Ministers reprimanded for Schiphol security leak 06/02/2008 00:00

The green-left GroenLinks faction in Parliament wants an emergency debate on security at Schiphol Airport.

6 February 2008

THE HAGUE – The green-left GroenLinks faction in Parliament wants an emergency debate on security at Schiphol Airport. The faction wants the debate after SBS journalist Alberto Stegeman was able to smuggle a fake bomb past Schiphol security as part of an undercover experiment.

GroenLinks MP Naïma Azough wants ministers Ernst Hirsch Ballin (justice) and Guusje ter Horst (home affairs) to first clarify in a written report how this could happen. Then a debate should be held on the matter in Parliament as soon as possible, Azough said Wednesday.

She finds it "remarkable" that Stegeman, disguised as an employee, was able to smuggle the fake bomb past security using someone else's security pass.

"There is constant discussion about attacks. These kinds of things must be prevented entirely, even if a 100-percent guarantee cannot be given," Azough said.

She wants to know from the ministers what measures are currently in place to prevent these kinds of security problems. She also wants to know whether the justice department was informed of the experiment by SBS.

The Liberal VVD supports the GroenLinks' call for an emergency debate on the matter. VVD MP Fred Teeven thinks it "extremely worrying" that Stegeman managed to smuggle a fake bomb onto an aircraft at Schiphol. He too wants clarification from the responsible ministers.

Teeven says there is still a "security leak", despite the measures taken over the past few years. He wants to know "why it has gone wrong again, even though the minister had assured us everything was in order."

The stricter security regulations for passengers at Schiphol should apply for all employees of the airport as well, said Socialist SP MP Jan de Wit.

"It is very serious that the backdoor is wide open, in a manner of speaking. In our opinion that must be fixed. Especially at Schiphol of all places, where the risks are gigantic," De Wit said.

De SP supports GroenLinks' call for written clarification from the responsible ministers. If the written explanation is insufficient, an emergency debate should be held, De Wit said.

[Copyright Expatica News + ANP 2008]

Subject: Dutch news