US scans foreign flight crews

Officials have questioned some crew members in recent weeks after their names appeared to be similar to those on the FBI’s ‘‘watch lists’’ of suspected terrorists, Bush administration sources said. The officials said there have been no arrests and declined to identify the air carriers involved.

Recent intelligence reports prompted the government to elevate the nation’s alert level to ‘‘code orange’’ or ‘‘high’’. In an unusual event, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and Los Angeles city officials said on Tuesday that they will forbid passengers from being picked up or dropped off by private vehicles at the LA International Airport terminal.

Passengers will have to be picked up and dropped off at nearby parking garages. It is the first time in nearly two years that a major US airport has restricted access in such fashion. Passengers coming into at least one major US international airport on Air France and flights from Mexico will be subject to more security procedures.

Since 9/11, US officials have expressed frustration that security at some foreign airports is nowhere near as tight as it is at US airports. Aviation-security experts said that among the airports with spotty security are many Russia, and West Asia whose flights connect to cities such as Cairo. Foreign pilots must undergo a Department of Homeland Security background check, which includes a review of any criminal history. After 9/11, the Federal Aviation Administration created a database of foreign

flight crews from 17 foreign airlines. Foreign crews are matched to the database and the FBI watch lists.

Meanwhile, three Air France flights scheduled to leave Paris for Los Angeles on Wednesday were grounded “for security reasons”. It was not clear whether the flights were bound for Los Angeles or elsewhere. —(LAT-WP)