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T5 fiasco led to foreigners entering UK unchecked
Martin Bentham, Home Affairs Editor22 Jul 2008
Staff blunders during the early days of Heathrow's Terminal 5 allowed international passengers to enter the country without going through vital security checks, it emerged today.
The passengers were ferried through domestic arrivals by either British Airways or British Airports Authority staff rather than through international arrivals, prompting urgent checks against Home Office security lists.
Borders and Immigration minister Liam Byrne said passengers were misdirected five times during March and April this year before staff finally got a handle on the situation.
Twice the error was spotted and passengers were put through international arrivals, but on three occasions passengers made it through arrivals before they could be redirected.
In a written Commons answer, Mr Byrne admitted the error. He said: "UKBA [UK Border Agency] staff completed checks on the individuals to ensure that they did not present a known risk to the UK.
"The airline provided UKBA staff with the relevant passenger information that was held on their systems.
"This was then used to carry out checks on all of the passengers who had travelled on the flights involved.
"These checks included cross checking the details against Home Office databases. Passengers' details were also passed on to the Metropolitan Police Service."
In a separate answer, Mr Byrne added: "On no occasion was there any security alert, and none of the passengers presented a known security risk."
The errors have not been repeated, Mr Byrne said. It is further evidence of the chaotic opening days for the £4.3 billion Terminal 5, which saw flights cancelled and thousands of bags lost.
Reader views (1)
Does this mean they missed out on their council flat?
- Squiz, Islington, 22/07/2008 13:19
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