Southland Airports Put Boarding Areas Off-Limits to Non-Passengers : Terror: Los Angeles police chief bolsters security force, warns that the region is a likely target for strikes.

Major airports throughout Southern California banned all non-passengers from boarding areas and took other security measures Wednesday, and Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl F. Gates warned that the region is a likely target for terrorist strikes.

Within an hour of war erupting in the Middle East, officials at the Los Angeles International, Burbank and San Diego airports imposed new, tough rules for the duration of the crisis. Ontario International Airport said many of the same steps were being taken there.

Among the emergency procedures established at the airports were an end to curbside baggage pickups, the tow-away of unattended vehicles in curbside areas and the impoundment of unattended baggage in the terminals.

Meanwhile, Gates announced that he has “significantly” increased his police anti-terrorism squad and that he has “shifted personnel” throughout the city to monitor likely hot spots where terrorism might occur.

Gates said the heightened law enforcement activity comes in response to the Los Angeles Police Department receiving an increase in citizen tips and official information with “serious implications” about possible terrorist activities in the city.

Just moments after learning from television reports that war had broken out in the Persian Gulf, Gates told a Parker Center press conference that he fears that Los Angeles, with its diverse population, could be attacked by terrorists.

“I think it’s been proven often that when conflicts arise internationally, they are played out here in the city of Los Angeles on occasion,” Gates said. “So I think you find that with international conflict, you might find conflict here in the city. And I would say more so than any other city that is not as diverse as we are here in Los Angeles.”

Gates predicted, however, that if a terrorist does attack here, it most likely would be a lone assailant.

“Quite frankly, I’m more concerned about the independent kook out there who just has been sitting on the edge, waiting for something to happen, and this triggers it, than I am about organized terrorist actions,” the chief said. “I think that’s quite likely.”

On Wednesday, an Iraqi national wanted for possession of explosives was being sought by federal, state and local law enforcement officers after his sports car was believed seen at several Southland military bases.

Riverside County sheriff’s deputies said a black 1990 Mazda RX-7 belonging to a man identified as Duraid Sadio Azawi was seen at about 10 p.m. Tuesday at the main gate of the Naval Warfare Assessment Center in Norco.

Sgt. Mike Crichton of the sheriff’s Special Investigations Bureau said a civilian security guard copied down the license plate number and called authorities after he saw the car drive up, pause, turn around and drive away.

The center analyzes highly sensitive data from tests of naval weapons systems to determine their effectiveness, said Tom Thomas, a Navy public affairs officer.

Earlier Tuesday, a black RX-7 was among a line of cars approaching the Moreno Valley gate at March Air Force Base, a Strategic Air Command facility near Riverside, base officials said.

“The car suddenly made a U-turn and departed,” said Master Sgt. Clifford Meidlein, a spokesman for the base. Although gate guards were not able to copy down the license number, the car is believed to have been Azawi’s, Meidlein said.

Meanwhile, at the big civilian airports in the Southland, authorities said they were imposing their new security measures at the direction of the Federal Aviation Administration.

Ontario airport authorities announced that although they were taking most of the steps implemented at Los Angeles and Burbank, for the time being they did not plan to keep non-passengers out of boarding areas. At John Wayne Airport in Orange County, officials said they were awaiting instructions from the FAA but anticipated that major security restrictions would go into effect there too.

Stephen Yee, manager of Los Angeles International Airport, said that all baggage should carry personal identification both on the inside and outside, and he said passengers are encouraged to use scheduled buses or one of the shuttle van companies to journey to the airport rather than to use their own automobiles.

“Only ticketed passengers will be allowed past screening areas, and passengers may be subject to additional security measures,” Yee said.

At Ontario, spokesman Dennis Watson said passengers were urged to arrive at least two hours before flight times.

Staff writers Eric Malnic and Nancy Wride contributed to this report.