US targets Muslim ports

By Steve Kingston
BBC correspondent in Washington

The Bush administration has announced plans to place American inspectors at major sea ports in some Muslim countries as part of its war on terror.

With 90% of all international cargo transported by sea, the US Government believes ports are vulnerable to terrorists.

Dubai, a hub for shipping in the Persian Gulf, is targeted

So, equipped with x-ray technology and radiation detectors, US inspectors are to be stationed at strategic locations.

They include Dubai, a hub for shipping in the Persian Gulf. Also taking part are Malaysia and Turkey, both with predominantly Muslim populations.

The move was announced by US Director of Homeland Security Tom Ridge: "The basic premise behind each of these elements is very clear. We extend our zone of security outward so that American sea ports and borders become the last line of defence, not the first.

"Dealing with high-risk containers at the earliest possible point protects the entire international supply chain in all of the world's major sea ports."

The fear in the American intelligence community is that al-Qaeda might use shipping containers to smuggle weapons and explosives into the United States in much the same way that it built up an arsenal before bombing two US embassies in Africa in 1998.

This is the second phase of a programme that began soon after the 11 September attacks.

Twenty large container ports in Europe and Asia have already agreed to allow American inspections.