British experts train Kenyan airport staff on terror threats

 

A Kenya Airways plane at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. PHOTO | SALATON NJAU 

By KIARIE NJOROGE

British security experts have been training Kenyan airport staff on how to handle terror threats as the country looks to step up its airport and airspace safety.

The training which has been ongoing over the past one month is for Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) supervisors and other key airport security personnel, including the police and the military.

It is meant to train the staff in averting and dealing with any attacks on planes or air travel facilities.

The training comes a month after a Russian plane was downed in Egypt by terrorists using a suspected home-made bomb hidden inside the aircraft.

“The training covered how to handle various threats including armed attack, surface to air missiles and improvised explosive devices (IEDs),” the British High Commission said in a statement.

“Our assistance, will make airports in Kenya a “harder target” against a terrorist attack, and provide the KAA with best practice advice/training against current threats to aviation,” Vicky Hutchinson, the Regional Aviation Security Liaison Officer at the British High Commission said on Monday.

The last major terror threat on an aeroplane in the country was in 2002 when terrorists fired missiles and missed an Israeli-owned aircraft as it took off from Moi International Airport, Mombasa.

In January last year, there was an explosion at a Java Coffee Cafe within Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).

The explosion did not cause any casualties or injuries. It was first described as a bulb that had fallen off a loose fitting with then Inspector General of police David Kimaiyo denying that it was an attempted terrorist act. Four suspects were later charged in court for the attack.