Organisation: University College of London Centre for Security and Crime Science

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A conference at the opening of a new Centre for Security and Crime Science at University College of London (UCL)
highlighted how science and technology are helping to fight the threat of terrorism, and proved a media draw. Trials of a passenger tagging system, funded by the EU and currently under way in Hungary, were announced and proved to be more popular with the press than developments to counteract radioactive 'dirty' bombs. However Dr Paul Brennan who leads the Optag project admitted that the system would not have "stopped attacks like September 11".

Mindful of accusations of infringing civil liberties, the scientists accentuated positive spin-offs such as rapidly finding lost children: "It's a powerful surveillance tool. It has good potential in making sure passengers get to the gate in time" (Dr Paul Brennan, The Times, 13/10). Civil libertarians failed to spot the potential of the story, though bloggers complained that bbc.co.uk "doesn't bother to go into any pesky [civil liberty] details" (slashdot.com, 14/10)

Centre Director Gloria Laycock said "We don't want to live in Fort Knox; we don't want a dystopia" (Daily Mail, 12/10) recalling an imaginary place in a work of fiction where the characters lead dehumanized, fearful lives, according to internet definitions.