The Manx Government is looking closely at local implications from the United Kingdom’s e-Borders programme. This is an electronic travel monitoring system being developed over the next few years to help combat terrorism, drug trafficking, illegal immigration and other serious crime.

The Council of Ministers established a group to start considering the issues and a formal invitation for the Crown Dependencies to be included in the programme has recently been received. It has now been agreed in principle that the Isle of Man should be involved in the programme so it can further explore the implications in detail.

Chief Minister Tony Brown (pictured) says the Island must ensure its security is protected and it's not perceived as a weak link in international defences against serious crime or immigration breaches.