The explosive found hidden in a package on a plane in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Friday, had traveled on two passenger planes to get there, a Qatar Airways spokesman told CNN Sunday.
Edward Cameron did not say which flights they were or how many people were on board.
Al Qaeda bomb maker Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri, 28, who is thought to be in Yemen, is linked to that package and another one found on a second airplane in the United Kingdom on Friday.
Separately, an engineering student has been arrested in Yemen as authorities investigate the apparent plot to bomb airplanes with devices hidden inside computer printers.
The student, Hanan Al-Samawi, is a fifth-year student at Sanaa University, in the capital, said Abdul-Rahman Barman, who said he has been asked to represent her.
Her mother, Amatulillah Mohammed, has also been arrested, Barman said, calling the arrest of the mother illegal.
The two devices found Friday look like they were put together by the same bomber who designed last year’s failed X-Mas Day underwear bomb, a U.S. government official told CNN.
“The thinking is it’s the same person or group of people that built the underwear bomb, because of the way it’s put together,” said the official, who had been briefed by multiple U.S. authorities and law enforcement sources. “But this one is about four times as powerful.”
American authorities are now endorsing British Prime Minister David Cameron’s position that the explosives were designed to take down an airplane, the official said.
One package was found in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The other was discovered at an airport in England. They were addressed to synagogues in Chicago, Illinois.
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One Response
Let’s review. We take off our shoes because of the shoe bomber. We get a full body scan because of the underwear bomber. We have our knitting needles and manicure sets confiscated because of the 9-11 “bombers”. We have our laptops and cell phones x-rayed because someone may re-wire one as a bomb. We give up our shampoo, mouthwash, and drinks for the plane because of I’m not sure. Soon we will have no more fingers or toes to place in the dike’s holes. Instead of filling the holes after they have been blown open – giving everyone in the bomb making industry a good laugh and time to design a new defensive plan – why can’t we train our airport staff to recognize these terrorists the same way the Israelis do? Take the army, air force, marines, coast guard,
national guard, reserves, etc. and train them to understand body language the same way the IAF/El Al staff are. Maybe then we could have shorter lines at the airport AND safer flights.