Explosives Bound for Chicago Synagogues

Explosive packages bound for Chicago synagogues

Terror alert: suspicious devices 'dry run' for terror campaign against US

A series of suspicious packages found in Britain and Dubai could have been part of a “dry run” by al-Qaeda for a mail bomb plot in the United States, authorities believe.

The packages were found on an American-registered cargo plane at East Midlands airport in England, en route from Yemen to Chicago, via Cologne in Germany, and on aircraft in Dubai which had also come from Yemen.

It was claimed the devices were destined for synagogues in Chicago.

Jewish organisations and synagogues in Britain said they were already on high alert.

Scotland Yard said the package found in Britain was removed for further testing. It was claimed it contained a toner cartridge for a printer, covered in white powder and with wires protruding from it.

It was found at East Midlands, one of Britain's biggest cargo hubs, during screening of cargo at the airport. It was claimed that security sources in the Middle East had tipped off the intelligence services about packages emanating from Yemen, now regarded as one of the hot-beds of al-Qaeda terrorist activities.

"We know that these packages originated in Yemen and we are looking into potential links to terrorism," said one U.S. official.

As a result of the terror alert, the US Department of Homeland Security increased aviation security measures.

Fedex, the world’s largest cargo airline, confirmed that the suspicious package seized at its Dubai facility originated in Yemen. It had stopped all shipments, originating from Yemen, a spokesman added.

Officials were also investigating reports of several packages on aircraft in the eastern United States cities of Philadelphia and Newark, New Jersey although nothing had yet been found. The FBI said it did not believe an attack was imminent, a spokesman said.

Barack Obama, the US President, was told late on Thursday night of a "potential terrorist threat" surrounding suspicious packages on the aircraft, the White House said.

"Intelligence and law enforcement agencies discovered potential suspicious packages on two planes in transit to the United States," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said.

"Authorities were able to identify and examine two suspicious packages, one in East Midlands and one in Dubai. Both of these packages originated from Yemen."

Mr Gibbs said that, as a precaution, extra security measures were taken regarding other cargo planes at Newark and Philadelphia international airports in the United States.

"The President was notified of a potential terrorist threat on Thursday night at 10:35, by John Brennan, assistant to the president for homeland security and counter-terrorism," he said.

Synagogues were targeted. Why have the Jews been a favored target for over a millenium of Islamic attacks, wars and cultural annihilations?