International travelers should get ready to have their fingerprints taken or their eyes scanned at US airports in the not-so-far future, says the top US Homeland Security official. Traditional airport security tests are outdated and subject to abuse, said Michael Chertoff, secretary, US Homeland Security. He told reporters after a European trip: "Right now, in many ways we are using the most primitive kind of screening  --  meaning we screen for names that match lists of terrorists and criminals. Names can be changed, identification documents can be forged. But biometric identifiers help reduce that type of fraud and protect the identify of the visa holder by making it much more difficult to impersonate someone." The US and the Netherlands are cooperating with a first-of-its-kind program testing biometric devices. Carefully selected individuals will take part in the test, which could be adopted by other airports in the near future. Mr Chertoff in Europe asked for help from other countries in creating similar systems that would create a "security envelope." Pre-screened individuals could pass through airports by passing through a biometric system of some kind. But critics say any biometric system may not be as easy as it appears. "People think it's going to be like an E-Z Pass," said Jack Riepe, communications director for the Association of Corporate Travel Executives. "But most people don't realize that you will still be subjected to pre-9/11 security checks." The US adopted a controversial mandate that former countries now entitled to visit the US without first obtaining a VISA  --  including EU countries --  must have biometric identifiers by October. The European Commission recently urged a postponement to August of next year, saying many EU member states will not have the passports ready in time. Report by David Wilkening

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USER COMMENTS

Dianne Conolly 14 June 2005, 16:59:06 GMT why not do the same to US citizens Why do we as EU members having to be subjected to the eye scans and finger scans. Why are we not putting the same in place here in the UK for those that visit from America?