[国际新闻] 美国撤除禁令8月起可带打火机上飞机

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美国政府决定从8月4日开始，停止施行已经两年，禁止乘客带普通打火机上飞机的政策。美国运输部认为，在乘客登机前搜索他们身上是否携带打火机，根本是浪费时间。 2001年当鞋子炸弹客芮德意图在从巴黎飞往迈阿密的班机上，用火柴引燃藏在鞋子里的炸弹後，美国政府在国会的坚持之下，终於宣布了禁带打火机上机的命令。人在德国 社区) k$ j) r; @# r$ d
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Cigarette lighter ban 'a waste of time': US* b* K; Y) Y9 f4 F5 X
US authorities will no longer enforce a two-year-old ban against taking cigarette lighters on planes because searching passengers wasted time and did not improve aviation security, the New York Times reports.人在德国 社区; B: n, k9 s9 c3 T; {0 l! P

' [: F. K. U( X( D8 O, N1 yrs238848.rs.hosteurope.deThe ban on lighters was ordered by US lawmakers after a passenger, Richard Reid, tried to ignite a bomb in his shoe in 2001 on a flight from Paris to Miami.; |8 h* G# I  C/ H3 |' F

, d( b' ^. d( m3 dReid, known as the "shoe bomber", had used matches to try to ignite explosives concealed in his shoe and is currently serving a life sentence for trying to blow up the transatlantic flight.
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US authorities have never tried to ban matches from flights.
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US Transport Security Administration assistant secretary Kip Hawley says the ban on lighters did not significantly enhance security because small batteries could be used to detonate a bomb.人在德国 社区+ M# I& z" C5 z3 E- Q9 R' R
Mr Hawley says lifting the prohibition will free up security officers to spend more time looking for bombs or bomb parts., E/ S3 d/ b6 P- U  c2 |
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"The number one threat for us is someone trying to bring bomb components through the security check point," he said.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de+ Y0 ]+ l2 n) i7 X4 h1 h1 u

/ N% P0 V$ s& `. B! {+ y% c" _"We don't want anything that distracts concentration from searching for that."
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The policy change is to take effect on August 4 and applies to disposable butane lighters and refillable lighters.rs238848.rs.hosteurope.de" F8 J8 R. p$ J. m6 M% d0 A
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The New York Times says some 22,000 lighters a day are collected by security officers at airports across the United States and disposing of the confiscated lighters has cost about $US4 million a year.