Naval Security Reviewed Over Ship Intruder

A review of security at a major British naval base has been carried out after an alleged intruder was found on board a visiting American aircraft carrier. The alleged trespasser was discovered on board the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), anchored off Stokes Bay, Gosport, on Saturday night during a week-long visit to Portsmouth Naval Base. A Navy spokesman said the man had allegedly passed through Royal Navy security and US Navy security to get on board passenger boats used to ferry crew back and forth from the visiting warship. It is understood that the man's identity was not checked by the Royal Navy security guards - as the base's rules dictate - with the responsibility being left to the American guards on duty at the gate. The spokesman added that a thorough review of security had been carried out at the naval base since the incident and a number of changes implemented. The spokesman explained that the jetty for the boats was very close to the public area in the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard museum complex and the large number of visiting sailors from the US aircraft carrier had caused the confusion. "I wouldn't want to talk about embarrassment but we are taking it very seriously, as we would any security breach," the spokesman said. "Our main focus at the moment is to put everything right and to improve our arrangements." A Hampshire Police spokeswoman said that 37-year-old Abdoul Masmoud Yessoufou, from West Africa but of no fixed abode, had been charged with trespass. The spokeswoman said that Yessoufou was originally held under the Terrorism Act 2000 but had since been released into normal police custody. The USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), which arrived at Portsmouth last Monday, departed on schedule on Sunday.
USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75)