U.K. begins trials of monitoring suspicious behavior Heathrow
U.K. government begins trial of behavioral monitoring at Heathrow Airport; monitors will look not only for suspicious objects, but for suspicious behavior; the behavioral assessment will be used in conjunction with intelligence information and new technology, like the full body scanners, to improve the safety
The British Airports Authority (BAA) is using behavioral analysis to weed out terror suspects during security checks at the London Heathrow Airport. The airport’s operator had started an open-ended trial of the controversial techniques in January. Travelers exhibiting unusual behavior are given a more thorough security check.
OneIndia writes that the trial signals a shift in security strategy for the BAA, which has so far been focusing on finding dangerous objects. The behavioral assessment will be used in conjunction with intelligence information and new technology, like the full body scanners, to improve the safety.
According to reports, security staff may look for passengers who have paid cash for business class, are traveling with no luggage on a long-haul flight, or are behaving erratically at the airport.
The U.K. government is believed to be watching the trials closely before deciding whether to apply the technique at other airports. “A number of security staff at Heathrow are undergoing training in behavioral analysis techniques, where passengers are selected if they are behaving suspiciously,” Daily Express quotes Paul Clark, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Transport, as saying. “This training is being trialed and evaluated. We will consider its effectiveness before deciding whether it can be rolled out more widely,” he added.
