Star's mockery of nude scanners

Reuters

SCANNED: Bollywood heart-throb Shahrukh Khan has inadvertently made a mockery of an invasive new airport security system.

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A Bollywood heart-throb has made a mockery of an invasive new airport security system set to be introduced around the world.

The British transport secretary said last week images taken by new full-body X-ray scanners, which capture in detail the human anatomy, would be destroyed immediately and not pose a risk to travellers' privacy.

But Indian actor Shahrukh Khan has inadvertently put paid to the government's claims, telling BBC talk show host Jonathan Ross that he autographed printed scans of his own body for two female security officers.

"I came out [of the scanner] and then I saw these girls and they had these printouts," Khan said.

"So I looked at them, I thought maybe it's a form you're supposed to [sign] ... and you could see everything inside.

"And then I've autographed them for them."

The scanners are in use at Heathrow and Manchester airports, with Birmingham airport set to follow suit later this month.

Australian airports will adopt them progressively this year, federal Transport Minister Anthony Albanese, said this week.

They will only be used on passengers departing internationally and not all travellers will be scanned.

British transport secretary Lord Adonis told the BBC last week the new system was the same as a "pat-down" search.

"A pat-down search is a pretty intrusive procedure but people accept that because it is important that we do detect whether there are weapons or other powerful substances that people may be carrying," he said.

"A body scanner is in the same category - it is very important to stress that the images which are captured by body scanners are immediately deleted after the passenger has gone through the body scanner.

"Staff are, of course, properly trained and supervised who manage the body scanners."

- © Fairfax NZ News