Ministers attend security summit after Paris train gun attack

The use of scanners at railway stations will be among measures discussed by European ministers at a security summit called after the foiled gun attack on a French train.

Home Secretary Theresa May is among ministers from nine countries gathering in Paris to formulate a co-ordinated response to the threat of an atrocity on Europe's rail networks.

British IT expert Chris Norman and three US tourists subdued a heavily-armed suspected jihadist as they travelled from Amsterdam to the French capital.

Moroccan Ayoub El-Khazzani, who has been charged by prosecutors, was able to board the Thalys service with an assault rifle, 270 rounds of ammunition, a handgun, box cutter and petrol.

The incident, for which the quartet were awarded France's top honour for bravery, has raised questions about how better to protect travellers.

Experts suggest the sheer volume of passengers passing through stations - in France it is 20 times more than use airports - would make the use of metal detectors very difficult.

More immediate responses are expected to include closer co-operation to ensure destination countries are alerted about suspected terrorists' arrival and extra security staff at stations.

Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Italy and Spain will also be represented at the meeting, called by French interior minister Bernard Cazeneuve.

The European Union's anti-terrorism co-ordinator Gilles de Kerchove will also join the talks.