An investigation has been launched into how a fake bomb was transported on a UPS cargo planefrom the UK, just five months after the discovery of cargo-hold bombs was supposed to have boosted
security, according to UK media reports.The suspicious device had apparently been stowed on a UPS flight two weeks ago and travelled toTurkey undetected. The UK’s Department for Transport said it was taking the matter “very seriously”.
A Turkish man is said to have delivered the package, consisting of a timer, wires and detonatorinside a wedding cake box, to a UPS office in north London, a Turkish source told ITV News. It wasonly discovered after a security screening in Istanbul.
A 26-year-old man was arrested at his home last week suspected of a bomb hoax, police said. Hewas taken to a north London police station and bailed to return in May. London’s Metropolitanpolice confirmed that they had searched an address in north London and the incident was notterrorist-related. It remains unclear what the motive was.
Last October, packages containing explosive material hidden in printer ink cartridges sent fromYemen to the US sparked a global terror alert. One was discovered within the UPS system at EastMidlands airport in the UK, and the other was found within the FedEx system in Dubai. Bothcontained the high explosive PETN (pentaerythritol tetranitrate). Police said they had been timedto detonate over the eastern seaboard of the United States. At the time, it was promised thatairports in the UK would improve their cargo screening.
The Department for Transport said yesterday: “The government is aware of this incident and takesit very seriously. We have already begun an investigation which will look at all aspects of thisincident, including UPS’s procedures. The UK has one of the toughest security regimes for air cargoin the world. All security measures are subject to continuous review.”
A UPS spokeswoman told CEP-Research: “Two weeks ago, a suspicious package travelled in the UPSnetwork aboard an all-cargo aircraft from the United Kingdom to Istanbul, Turkey. UPS iscooperating with the British Department for Transport’s investigation of the incident.
“UPS has a multi-layered approach to ensure security. Processes, systems and proceduresare designed to protect our people, aircraft and customers’ shipments. In addition, UPScollaborates with security agencies around the world for information exchange, risk assessment,regulatory compliance and preventive action, which provides UPS the opportunity to continuallyevaluate and tighten its security protocols.”
Last year, a device found at Windhoek airport in Namibia turned out to have been made in the USto test security. German security experts said it was most likely that either US or Africanauthorities had been behind the test. It is believed that over the years the US transport securityadministration has carried out multiple tests using undercover agents to put dummy bombs throughsecurity scanners at US airports.
