Just in:
CABSAT 2024 Ushers in 30 Years of Media Innovation // Universal Language for Healthcare: General Authority Embraces Global Coding System // Ingdan Announces 2023 Annual Results // AIA Hong Kong Wins More Than 20 Accolades at MPF Ratings MPF Awards, BENCHMARK MPF of The Year Awards and Bloomberg Businessweek Top Fund Awards // Ajman Celebrates Conclusion of Ramadan Activities with Grand Ceremony // No running of govt from jail, says Delhi Lt Governor // First-Ever Fortune Innovation Forum Draws Top Global Leaders to Hong Kong, Promoting Agendas On Collective Cross-Sector Advancement // Global Audience to Witness Thrill of Dubai World Cup // Andertoons by Mark Anderson for Thu, 28 Mar 2024 // French Leaders Gather for Interfaith Iftar Dinner // Samsung Electronics Launches 2024 Neo QLED 8K, Neo QLED, and OLED Displays to Spark the AI Screen Era // TUMI Hosts Global Launch Event in Singapore to Unveil Women’s Asra Collection and Announce Global Ambassador, Mun Ka Young // Experience Ultimate Shopping Freedom at 4.4 Shopee Spree: Don’t Worry, Shop Shopee! // Sharjah Chamber Breaks Ground on Final Expansion with New HQ Pact // 2024 Lok Sabha Elections Will Be The Costliest One Till Now In The Whole World // Sunshine’s Debut Features Leave Tech World Scratching Its Head // Emirati Aid Reaches Ukraine as Food Shortages Bite // Samsung Partners National Heritage Board to Bring a Slice of Singapore’s Cultural Heritage to Samsung The Frame TV // US reiterates concern over Kejriwal arrest, Cong accounts // German Job Market Resilience Bodes Well for Economic Recovery //
HomeEconomyAirlines warned on bomb material in tooth paste tube

Airlines warned on bomb material in tooth paste tube

russia olympics stadium

Air carriers flying to Winter Olympics host Russia were warned today to watch for toothpaste tubes containing materials that could be turned into a bomb, a U.S. law enforcement official said.

The official declined to elaborate on the intelligence that sparked the warning, which was sent to U.S. and foreign airlines, just two days before the start of the 2014 games in Sochi, Russia.

ADVERTISEMENT

Security at Sochi is tight in response to threats of terror strikes by Islamic militants. The Black Sea city is just a few hundred miles from the North Caucasus region, where Russia has been battling Islamic extremists.

The official wasn’t authorized to discuss the warning and asked for anonymity. It was reported earlier by ABC News.

In a statement, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said the agency “regularly shares relevant information with domestic and international partners, including those associated with international events such as the Sochi Olympics.”

“We are not aware of a specific threat to the homeland at this time,” the DHS said in the statement. “This routine communication is an important part of our commitment to making sure we meet that priority.”

Delta Air Lines Inc. is alone among the major U.S. carriers in serving Russia, with one daily Moscow flight from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport. Spokesmen for Delta, American Airlines and United Airlines declined to discuss security issues, as is customary in the industry.

The Transportation Security Administration, which is part of DHS, restricts the size of carry-on containers of gels and liquids, including toothpaste tubes, to no more than 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters). The limit doesn’t apply to checked bags, which are scanned by explosives detection machines.

Sochi, which lies west of the Caucasus Mountains, borders one of the most economically distressed regions of Russia, stretching from Chechnya to Dagestan. A separatist movement in Chechnya grew into an Islamist insurgency that took its fight into neighboring provinces and which Russia has struggled to suppress.

Three suicide attacks last year rocked Volgograd, about halfway between Moscow and Sochi. Russian security forces staged a raid in Dagestan earlier today, killing the leader of an extremist group suspected in two of the attacks.

Russian President Vladimir Putin vowed to keep Sochi safe by locking down the seaside resort city of about 345,000, deploying 40,000 troops and state of-the-art equipment.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said today that the U.S. has 140 people, including FBI agents, Homeland security personnel and the military working with the Russians on security.

The Olympics in Sochi will be as “safe as you can make any large public event in a place where obviously we all know there have been some threats of late,” Kerry said in an interview on CNN. “We feel that everything has been done that can be done to try to guarantee people safety and security.”

As many as 10,000 Americans are expected to visit the Black Sea resort for the games, according to four Obama administration officials who briefed reporters on Jan. 24 on condition of anonymity.

The U.S. has warned athletes and fans planning to attend the games to be aware of recent terrorist threats from Islamic militants, and the Pentagon has said it’s prepared to evacuate Americans from Russia if needed.

President Barack Obama was briefed yesterday on security and support for U.S. athletes and “he was assured by his team that they are taking all appropriate steps regarding the safety of Americans,” the White House said in a statement.

The U.S. also has moved two ships, the USS Mount Whitney and the USS Taylor into the Black Sea over the past two days to be ready to assist in any security operations or evacuations in the event of a terrorist attack-Bloomberg

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT
Just in:
Following the Money Trail: US and UK Investigate $20 Billion in USDT Transfers Tied to Sanctioned Russian Exchange // U.S. Compliance Takes Center Stage at OKX Following Industry Jitters // Ajman Celebrates Conclusion of Ramadan Activities with Grand Ceremony // TUMI Hosts Global Launch Event in Singapore to Unveil Women’s Asra Collection and Announce Global Ambassador, Mun Ka Young // Samsung Partners National Heritage Board to Bring a Slice of Singapore’s Cultural Heritage to Samsung The Frame TV // First-Ever Fortune Innovation Forum Draws Top Global Leaders to Hong Kong, Promoting Agendas On Collective Cross-Sector Advancement // Global Audience to Witness Thrill of Dubai World Cup // Ingdan Announces 2023 Annual Results // Samsung Electronics Launches 2024 Neo QLED 8K, Neo QLED, and OLED Displays to Spark the AI Screen Era // French Leaders Gather for Interfaith Iftar Dinner // 2024 Lok Sabha Elections Will Be The Costliest One Till Now In The Whole World // Sunshine’s Debut Features Leave Tech World Scratching Its Head // AIA Hong Kong Wins More Than 20 Accolades at MPF Ratings MPF Awards, BENCHMARK MPF of The Year Awards and Bloomberg Businessweek Top Fund Awards // CABSAT 2024 Ushers in 30 Years of Media Innovation // Digital Hub Unveiled: Xposure Launches Platform for Global Photography Community // Infineon and HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering jointly develop ship electrification technology // Emirati Aid Reaches Ukraine as Food Shortages Bite // Sharjah Chamber Breaks Ground on Final Expansion with New HQ Pact // Hong Kong Crypto Exchange Application Stalled by US Lawsuit // Andertoons by Mark Anderson for Fri, 29 Mar 2024 //