Armed marshals 'flying by Christmas' (between Aust-US)

[rooboy]

Armed sky marshals could be guarding some international flights to and from Australia by Christmas, the federal government said today.

Australia has been in negotiations with the United States and Singapore about sky marshals and Transport Minister John Anderson today said he expected them to be on international flights by the end of the year.

"Internationally, that is my expectation," he told reporters in Brisbane.

Following the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US, armed sky marshals were posted randomly on domestic flights in Australia.

But this week, the US warned that Australia was a possible point of origin for hijacked planes which could be used for similar attacks.

Prime Minister John Howard said he expected to sign an agreement with the United States very soon to allow the sky marshals on flights between Australia and the US.

"We're making a lot of progress and I expect to have signed up with the Americans very soon," he told Perth radio 6PR.

"We have to make a bit more progress with some of the countries in our region."

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/08/01/1059480543040.html

[Stephanie]

1. What is this about?

The US is putting its own air marshals on Australian airlines? Does Australia have its own air marshal program? What about other international flights, US to Europe, for example? Why is the US announcing CUTBACKS in the air marshal program (BushCO "budget cuts") at the same time as we are getting urgent warnings about possible imminent hijackings? BushCO doesn't want to pay for HOTEL ROOMS for the air marshals on coast-to-coast and international flights. Something stinks here.

[newyawker99]

2. rooboy

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NYer99
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