Islamic State Came Close to Taking Down a Passenger Plane

(Wall Street Journal) Editorial - Islamic State nearly brought down a large plane without authorities having a clue. On July 15, brothers Khaled and Mahmoud Khayat placed a bomb inside a meat grinder and gave it to a third, unwitting brother to carry in his luggage on an Etihad Airways flight from Sydney, Australia, to Abu Dhabi. At the last moment the bag wasn't checked in, apparently because it was too heavy. The brothers received direction from an Islamic State controller in the Middle East. Components for making the bomb, including a military-grade explosive, were shipped to them on a cargo flight from Turkey. Western authorities will be hard pressed to stop attacks if Islamic State can put high-powered bombs in the hands of Islamic radicals not on a watchlist. The terrorists will be encouraged by their near success to try again.


2017-08-11 00:00:00

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