ARMED "AIR COWBOYS" MUST BE LAST RESORT

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 25th Apr 2007

Liz Lynne MEP, Vice President of the European Parliament's Employment and Social affairs Committee has today welcomed the adoption of a report by the European Parliament calling for tougher regulation of armed so called "sky marshals" after EU Member States agreed to their use last year.

Speaking today from Strasbourg Liz said;

"I am delighted the parliament has taken a stronger stance; any compulsory measures have been rejected and tougher conditions have been added on the use and training of sky marshals."

"Whether sky marshals are used should be left to Member States to decide. For most people visions of a mid-air gun battle fill them with horror"

"Contrary to what the US Government and others would have us believe, I don't believe armed cowboys roaming our airlines make most people feel safer"

"Air marshals should always be a last resort; standard air security measures should suffice, the problem is these are often sloppily applied."