We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
THE NEW US and UK ban on large electronic devices in the cabins of flights from certain airports has come in as part of a “substantiated” and “credible” threat from the Islamic State group, according to sources quotes by ABC News.
Fresh intelligence had indicated that IS was in the process of developing methods to smuggle electronics loaded with explosives onto a US-bound flight.
The ban on items such as laptops, tablets, e-readers, cameras and electronic devices larger than a smartphone, was announced yesterday with airports in Morocco, Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates among those affected.
The US has given nine airlines from eight countries until the weekend to tell travelers to America to pack these devices in their hold luggage.
No US carriers are affected, but the ban hits passengers on approximately 50 flights per day from the busiest hubs in the Arab world and the three Gulf carriers that recently emerged as giants: Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways.
Eric Swalwell, from the US House Intelligence Committee, told ABC News: “We know that our adversaries, terrorist groups in the United States and outside the United States, seek to bring down a US-bound airliner.
That’s one of their highest value targets. And we’re doing everything we can right now to prevent that from happening.
“Evaluated intelligence”
US officials would not say how long the ban would last, but the Dubai-based Emirates airline told AFP that it had been instructed to enforce it until at least 14 October.
“The restrictions are in place due to evaluated intelligence and we think it’s the right thing to do and the right places to do it to secure the safety of the traveling public,” a senior US official said.
The US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, refused to discuss the “intelligence information” that led the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to issue the order.
But one said concerns had been “heightened by several successful events and attacks on passenger lanes and airports over the last years.”
The US official would not go into detail about which attacks had raised fears, but one cited an incident from February of last year in which suspected Somali Islamists blew a hole in the side of a Daallo Airlines passenger jet with a small device.
Only the bomber was killed and the plane landed safely.
“Evaluated intelligence indicates that terrorist groups continue to target commercial aviation and are aggressively pursuing innovative methods to undertake their attacks, to include smuggling explosive devices in various consumer items,” an official said.
Tom Blank, a former head of security at TSA, told AFP: “This bears the mark of a response to some specific set of the intelligence data that has come to the attention of US authorities.”
Airlines will be responsible for policing the cabin ban, and if they fail to do so, they could lose their rights to operate US routes.
With reporting from Sean Murray
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
So if you are planning to blow up a plane with your S7 phone remember not to use airports in Morocco, Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates!
@B9xiRspG: You can still use your smartphone to do it from anywhere If you are determined to use a tablet or laptop, you could get a flight from UAE to Ireland and then board a Delta flight to new York
@B9xiRspG: It is probably because some countries don’t scan as proficiently as others or may have access to airport security agents in certain countries. For years now you have to take out laptops, tablets etc and lay them flat on trays at security. I travel frequently and often have one tray for electronic stuff (laptop, tablets) and one tray for belt, bag, coat, etc
The way your hold baggage gets thrown around, you’d want to make sure you laptop is wrapped up safe, also the inconvenience of not being able to work or entertain yourself on a long flight would be a pain in the butt. also I wonder how many laptops are going to go missing from baggage.
@RMcG: and now they won’t be checked at security … don’t quite understand that part…
@Gary Rowe: all checked in baggage is screened.
Wouldn’t the explosives be just as dangerous on the cargo hold? If so why aren’t they banned completely? Couldn’t u just get on in a different country with your laptop?
@Alan Baldwin: More dangerous I would have thought, if there was smoke in the cabin surely it’s more easily detected than in the hold
Don’t think I’ll be flying anywhere in the near future haha
@Alan Baldwin: Terrorists are more likely to use simple devices that can be hidden in items that they can bring in their hand luggage. Checked luggage bombs are more at risk of premature detonation from rough handling, and if a simple timer is used the bomb might go off before the plane is loaded or while it’s still on the ground if there are delays.
Can’t bring a simple bottle of water on board
Can’t bring any tools without paying 30 quid for a suitcase
Mandatory 3D scan of your naked body
Having to listen to arrogant pr1cks at security
Air travel was better in the ’90s than it is now.
@Quiet Goer: Yeah but no such things as smart phones etc in fact the technology that’s in your smart phone today would be multiple times more sophisticated than any of the computers that were used to fly planes in the 1990′s. I’d prefer to be put out a little by airport security or delayed than being blown up by some lunatic with a death wish about virgins and alsations.
I used to fly with huge laptop(17′) with battery size of little brick years ago. Never had any issue with it and was never asked to run it or check any way. Was wondering what if some terrorist would replace battery cells with explosive – it could be hard to detect on scanning and powerful enough to tear plane into pieces.
@Quiet Goer: And funny enough – in the 90s there was far less terrorism too, it seems all these ‘security checks’ have increased terrorism!
More seriously though – it’s all a money scam. No water through security but you can buy a bottle of water on the otherside. In fact you can buy enough ingredients to make an impromptu bomb from duty free.
You can also use the plastic knife they issue you for your in-flight meal to stab someone in the neck.
Then there’s the ease in which you can create chlorine gas from duty free items. You could effectively make a bomb with the lithium batteries in the duty free electronics shops.
In fact – the more I think about it – Security checkin in airports does virtually nothing to protect people. They throw the potentially explosive bottles of water into the same bin, about 2 meters away from where everyone is queued up…if they were potentially volatile liquids then this is the worst thing you could do.
This is absolutely ludicrous! I await the day there is going to be a fire caused by a lithium battery in the cargo hold…
Isn’t that racism against Big electronic devices?
All Devices matter.
Sounds like they just want to force you to pay for in-flight entertainment more than anything.
Absolutely moronic. So now security screening are to check where you are flying to as they are screening your carry on… Cos not everyone going through the airport is going to the US or UK…. Ya that’ll work well & not slow the entire process down! Oh wait, airlines are responsible for enforcement so all your carry on will be checked as you board? I doubt it…. Oh & what if you’re on a flight that connects elsewhere prior to landing in US or UK, how do you get your laptop into your checked baggage between flights eh? Farcical stuff.
have your say