US adds Madagascar to terrorist alert list

Madagascar has been added to the list of countries that the US says are open to terrorist infiltration at its ports, with the exception of Toamasina. Ships calling at US ports, and which have been to Madagascar in their last five calls, have to prove they have carried out extra precautions to prevent terrorists slipping on board at a port in Madagascar. These include posting security guards at all entry points and checks of the identity of all visitors. Very few US-bound vessels will be affected by the measures, as almost all call only at Toamasina. A total of 13 countries are now on the list of those that don't have effective anti-terrorism measures, seven of them from Africa.