Tuesday, September 18, 2001, updated at 08:41(GMT+8)
World
U.S. Federal Law Enforcement Agents to Ride on Jetliners
Attorney General John Ashcroft said Monday that numerous federal agents would be flying on commercial jetliners to help guard against further terrorist acts, as he pleaded for Congress to enact new anti-terrorism laws this week. Ashcroft called for expanded wiretap authority and stiffer penalties for those who harbor terrorists to further the global investigation of Tuesday's attacks. "We need these tools to fight the terrorism threat which exists in the United States and we must meet that growing threat," said Ashcroft.
The attorney general said a growing number of federal law enforcement agents from the Justice Department would be boarding commercial flights as air marshals.
"Each day as flights increase we will be adding additional enforcement officials ... as air marshals in addition to the heightened security on the ground," said Ashcroft.
Attorney General John Ashcroft said Monday that numerous federal agents would be flying on commercial jetliners to help guard against further terrorist acts, as he pleaded for Congress to enact new anti-terrorism laws this week. Ashcroft called for expanded wiretap authority and stiffer penalties for those who harbor terrorists to further the global investigation of Tuesday's attacks. "We need these tools to fight the terrorism threat which exists in the United States and we must meet that growing threat," said Ashcroft.