Terrorists planning to blow up planes with bombs INSIDE their bodies, authorities warn



Security at airports across the world is to be beefed up because terrorists may be using bombs surgically implanted inside their bodies to try to blow up planes, officials have warned.

Until now, terrorists have attacked airlines, trains, buses and shopping centres by hiding bombs in bags, shoes or underwear to avoid detection.

But in a bid to foil airport scanners, the militants may have taken the most drastic measures, cutting themselves open and planting bombs within their bodies, leaked U.S. intelligence suggests.

Scanners: Security at airports around the world will have to be beefed up to detect explosives hidden within terrorists' bodies



Authorities have already been on high alert since the death of Al Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden in May, ramping up security at airports, government buildings and other facilities in case of a retaliatory strike.

And security will now be boosted further at airports after Homeland Security officials warned air carriers and other world leaders about the possibility of the ‘body bomber’ attacks on commercial flights.

Security services believe the move by terrorists to surgically implant explosives was prompted by the introduction at airports of body scanners, designed to catch them before they board flights.

It is thought male bombers would have the explosive secreted near their appendix or in their buttocks, while females would have the material placed inside their breasts, in the same way implants are inserted.

Threat: X-ray scanners will need to be used to catch the terrorists

Experts said bombers would be surgically cut open, the explosive PETN (Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate) would then be placed in a plastic sachet inside his or her body before the wound was stitched up like a normal operation incision and treated to heal.

A shaped charge of 8oz of PETN can penetrate five inches of armour and would easily blow a large hole in an airliner.

The explosives would be detonated by the bomber using a hypodermic syringe to inject TATP (Triacetone Triperoxide) through their skin into the explosives sachet – a method which has created a serious fear that the body-bombers could pretend to be diabetics injecting themselves in order to prevent anyone stopping their suicide missions.

PETN: The explosive used by Richard Reid, the British Al Qaeda shoe-bomber

PETN – the main ingredient of Semtex plastic explosive – was used by Richard Reid, the British Al Qaeda shoe-bomber, when he unsuccessfully tried to blow up American Airlines Flight 63 from Paris to Miami in December 2001.

The leaked U.S. advisory to foreign counterparts states: 'The Department of Homeland Security has identified a potential threat from terrorists who may be considering surgically implanting explosives or explosive components in humans to conduct terrorist attacks.'

The threat is likely to come from overseas but precautionary steps are being taken in the U.S. as well as internationally, a security official added.

The threat of 'body bombers' was first revealed last year by an MI5 operation in England after an investigation into Al Qaeda tactics on internet message boards.

The memo sent by the Department of Homeland Security, however, reveals world leaders are now taking the threat so seriously security tactics at airports may have to be adapted.

The method would be difficult to detect but body scanners do exist which are designed to identify chemicals, explosives and drugs at airports and other passenger terminals around the world.

These include high-specification X-ray equipment that could identify body bombs.

The official who leaked the Homeland Security advisory, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that while the threat had been identified, there was no indication a strike was imminent.