US warns of airline plot to implant bombs in people

US: US officials have warned airlines terror groups may be mulling implanting bombs under the skins of passengers, reports said Wednesday, but stressed the alert was not linked to any specific threat.

The Los Angeles Times said the US administration had warned airlines that extremist groups were considering surgically implanting explosives into people to try to beat enhanced airport security measures.

Passengers flying to the United States could now face even tougher screening procedures, a spokesman for the Transportation Security Administration, Nicholas Kimball, told the daily.

"These measures are designed to be unpredictable, so passengers should not expect to see the same activity at every international airport," Kimball said, adding existing methods could not detect plastic explosives under the skin.

The TSA confirmed in a statement that it "recently briefed air carriers and foreign partners to provide greater insights into recent intelligence indicating the continued interest of terrorists to target aviation."

"Terrorist groups have repeatedly and publicly indicated interest in pursuing ways to further conceal explosives," the statement added, without confirming the scheme to implant explosives.

A US security official, who asked to remain anonymous, said: "This is new intelligence about a possible technique that could be used, however there is nothing to indicate an imminent threat." AFP