Brussels, 01/09/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 31 August, the MEP Claude Moraes (S&D, UK), called for the United States to reinforce basic security measures on flights, after two suspects were arrested after a Chicago-Amsterdam flight. One of the two men, Ahmed Mohamed Nasser Al Soofi, who is apparently of Yemeni origin, checked baggage in for Washington, Dubai and finally Yemen. But instead of boarding the flight to the American capital, he bought a ticket for Amsterdam. “Despite the results of the investigation into the two suspects, it is surprising that the American security system was unable to prevent luggage from being abandoned between Chicago and Washington”, said the MEP. “After the terrorist attack of 11 September, the US has impressed upon its European partners the need to collect massive amounts of data on citizens and to bring in sophisticated technologies to prevent further threats”, he added. “Unfortunately, the databases and the body scanners are not much use when basic security measures and procedures are not being applied. There is no point in collecting masses of data if they are not correctly analysed. We need proper police cooperation on the ground if we are to fight terrorism together”, he said. “Upstream of the new EU-US session of negotiations on the agreement on air passenger data (PNR), we hope that Washington will take another look at its approach to security and understand that what we need is not more security, but better security”, Moraes concluded. (B.C./transl.fl)