ANTI-HIJACKING NEWS Hope of pact with Cuba

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33093, 7 December 1972, Page 17

ANTI-HIJACKING NEWS Hope of pact with Cuba

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) WASHINGTON, December 6. New security measures against hijacking went into effect today at the nation’s airports as prospects brightened for a United States-Cuban pact to deter air and ship piracy.

President Nixon yesterday ordered electronic screening of all passengers for weapons and inspection of luggage brought into plane cabins, expanding the spot check programme already under way. And in a new step, airports will be required within 60 days, to station armed guards at passenger checkpoints to arrest hijack suspects. At the same time, the Secretary of State (Mr William Rogers) reported a foundation for an agreement with Cuba on hijacking now existed. A United States-Cuban pact to prosecute hijackers of planes and ships could cut off one of the major escape routes being used by armed criminals to flee the country and to demand millions in ransom for the safety of planes and passengers, diplomatic observers said.

The Transportation Secretary (Mr John Volpe), in announcing the emergency security procedures, said that they supplemented the programme established by the Nixon Administration in September, 1970, of limited screening of passengers. The stationing of some Federal sky marshals at airports and on selected flights, along with the spot screening of passengers, had brought results, he said, including 500 arrests and hundreds of weapons seized. Noting two recent hijackings to Cuba by armed criminals, he added: “This programme, broad as it has been, is still not enough to deter the type of desperate air pirates with whom we now must deal.” The armed guards, who must be on duty within 60 days, are to be supplied by local government which run most of the nation’s airports. This immediately drew a protest from the Mayor of Detroit (Mr Roman Gribbs) who said that the President was shifting a Federal responsibility on to local officials. Mr Volpe said that while

I the burden for initiating the 'security measures would fall initially on the airlines and i airport operators, the Administration felt that the costs should be recovered from the travelling public. Moscow visit President Pompidou, of France, will have talks with the First Secretary of the Soviet Union Communist Party (Mr Brezhnev) when he pays a two-day unofficial visit to Moscow on January 11 and 12. — Paris, Dec. 6. 724 grandchildren Marcelino Lopez, aged 148, died yesterday in Coboda, north of Bogota, Colombia, leaving 27 children and 724 grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. — Bogota, Dec. 6.