- BEIJING -- Security checks
on New York's bustling subway - one of the largest and busiest systems
in the world - are being ramped in the wake of the second London bombings
on Thursday.
-
- Police have begun random searches of bags and packages
carried by commuters entering subway stations.
-
- Initially, inspections appeared to be small in scale,
with officers attending at least one Manhattan location stopping five men
over a 15-minute period as they entered a subway in the evening rush hour.
-
- In each instance, the officers peered briefly into the
mens' bags, and then waved them through.
-
- Full-scale inspections are scheduled to be up and running
for the peak period Friday.
-
- NYC Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly says the searches
are mandatory.
-
- "Essentially it will be before you enter the system.
Ideally it will be before you go through the turnstile. You have the right
to turn around and leave, but we also reserve the right to do those types
of searches if in fact someone is already inside the system", Kelly
said.
-
- The city's estimated 4.5 million daily commuters, however,
have mixed feelings.
-
- The New York subway system has more than 468 subway stations,
most with multiple entrances, and the flood of commuters hurrying in and
out of stations during rush hour can be overwhelming for travellers, let
alone New York City authorities.
-
- (Source: CRIENGLISH.com)
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- http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-07/22/content_3252951.htm
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