WORLD : Minister Jeered on Bombing Laxity

Transport Secretary Paul Channon, shouting above opposition legislators’ jeers today, denied he was lax about passing warnings of a new type of terrorist bomb to airlines before the Pan Am Flight 103 disaster.

Under mounting criticism that he bungled an international alert that Palestinian terrorists had developed a radio cassette bomb, Channon told legislators that he concealed the warnings from them after the Dec. 21 disaster for security reasons.

“I told Parliament all I could,” said Channon, amid rowdy scenes in the House of Commons. “In investigations where there are also important security matters it is essential that all of us exercise a certain degree of restraint.”