Washington, Nov 12: The latest US government terror warning is giving a push to the stalled effort to allow cargo pilots to carry weapons in the cockpit. The Homeland Security Department warned police last week that al-Qaeda may be plotting to fly cargo planes from another country into US nuclear plants, bridges, dams or other targets.
That warning prompted the Senate to pass a bill late Monday that would allow cargo pilots to carry guns, according to Sen Jim Bunning, the bill's sponsor.
"It closes a big loophole in our homeland security," he said.
Bunning said he hopes the House will take up the bill early next week. The White House, he said, assured him that President George W. Bush would sign the bill into law.
Congress last year gave passenger pilots, but not cargo pilots, the right to carry guns in the cockpit if they volunteered and underwent a week of training on their own time. Bunning's bill would establish the same requirements for cargo pilots.
The air freight industry has lobbied to prevent cargo pilots from carrying guns.
"We feel we have strong, effective security measures in place," said David Bolger, UPS spokesman. "Introducing guns to the cockpit does not increase security. We feel it decreases security." Bureau Report