the terrorism threat that was experienced here from Irish nationalists who bombed the British mainland.
So there is this continuing vigilance. Again, though, the authorities here unlike the United States have no specific intelligence that there is a plot over the holiday period.
PHILLIPS: Matthew Chance from London. Thank you. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 23, 2003 - 14:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. can pressure airlines in this country to bolster their security but what about the airliners from abroad? Are extra security measures being taken over seas? Let's go live to London and CNN's Matthew Chance. He's got the details from there -- Matthew.
MATTHEW CHANCE, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, thanks. In stark contrast in this period of heightened tensions in the United States, here in Europe, at least, the level of terrorism threat has remained steady, at least that disclosed do us by the authorities here.
Britain in particular is considered to be a prime target by al Qaeda and its affiliates for a possible attack. That was a demonstrated in quite devastating fashion last month when terrorists targeted British interests in the Turkish city of Istanbul, killing at least 50 people there.
There is concern that Britain may at some point be targeted in the future, but what the authorities here are saying is that they're already very vigilant, they're on a heightened state of vigilance because of the Istanbul attacks. But they haven't said any specific intelligence that there may be some kind of plot during this holiday day period -- Kyra.
PHILLIPS: Now, Matthew, Sir John Stephens (ph), the police commissioner there in the U.K. talking about the threat of suicide attacks since 9/11. That seems to be what they've been dealing with there.
CHANCE: Of course, all this falling into the context of a much greater security concern since 9/11 here in Britain as well as in other countries across the world, to John Stephens, the head of the Metropolitan Police here in London, urging the public to be vigilant.
But to be frank, this is something that happens to Britain every year. Terrorism is not something new to the people of this country. Remember, for more than three decades the people of this country have had to be vigilant for suspicious parcels, suspicious activities and things like that because of the terrorism threat that was experienced here from Irish nationalists who bombed the British mainland.
So there is this continuing vigilance. Again, though, the authorities here unlike the United States have no specific intelligence that there is a plot over the holiday period.
PHILLIPS: Matthew Chance from London. Thank you. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
