OTTAWA - Governments and airlines are "fighting the last war'' by screening luggage and passengers for terrorist threats but often ignoring the cargo shipments in aircraft holds, the Air India inquiry has heard.
Kathleen Sweet, a U.S. academic and industry consultant, pointed to cargo operations as a likely target for future attacks precisely because security surrounding them is soft.
The criticism echoes similar views expressed earlier this year by a Senate committee chaired by Liberal Colin Kenny.
An advisory panel commissioned by Transport Canada has also described spotty screening of cargo shipments as a weak point in overall air security.
The inquiry, under former Supreme Court justice John Major, is investigating the 1985 downing of Air India Flight 182 by a terrorist bomb.
But it's also taking a wider look at evolving terrorist tactics and the need to reform security practices to prevent another such tragedy.
