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Daesh plot fears prompted device ban, says US

Posted in World

Published on March 24, 2017 with No Comments

Explosives were designed to be hidden in laptop batteries

Intelligence showing that Daesh is developing a bomb hidden in portable electronics spurred the United States and Britain to bar passengers from airports in a total of 10 Muslim-majority countries from carrying laptop computers, iPads and other devices larger than a cell phone aboard direct inbound flights, two senior US counterterrorism officials said.

As per latest reports on the Canadian TV channels, government may follow the United States and the United Kingdom in banning certain electronic devices on flights departing from a number of airports in Muslim-majority countries.

US officials said the explosives were designed to be hidden in laptop batteries. All four spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorised to publicly discuss the sensitive information.

The Trump administration maintained that the new restrictions did not signal a credible, specific threat of an imminent attack. Officials said the alert reflects concerns that the Daesh is ready — or soon will be — to launch new capabilities against the West. Sean Spicer, the White House press secretary, declined to address the intelligence during a news media briefing on Tuesday.

Officials said passengers still could carry cell phones and other small devices into the aeroplane’s cabin, while larger items like laptops would have to be stowed with checked luggage.

In all, airports in 10 countries, stretching from North Africa to the Mideast and into Turkey, are affected by the new restrictions. Both the United States and Britain have imposed the ban on flights from some airports in Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.

Washington also has restricted some flights from Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. London, meanwhile, has additionally restricted flights from some airports in Lebanon and Tunisia.

The targeting of a jetliner using explosives shows how the Daesh, which has long worked to inspire terrorist attacks, is trying to compete with groups like Al Qaida’s affiliate in Yemen. The Qaida affiliate has spent years inventing explosives that are difficult to detect, including trying to disguise bombs in devices like cell phones. Now, US intelligence officials believe the Daesh has also developed explosives that can be hidden in electronic devices, one of the senior counterterror officials said.

 

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