The Hindu : International : Fake bomb smuggled into Commons

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Saturday, Sep 18, 2004

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International

Fake bomb smuggled into Commons

By Hasan Suroor

LONDON, SEPT. 17. In yet another embarrassing security breach at Westminster, an undercover journalist has claimed that he was able to smuggle a fake bomb-making equipment into the building despite heightened alert after Wednesday's incident when pro-hunt protesters stormed into the Commons' chamber.

Anthony France, a reporter from The Sun newspaper, made a video showing the device which he reconstructed after taking it inside the Parliament building without being checked. Earlier, Mr. France was able to get a job as a waiter at a Parliament restaurant even though the references he had given were false.

He said a few days after he was employed he was told that he need not use the entrance where visitors' bags were x-rayed. "Throughout my employment in the House, I was allowed to wander around Parliament unchallenged. That allowed me to get close to several senior Cabinet Ministers, plus hundreds of other MPs, police officers and VIPs,'' Mr. France said.

The disclosure provoked more fury among MPs and the Leader of the Commons, Peter Hain, complimented The Sun for "exposing the amateurish and old-fashioned culture which is a threat to the very cockpit of our democracy.''

"This is the age of suicide terrorists and security is antiquated ... It is time for reform,'' he said as it emerged that the police ignored a tip-off about Wednesday's protest.

A Liberal Democrat MP, Paul Keetch, claimed that a constituent of his had spotted one of the would-be intruders and warned the police but they did not act.

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