Airports security system tightened

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New Delhi: The Central Industrial Security Force (in charge of security at Indian airports) has been trained post September 11 in aviation security by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security.

The CISF has bomb detection, anti-hijack and quick response teams at all airports and is supported both by the local police and security personnel of individual airlines.

Apart from X-ray and metal detectors, all passengers are frisked. Moreover, close circuit televisions are being extensively used to monitor terminals.

However, experts say security in Indian airports on a day-to-day basis isn't good enough.

They'll attack when they see a breach," says Executive Director, Institute of Conflict Management, Ajay Sahni.

Individual airlines officials handling ground operations and X-ray checking voice similar concern.

"I think the people carrying out these searches are not trained enough in terms of detection of increasingly innovative techniques," he adds.

Meanwhile, making a public statement on the issue of maintaining security at the airports the Civil Aviation Secretary said, "we had already upgraded the security mechanisms available at our airports."

International airports abroad use advanced scanners and explosive detectors, which can detect chemical odors given off by explosives.

Some airports in the US also use puffer machines, which blow a small amount of air on passengers to look for traces of explosives. These could detect liquid explosives if traces remain on the passenger or the bag containing the liquid.

Another controversial technology is the X-ray backscatter scanner, which can give a high-resolution image of a person's body beneath their clothing to reveal any concealed objects.