Political bombshell finally proved storm in teacup on Airport Express

Better watch out on the Airport Express. The shifty-looking character with the large carry-on luggage in the next carriage could be carrying a bomb.

That is what Secretary for Security Regina Ip seems to fear, at least when someone famous is on board. And it was her excuse in Legco yesterday for the controversial decision to give Vice-President Hu Jintao a whole train to himself during his recent visit for the second anniversary of the handover.

Ms Ip explained that every visiting dignitary has their particular requests and the Government always does its best to accommodate them. When President Bill Clinton stopped over last summer, it even had to arrange for him to sample some dim sum and take a trip to Lan Kwai Fong.

She did not say so directly. But the implication was that it was Mr Hu's idea to try out the loss-making service, which recently forced the Mass Transit Railway Corporation to sack 50 staff.

This delayed other passengers as a section of Hong Kong station was sealed off while he was whisked away on his own train to Chek Lap Kok. Several newspapers have since ridiculed this, suggesting that surely the Vice-President could have made do with a carriage to himself.

But Ms Ip made it clear that this was out of the question. As far as the police were concerned, it was far too dangerous to allow anyone else on to the same train.

'We can not rule out the possibility that other passengers may be carrying dangerous items such as explosives on other cars of the train,' she insisted.