Yemen cargo seized due to terrorist threat against US synagogues

Yemen cargo seized due to terrorist threat against US synagogues

Air cargo of flights bound to the United States from Yemen were seized by authorities on Friday after a terror alert indicated that explosive devices were inside packages sent out from an al-Qaeda  terrorist cell based in the Arabian peninsula. The packages were supposed to be sent to several Jewish places of worship.

U.S. President Barack Obama said that the attempt was a “credible terrorist threat” and U.S. authorities said that all evidence so far points to the Yemeni branch of the terror group as the one responsible.

“The United States is not assuming that the attacks were disrupted and is remaining vigilant,” U.S. counterterror head John Brennan cautioned, amid reports that the attack was actually just a trial or dry run for a more sinister attack.

Cargo planes across the eastern seaboard were searched, including an Emirates flight, which was escorted to land by fighter jets.

One plane in Dubai and another in England were also searched. Early reports say that the packages contained the explosive PETN, but this has yet to be confirmed.

Brennan said that the explosives seized “were in a form that was designed to carry out some type of attack. The forensic analysis is under way.”

“Clearly from the initial observation, the initial analysis that was done, the materials that were found in the device that was uncovered was intended to do harm,” Brennan added.

Obama said that the terror attempts “underscore the necessity of remaining vigilant against terrorism.”

Saudi Arabian intelligence tipped off U.S. authorities about a specific attack from Yemen days before, and U.S. intelligence had been keeping track ever since.

Posted by James Fried on Saturday October 30 2010, 5:58 AM EST. Ref: AP. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, World. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0