Terror Alert: Bombs On US-Bound Planes

Two suspicious packages found on US-bound planes did contain explosives, President Obama has confirmed
The latest development comes amid a huge terror alert on both sides of the Atlantic, which included US fighter jets escorting a passenger plane into New York.
Mr Obama said it was a "credible" terror threat and he had told officials to take "whatever measures were necessary" to protect the US.
"Although we are still pursuing all the facts, we do know that the packages originated in Yemen," he added.
"We also know that al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (Aqap), a terrorist group based in Yemen, continues to plan attacks against our homeland, our citizens, and our friends and allies."
The first explosive was discovered on a United Parcel Service jet, which had stopped to refuel at East Midlands Airport in the UK while flying from Yemen to Chicago.
It was a converted ink toner cartridge, containing white powder, and had wires sticking out from the top.
The British Government has now stopped all flights landing in the UK from Yemen.




The suspicious device found at East Midlands Airport


The second explosive was found on a plane in Dubai, which had also flown from Yemen and was on its way to the US.
The packages were addressed to two synagogues in Chicago.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) had warned Jewish communities in the US about packages sent from overseas - particularly from Britain, Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
Sky's foreign affairs editor Tim Marshall said: "Despite one device being found in the East Midlands, it's pretty clear now this is not about the UK - it's about sending a message to the US that 'we can reach you'."
He said the terror plot was also no doubt designed to create fear in Western countries, and million of dollars worth of damage to the cargo industry.
Earlier, fighter jets escorted an Emirates flight from Dubai into John F Kennedy Airport.
FBI spokesman Richard Kolko said the action was taken because the Boeing 777 was carrying cargo from Yemen.




A package is removed from a UPS container at East Midlands Airport


Sky sources said security officials are checking to see whether any other planes are carrying packages from Yemen.
Sky's crime correspondent Martin Brunt said the UK package was found on the cargo plane at about 3.30am this morning.
“The package was checked and at some stage was given the all-clear because the plane was allowed to continue its flight to North America," he added.
“For some reason this package was revisited and then concern grew again - so much so that for the last 12 hours or so this police operation has continued."
Mr Obama said he was told of a "potential terrorist threat" from Yemen late on Thursday night.
After the alert, two UPS planes were searched at Philadelphia International Airport. One had flown in from Paris, France, the other from Cologne, Germany.
Another UPS plane was searched at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. It had taken off from East Midlands Airport.
Two vehicles in New York City were also investigated, as well as a backpack found in a shrubbery outside a court in Portland, Maine.
Terrorism expert Neil Livingstone told Fox News: “Clearly they probably had some intelligence that indicated there were going to be bombs placed on cargo planes and they’ve been able to mobilise very quickly to deal with likely flights.
“The cargo hold has always been of great concern in cargo planes because we’ve never really got our arms around the security of those planes.”