Flight Ban on Laptops 'Sparked' by ISIS Threat
Flight Ban on Laptops 'Sparked' by ISIS Threat
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WASHINGTON DC - An aircraft cabin ban on large electronic devices was prompted by intelligence suggesting a terror threat to US-bound flights. US media say, the US and UK have announced new carry-on restrictions banning laptops on certain passenger flights.
The so-called Islamic State group (ISIS) has been working on ways to smuggle explosives on to planes by hiding them in electronics, US sources tell ABC. The tip-off was judged by the US to be "substantiated" and "credible".
Inbound flights on nine airlines operating out of 10 airports in eight countries are subject to the US Department of Homeland Security ban. Phones and medical devices are not affected.
US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson is hosting a two-day meeting of ministers and senior officials from 68 nations to discuss the threat from ISIS. The Washington talks will be the first full meeting of the coalition since December 2014.
What do we know of the threat?
Eric Swalwell, a Democratic member of the House Intelligence Committee, told ABC News there was "a new aviation threat".
"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."
Another member of that committee, Republican Peter King, told the New York Times he was forewarned about the ban.
Media captionAviation adviser Dr Sally Leivesley says the ban is a "smart move"
"It was based on intelligence reports that are fairly recent. Intelligence of something possibly planned."
The restriction is based, we are told, on "evaluated intelligence", BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner writes.
That means that US intelligence has either intercepted discussion of a possible extremist plot or has been passed word of one by a human informant.
The so-called Islamic State group (ISIS) has been working on ways to smuggle explosives on to planes by hiding them in electronics, US sources tell ABC. The tip-off was judged by the US to be "substantiated" and "credible".
Inbound flights on nine airlines operating out of 10 airports in eight countries are subject to the US Department of Homeland Security ban. Phones and medical devices are not affected.
US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson is hosting a two-day meeting of ministers and senior officials from 68 nations to discuss the threat from ISIS. The Washington talks will be the first full meeting of the coalition since December 2014.
What do we know of the threat?
Eric Swalwell, a Democratic member of the House Intelligence Committee, told ABC News there was "a new aviation threat".
"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."
Another member of that committee, Republican Peter King, told the New York Times he was forewarned about the ban.
Media captionAviation adviser Dr Sally Leivesley says the ban is a "smart move"
"It was based on intelligence reports that are fairly recent. Intelligence of something possibly planned."
The restriction is based, we are told, on "evaluated intelligence", BBC security correspondent Frank Gardner writes.
That means that US intelligence has either intercepted discussion of a possible extremist plot or has been passed word of one by a human informant.
(rnz)
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