The United Nations agency that oversees aviation is pushing new guidelines for cargo security to counter possible terrorism, but is stopping short of calling for 100% screening of packages, as pilots and some U.S. lawmakers have urged, the Associated Press reported Monday.
The proposed changes by the International Civil Aviation Organization concentrate on supply-chain security, or checking outbound shipments before they even reach the airport, AP reported.
A draft of new guidelines will go out to all 190 member countries in the next few weeks, the ICAO said.
Governments are increasingly worried about cargo security as the holiday season swells the number of packages moving around the world, AP reported.
Last month, Yemen-based militants tried to blow up cargo jets with 38 bombs hidden in printer cartridges. (Click here for previous story.)
The bombs were stopped only because of a tip from Saudi intelligence officials, U.S. Transportation Security Administration chief John Pistole told Congress.
Since August, the United States has been screening all cargo loaded onto passenger planes that take off from U.S. airports, but there is no such requirement for cargo-only planes, or for flights coming from abroad, AP reported.
