Beijing transport on high alert as terror threat looms large

Raghavendra Beijing, July 22 (PTI) In view of the "unsurpassed" terror threat to the Beijing Olympics to kick off next month, security of air, rail and long-distance bus transport havebeen put on high alert in the city.

China Civil Aviation Administration has announced that no plane would be allowed to take off or land at the Beijing International Airport from 7 pm to midnight on the opening dayof the Olympic ceremony on August 8.

Domestic and foreign airlines had been notified about the move and flights would be rescheduled to minimiseinconvenience to passengers, an Administration spokesman said.

Taking the security to a higher level, armed policemen with dogs began patrolling round the clock at the capital's four railway stations, including the yet-to-be-opened one inthe southern district.

China says terror is the biggest threat to the BeijingOlympics and it is even "unsurpassed" in the Olympic history.

A raft of measures is already in force but they were beingreinforced in recent weeks.

At the Beijing West Railway Station, a major terminal, passengers were asked to taste liquids they were carrying or were being inspected with a special detector handset toidentify their contents.

"The detector will show if the liquid is alcohol or gasoline," a police officer in charge of the security checkwas quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.

Security checks are carried out at the entrance to the subway station with every piece of baggage X-rayed and banned substances like banana oil and paint taken out. PTI