The Lakeland, Fla., Linder Regional Airport is ahead of the curve on a recent warning from the federal government that private jet owners and airports tighten security after an Internet threat posted in Arabic.
''We began tightening security earlier this year after a congressional study released in December warned of the need for tighter security (at smaller airports and over private planes),'' John DuBose, airport manager, said Friday. ''We also have sent the study to our tenants.''
The Transportation Security Administration issued a security advisory Thursday stating that Muslim extremists may be targeting private aircraft and urging airports and jet owners to take precautions.
The advisory quoted the Internet message as stating, ''Destroy private American aircraft. ... We call upon all Muslims to follow and identify private civilian American aircrafts in all airports of the world.
''It is the duty of Muslims to destroy all types of private American aircrafts that are of the types Gulf Stream and Lear Jet and all small jet aircraft usually used by distinguished (people) and businessmen,'' the April 13 message stated, according to the TSA.
The posting explained how to identify U.S. airplanes and revealed the tail number of a plane allegedly used by the CIA. The TSA urged private jet owners and airport operators to look out for unauthorized or unusual people, cargo and aircraft.
Among security measures at Lakeland Linder are the installation of fences to some areas previously left open because they were in wetlands, DuBose said.
The airport also has added private security to bolster police patrols. The U.S. Security Association provides night patrols both inside and outside of the fences at the airport, he said.
''We have not gotten the word yet,'' DuBose said of the TSA advisory, ''but we already are in the middle of tightening security and asking tenants and their employees to remain alert.''
Several private and corporate jets are kept at the airport, but all are in secure hangars.
The TSA said the theft of any private airplane, jet or not, should be reported immediately. Suspicious activity of any type related to aircraft or airport security should be reported to local police and the TSA, the alert stated.
Copyright 2005 LexisNexis, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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