Security alert as Heathrow secrets are found in street

SECURITY at Heathrow has been called into question after a memory stick crammed with confidential information was found on the street.

Officials launched an urgent investigation after the USB drive was found by a member of the public and revealed sensitive details, including the exact route the Queen takes to the airport.

None of the 76 folders wa encrypted or password protected – despite several documents being marked confidential or restricted. With the current terrorism threat level rated severe, experts warned the data breach posed a serious threat to national security.

According to the Sunday Mirror, the device was discovered on the pavement in Queen’s Park, north-west London. Among the files were timetables of patrols used to guard against suicide bombers and terror attacks, plus the types of identification needed to access restricted areas.

It revealed routes and safety measures for cabinet ministers and foreign dignitaries, as well as the security measures in place to protect the Queen.

The files also showed details of ultrasound radar systems used to scan runways and the perimeter fence, plus maps of the locations of CCTV cameras,

‘Profound threat in terms of terrorism’

tunnels and escape shafts linked to the Heathrow Express train.

It is understood Heathrow officials are trying to determine if it was an ‘incompetent’ security lapse or whether someone was accessing the files on purpose. There are fears it may have been copied and distributed on the internet.

A security source told the newspaper: ‘In the wrong hands this would represent a profound threat in terms of terrorism or espionage. Aviation security is under the microscope because of the desire by terrorists to bring planes down in a spectacular fashion.’ A police source said: ‘ The fear is that this information could have been downloaded and disseminated God knows where ... and used by bad guys to pick holes in airport security.’

Heathrow is by far the UK’s busiest airport, with 75 million passengers passing through last year. An airport spokesman said: ‘We have reviewed all of our security plans and are confident that Heathrow remains secure. We have also launched an internal investigation to understand how this happened.’

MI5 chief Andrew Parker recently said the security service had seen ‘a dramatic upshift in [terror] threats this year’.