UK opens high-tech hub to screen air passengers
Prasun Sonwalkar
STAFF WRITER 17:45 HRS IST
London, Mar 17 (PTI)
A new hi-tech 'border targeting centre' that will electronically check passenger data before passengers arrive at British airports from India and elsewhere has been opened in Manchester.
Home Secretary Alan Johnson last week unveiled the National Border Targeting Centre (NBTC) which will replace the smaller joint border operations units at Heathrow as the operational hub.
Termed as Britain's 'latest weapon in the fight against terrorists, known criminals and would-be illegal migrants' the centre is a hi-tech hub where watch-list checks on passengers entering and leaving Britain will be carried out.
Immigration officers will work with the Serious Organised Crime Agency and the police to share intelligence and issue alerts where a suspect is identified by the electronic border checks.
