Europe

France steps up security on US-bound flights

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France has tightened airport security for US-bound flights throughout the summer holiday season after a request from Washington.

The French civil aviation authority made the announcement on Friday, adding that the measures could cause delays on flights in and out of the United States due to longer security checks.

French government officials did not give any further details regarding the new measures.

The added security will notably be felt at the Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports outside of the capital Paris as well as in Nice and Marseille in the south of France.

On Thursday, the Obama administration announced that stricter security measures must be enforced at foreign airports that have direct flights to America.

Britain and Belgium reported on the same day that more rigorous screening would be applied at their airports.

The measure comes amid US Homeland Security’s rising concerns about rumors that al-Qaeda-linked militants in Syria and Yemen have collaborated to develop bombs that would avoid detection at airports in a bid to bring down airplanes.

In addition, there are fears that hundreds of American and European nationals who have joined the militant groups in Syria may pose a security risk on their return.

Western officials are concerned that the militants, who have obtained military skills in Syria, would return to their countries and carry out terrorist attacks on home soil.

Syria has been gripped by deadly violence since March 2011. Over 160,000 people have reportedly been killed and millions displaced due to the violence fueled by the foreign-backed militants.

According to reports, the Western powers and their regional allies — especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey — are supporting the militants operating inside Syria.

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