Parcel Bomb Plot Uncovered

Be fair, attentive, and customers
will return.

Two parcels addressed to Jewish
institutions in Chicago contained
the lethal explosive PETN hidden
in ink toner cartridges, and
uncovered Thursday on cargo planes
headed to the United States in
Britain and Dubai.

The Dubai bomb was composed of a
highly explosive combination of
PETN and lead azide, concealed
inside a computer printer with a
circuit board and mobile phone SIM
card attached, security officials
explained.

The boxes were stopped in transit
and searched," per an official. "At
the time, people obviously took notice,
knowing of the terrorist group's interest
in aviation- considered the possibility
that AQAP might be exploring the
logistics of the cargo system."

ABC News, first broke the news, commented
it had been told by senior officials that
ever since the September discovery of
suspicious packages from Yemen, the U.S.
intelligence agencies had specific concerns
about AQAP's interest in Chicago.

Saudi bombmaker, Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri,
has emerged as a key suspect in the bomb
plot.

The militant, thought to be hiding in Yemen,
was already wanted for crafting the "underwear"
bomb worn by the young Nigerian accused of
trying to bring down a packed airliner as it
landed in Detroit on Christmas Day 2009.

A team of U.S. experts is heading to Yemen to
give screening, training and equipment to examine
cargo shipments at the main international airport
in the capital Sanaa.