TERROR POLICE POSE AS AIRPORT CLEANERS
Undercover officers in bid to prevent holiday attacks
POLICE are working undercover in British airports in a bid to thwart terror attacks.
Officers are posing as cleaners, duty free staff and bar workers.
The move comes after MI5 intelligence warned UK airports were a prime target for jihadis.
Authorities fear an attack over the school summer holidays.
Record levels of passengers are expected between the middle of this month and the end of August.
A source told the Daily Star Sunday: “Higher numbers of footfall means a higher risk as staff will be stretched to breaking point.
“Mistakes are made when people are busy and it is for this reason that patrols have been stepped up at both London sites, which are the busiest airports in the UK.
“More than 150,000 people pass through each individual airport each day. We have been warned that an attack is highly expected.
“And we have to take steps to ensure the safety of the millions of innocent people passing through. Of course there will be high levels of security seen patrolling but steps have been taken to go the extra mile.” Undercover officers will be in different roles in the shopping areas past security, including as waiting staff in restaurants, bar staff in the pubs, and as cleaners.
In March 2016, 32 people were killed in co-ordinated bombings in Belgium – at Brussels Airport and the Maalbeek Metro station.
And in 2007 terrorists rammed a jeep full of propane canisters into the glass doors of Glasgow Airport’s terminal building. One of the terrorists was killed in the attack.
Our source continued: “It is true that you may well have a very highly decorated police officer serving you your duty free perfume before you jet off on your holidays.
“Even airport staff have not been advised of the plans in order to keep it a watertight operation.
“All staff have had training in what to do in an emergency and have been told to be extra vigilant as numbers of travellers increase.” Passengers have been warned to be patient. The insider added: “With higher numbers, more security and tighter checks, passengers should expect delays. “But families can rest easy knowing our forces, who are the best in the world, are taking their safety seriously.”