FED: Guards considered for Qantas after terrorist scare

AAP General News (Australia)
12-26-2003
FED: Guards considered for Qantas after terrorist scare

MELBOURNE, Dec 26 AAP - Armed guards could man all Qantas flights to the United States
within weeks after a terrorist scare was foiled in the US.

Flights between Los Angeles and Paris were grounded yesterday after United States authorities
identified at least one passenger with suspected terrorist links.

The federal government said an agreement with the US to allow Qantas to carry sky marshals
was now a priority, the Herald Sun reported today.

Qantas yesterday struck a deal with the federal government that will place sky marshals
aboard Qantas flights between Australia and Singapore within days, the paper said.

Justice Minister Chris Ellison said armed protection for Qantas flights to the US was
a matter of urgency.

"I'd hope to have an agreement with the US early in the new year," he said.

"We're not complacent that Australia is immune from any attacks and we've never said
that we're immune."

AAP mf/sjb

KEYWORD: MARSHALS

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