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NEWSWIRE
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Amtrak ups counterterrorism efforts |
07.15.2008 
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WASHINGTON--Amtrak is bringing its aggressive new approach to counterterrorism out West.
The rail company, which has been conducting random luggage screenings in busy East Coast stations for the past six months, is deploying a team of special agents to expand the security sweeps to California, according to USA Today.
"We want to show we're playing defense" against would-be terrorists, Amtrak security chief Bill Rooney told the paper. "Our focus is counterterrorism. We're thinking along the lines of a Madrid or a London."
In response to the deadly rail bombings that took place in those cities in 2004 and 2005, Amtrak announced early this year that it would assemble highly trained mobile security teams to screen passengers and their carry-on bags.
Teams of counterterrorism agents swoop into rail stations unannounced and randomly select passengers to place their bags on a table to be scanned for explosives before they board their train. If there's a positive read, the passengers' bags are opened and searched by hand.
Those searches are currently being done along routes from Washington to Boston; Philadelphia to Harrisburg, Pa.; and in Chicago, USA Today reported. The new West Coast routes will have agents checking passengers from San Diego to San Jose, and more teams may be added within the next year, the paper said.
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| SECURITY DIRECTOR NEWS INFO CENTER |
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