Suspicious devices on cargo jets trigger terror alert

[revwardoc]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39911024...ity/?GT1=43001

WASHINGTON — Two suspicious packages were found on U.S.-bound cargo flights from Yemen overnight, the White House said Friday, triggering searches of other cargo flights that had landed in the U.S. and an investigation into whether al-Qaida was behind a new terror plot.

Sources told NBC News that both packages contained toner cartridges with wires and white powder.

"The president was notified of a potential terrorist threat on Thursday night at 10:30," the White House said in a statement.

Homeland Security said in a statement it was taking new measures, "including heightened cargo screening and additional security at airports."

The devices were found aboard U.S.-bound cargo planes in Britain and Dubai.

A law enforcement official told NBC that the two packages were addressed to a synagogue and a Jewish community center in Chicago.

One U.S. official said authorities are investigating whether the incident was a dry run for a plot to send bombs through the mail delivery system.

Yemen is the home of al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, the offshoot branch that claimed responsibility for an attempted bombing of a U.S.-bound airliner last Christmas.

Information about the Dubai device was not available, but test results for explosives were negative on the cartridge found in Britain, one law enforcement official said. The UPS cargo flight had been bound for Chicago but was at a British airport during a routine stopover when the cartridge was spotted.

Officials found the suspicious item during basic security screening.

In Chicago, synagogues were warned to be on alert Friday.

"We were notified this morning that synagogues should be on the alert," Linda Haase, associate vice president of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago, told Reuters. "We are taking appropriate precautions and are advising local synagogues to do likewise."

TSA issues alert
The Transportation Security Administration earlier said that cargo flights that landed safely at Newark and Philadelphia airports were being searched after "reports of potentially suspicious items onboard."

"Out of an abundance of caution the planes were moved to a remote location where they are being met by law enforcement officials and swept," TSA added.

Two jets in Philadelphia belonging to UPS were searched. A federal law enforcement official told the AP that nothing suspicious was found.

The flight that landed at Newark, N.J., also was a UPS cargo jet. After the jet was searched, officials gave the all clear.

In New York, a UAE flight arriving from Yemen around 3:30 p.m. ET will be searched as well as, sources told WNBC. Fighter jets are expected to escort it in as a precaution.

Earlier Friday, a UPS truck was searched and then cleared in Brooklyn.

Al-Qaida active in Yemen
The United States has stepped up its training, intelligence and military aid to Yemen after the failed Christmas Day plot, for which the Yemeni wing of al-Qaida claimed responsibility.

The accused Christmas Day bomber, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, has told U.S. investigators he received the explosive device and training from al-Qaida militants in Yemen.

Yemen has been trying to quell a resurgent branch of al-Qaida, which has stepped up attacks on Western and government targets in the Arabian Peninsula countr

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Geez! Its bad enough when we have to worry about those diaper-heads putting bombs on passenger planes; now we have to worry about what cargo planes are bringing in from sand-land. And NPR fired a commentator for saying he felt afraid if he saw a Muslim-looking person on a plane. So what's wrong with profiling?

[darrels joy]

Breaking: Bomb found on Yemen-to-US cargo flight; Update: Fox confirms concern over “several packages”; Update: CBS says 10-20 packages out of Yemen sought; Update: US says it’s AQ, targeting synagogues

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posted at 2:00 pm on October 29, 2010 by Ed Morrissey
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TSA has begun searching several planes in the US after British officials discovered a bomb on a Yemen-to-US cargo flight. The bomb was disguised in a toner cartridge, and the UPS flight was due to land in Chicago today:

Investigators in the United Kingdom found a bomb disguised as a toner cartridge aboard a plane flying from Yemen to Chicago when it stopped in London on Thursday night – one reason for heightened concern at U.S. airports on Friday, a law-enforcement source with detailed knowledge of the investigation said.

Two UPS cargo planes at Philadelphia International Airport and another at Newark International Airport are being examined for questionable shipments, the company said. One of the planes at Philadelphia came from Paris, the other from Cologne, Germany, UPS said. The plane at Newark also arrived from Cologne.

These reports are preliminary, of course, but the Yemen connection strongly hints at al-Qaeda. The network has tried to conduct a large-scale operation against the US for years, but usually target passenger services like normal commercial flights or subway systems. They may have decided to test the cargo system to see whether they can penetrate it effectively — and if the bomb made it to the UK, they have at least managed to succeed on the first phase of a terrorist attack.

Assuming this story gets substantiated, it may put a big dent in international trade. The vulnerability was always present in shipping on sea and in the air; six years ago, the lack of inspections at American ports became an issue in the presidential election. If packages have to get opened before flights, even just from a few origination points, it will raise the cost of trade substantially for everyone — which is, of course, the entire motivation for targeting the cargo systems.

It’s a good thing that AQ “no longer poses a threat to the US,” isn’t it?

Update: At the same link as above, CNN now reports that New York City has dispatched its bomb squad to a UPS delivery truck with a suspected bomb on board.

Update II: CNN now updates at the same link that the toner cartridge had been “manipulated,” but that it tested negative for explosive material. ABC News, meanwhile, headlines its coverage at the moment by saying “Authorities investigate mass bomb plot against US cargo.” Stay tuned.

Update III: The package in the UK looks like an attempt to at least trigger a security response:

Test results for explosives were negative, one law enforcement official told the Associated Press, but officials remained concerned. The flight had been bound for Chicago but was at a British airport when the cartridge was spotted.
During a basic security screening process in the United Kingdom, officials found the suspicious item, according to a U.S. government official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
U.K. officials discovered that the toner cartridge had been manipulated and found wires attached to it and white powder.

That may be hoax, or it could just be incompetence by the terrorists.

Update IV: Fox confirms that officials are concerned over “several” suspicious packages, with destinations in Pennsylvania, Illinois, New Jersey, and New York. The two planes in Philadelphia being checked came from Paris and Cologne, Germany, according to the AP.

Update V: CBS reports that the Joint Terrorism Task Force wants to find 10-20 packages sent out of Sanna, Yemen. If that “white powder” sounds familiar, it should:

A Joint Terrorism Task Force source tells CBS News that investigators are looking for between 10-20 packages shipped out of the UPS office in Sanna, Yemen during the same time frame. According to the source, there were components inside the ink cartridge.

Authorities are looking for a small device in the packaging similar to the Detroit underwear bomber device.

That strengthens the potential AQ connection.

Update VI: CBS now reports that the Newark plane and two trucks in NYC have been cleared (same link as last update).

Update VII: CNN reports that the US believes this to be an al-Qaeda plot originating from the al-Awlaki network, and that they wanted to target synagogues:

U.S. officials believe that al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula was behind the plot that caused a security scare at English and American airports on Friday.

A Yemeni diplomat in Washington says the Yemeni government has opened a full investigation into a suspicious device that was shipped from the country to the East Midlands Airport in the United Kingdom. …

In the last 24 hours, security officials received a tip from an unnamed ally that packages coming from Yemen were destined for synagogues in Chicago, Illinois, according to information given to CNN contributor Fran Townsend.

British security officials are holding “a number of suspicious packages” pulled from cargo flights.

Update VIII: In case it wasn’t obvious, the initial investigations resulted from a tip, not routine security processing, according to CNN (same link).

http://hotair.com/archives/2010/10/2...-cargo-flight/

[darrels joy]

Parcel viable and could have exploded: Home Secretary Theresa May


AFP – A UPS worker waves near a plane parked at Liberty Airport on October 29 in Newark, New Jersey. A suspect …



– 12-0700>1 hr 40 mins ago
12-0700>
LONDON (AFP) – A suspect package from Yemen found on a US-bound cargo plane at East Midlands airport was "viable and could have exploded", Home Secretary Theresa May said Saturday.

Although she said Britain was not thought to be a target, she announced a ban on all unaccompanied cargo coming from Yemen into the country.

"Our preliminary investigation is now complete. I can confirm that the device was viable and could have exploded," May told reporters following a meeting of the government's emergency committee, Cobra.

"The target may have been an aircraft and had it detonated the aircraft could have been brought down.

"We do not believe that the perpetrators of the attack would have known the location of the device when it was planned to explode."

The discovery of the British package on Friday and another in Dubai caused a major international security alert and US President Barack Obama said they represented a "credible terrorist threat."

May said Saturday there were no plans to change Britain's threat level, already at its second highest level, suggesting an attack is highly likely.

But she said "further precautionary measures" were needed and said that all unaccompanied cargo from the Yemen would be banned from Britain.

"I have agreed with the transport secretary that we will take immediate action to stop the movement of all unaccompanied air freight originating from Yemen into or through the UK, and we are talking to the transport sector," the home secretary said.

Direct cargo and passenger flights from the Yemen were suspended in January after a Nigerian "underwear bomber" with links to the Arab country allegedly tried to blow up a US airliner over Detroit on Christmas Day 2009.

May said the investigation remained "sensitive" and she remained in contact with the US secretary for Homeland Security Janet Napolitano.

"We are working closely with international partners to increase our understanding of this case and of course to bring those responsible to justice," the home secretary said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20101030...nprobeminister

[darrels joy]

Breaking News: Yemen Police Reportedly Arrest a Woman Suspected of Sending Explosive Parcels to U.S.

[revwardoc]

You know that that Al-Quaida used her as a dupe in this plot. Muslims treat women worse than their camels so she was entirely expendable.

[darrels joy]

Bombs tip-off 'came from former al-Qaeda member'
referrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600">ath o:connecttype="rect" gradientshapeok="t" o:extrusionok="f">ath>Jabr al-Faifi has been identified as a former Guantanamo Bay detainee

The crucial tip-off that led to the discovery of parcel bombs on two cargo planes came from a repentant al-Qaeda member, UK officials say.


Jabr al-Faifi handed himself in to authorities in Saudi Arabia two weeks ago, the officials told the BBC.


US officials have suggested that a Saudi bombmaker is the key suspect in last week's attempt to send the parcel bombs from Yemen to the US.


One bomb travelled on two passenger planes before being seized in Dubai.


The other almost slipped through Britain.


Jabr al-Faifi has been identified as a former detainee at the US detention centre at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.


After leaving Guantanamo he went through a rehabilitation programme in Saudi Arabia and then rejoined al-Qaeda in Yemen before turning himself in to Saudi authorities, AFP news agency reports.


He contacted Saudi government officials saying he wanted to return home and a handover was arranged through Yemen's government, interior ministry spokesman General Mansour al-Turki said.


Jabr al-Faifi is reported to be one of several former detainees from Guantanamo who were returned to Saudi Arabia for rehabilitation in December 2006.


Both bombs - hidden inside printer toner cartridges - contained the powerful plastic explosive PETN, which is difficult to detect.

UK authorities have come under criticism after the initial failure to find one of the two bombs on a plane at East Midlands airport.

Meanwhile, US intelligence chiefs named Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri, said to be in his 20s, as their main suspect in the failed bomb plot.

He is said to be the main bombmaker for al-Qaeda's Yemeni branch.

"Asiri's past activities and explosives' experience make him a leading suspect," a US official was quoted as saying by AFP.

Analysis>>
Kim Ghattas BBC News, Washington >>

---

White House counter-terrorism adviser John Brennan spoke to President Ali Saleh of Yemen and told him that Yemen would take the lead in the investigation.

This kind of language underscores the sensitive nature of the relationship between the two countries. Washington already gives more than £100m ($160m) to Yemen in security assistance.

The US also has a covert programme in Yemen that includes drone strikes.

It is likely the US will step up that programme now.

But Yemen has not exactly been an enthusiastic ally in the battle against al-Qaeda.

US aid is a sensitive issue for a poor country where anti-US sentiments run high. But the White House will now step up the pressure and make it clear to Yemen that it needs to do more.

It will remind Yemen that not only could its own government be a target for al-Qaeda but that Yemen, the poorest country in the Arab world, also gets crucial development aid from Washington.

John Brennan, counter-terrorism adviser to US President Barack Obama, said both bombs were built by the same man who made the explosive device used in a failed "underpants" plane bomb attack over Detroit on Christmas Day.

All three contained PETN, and one of the detonators was reportedly almost exactly the same as the one used in the US attack attempt.

"He's a very dangerous individual - clearly somebody who has a fair amount of training and experience," Mr Brennan told ABC News.

"We need to find him and bring him to justice as soon as we can."

Asiri is also believed to have built the bomb that his brother, Abdullah, used in an assassination attempt on the Saudi intelligence chief, Prince Mohammed Bin Nayif. The prince survived the suicide attack, in which PETN was also used.

BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner says most of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula's more dangerous operatives are Saudis, driven out of their own country by a highly effective counter-terrorism campaign that has not yet been matched in Yemen.

Meanwhile, Germany announced on Monday it was banning all passenger flights from Yemen, AFP reported.

It had already banned cargo flights from the country.

"All Yemeni air companies that fly to Germany have received a flight ban," a transport ministry spokesman said.

"The German air authorities have orders to turn back all direct and indirect flights from Yemen. That means that for the time being, there will be no flights to or over German territory allowed."

Yemen has also announced tighter security on cargo shipments leaving its airports, state news agency Saba reported.

Crash re-examined

Mr Brennan said the US and its allies could not assume that there were no other packages containing bombs out there.>>

Airline security measures are being re-assessed in light of the findings

"What we are trying to do right now is to work with our partners overseas to identify all packages that left Yemen recently, and to see whether or not there are any other suspicious packages out there that may contain these [Improvised Explosive Devices]," he told ABC.

US investigators are also re-examining wreckage of a UPS cargo plane that crashed in Dubai in September.

Two crew members died when the jet crashed shortly after take-off.

On Sunday investigators in the United Arab Emirates said there was no evidence that the crash was caused by an explosion.

The two packages seized on Friday were shipped from Sanaa through UPS and another US cargo firm, FedEx. The parcels were addressed to synagogues in the US city of Chicago.

One device was carried on an Airbus A320 from Sanaa to Doha. It was then flown on another aircraft to Dubai, Qatar Airways said.

The UK government's emergency planning committee, Cobra, is meeting to discuss increasing cargo security.

A team of US investigators has already been sent to Yemen to help track down those involved in the plot.

How the plot emerged:
>>
· Device 1 intercepted at East Midlands Airport in the UK. It was posted via UPS in Yemen and is believed to have been flown via Dubai and Cologne
· Device 2 intercepted in Dubai after flying on two Qatar Airways passenger jets from Yemen. It was posted via freight firm FedEx
· Both devices are addressed to synagogues in Chicago, and contain PETN explosives stuffed into printer cartridges
· Other UPS cargoes are searched in Newark, Philadelphia and New York as the alert spreads
· The UK government later says it believes Device 1 was designed to go off on board the plane.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11666272