US Transportation secretary to discuss lasers shined at aircraft

Monday, January 10th 2005, 2:00 pm

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ US Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta will be in Oklahoma City Wednesday to discuss incidents of lasers being shined at airline pilots and their aircraft.

Mineta will be at the FAA's Mike Monroney Aeronautical Center for a demonstration of new measures intended to alert and better prepare pilots to handle incidents of lasers shined at their planes.

There have been at least eight reports in recent weeks of lasers pointed at aircraft cockpits as the planes approached for landing.

Federal authorities have sent a memo saying they have evidence of terrorists exploring the use of lasers as weapons, but say there's no evidence the recent cases are part of a terrorist plot.