Glass
18th November 2010, 06:56 PM
Suspected bomb bound for Germany found in Namibia
A suspected bomb in a suitcase that was to be put on a Munich-bound plane was intercepted in Namibia, German police said, a day after Berlin issued an alert about an imminent attack.
The BKA federal police force said the suspicious baggage had been seized Wednesday at the international airport near the capital Windhoek before it was due to be loaded on to an LTU/Air Berlin flight to Munich, southern Germany.
"A subsequent X-ray (of the luggage) revealed batteries that were attached with wires to a detonator and a ticking clock," it said in a statement.
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"Only the ongoing forensic investigation will show whether this was a live explosive."
Namibian police told state television that the piece of luggage seized was a laptop bag wrapped in plastic and confirmed it contained wires and a timer.
"Our officers found the parcel suspicious as it did not have a travel tag and it was thus removed from the luggage," said Inspector General Sebastian Ndeitunga.
Passengers on the flight as well as all luggage in the hold and the aircraft itself underwent subsequent checks before the Airbus plane was given clearance to take off. It arrived safely in Munich overnight.
A spokeswoman for Air Berlin, Germany's second largest airline, said the baggage had not been checked in.
"It is an unlabelled piece of luggage, which means that .its destination was not indicated nor was the airline with which it was to fly. In other words it was an unattended piece of luggage in the hall at Windhoek airport where luggage is processed," she said.
"It is possible that it only happened to be there at the time the Air Berlin plane was to be loaded."
Full article...... (http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-world/suspected-bomb-bound-for-germany-found-in-namibia-20101119-1808u.html)
Meanwhile yesterday......
De Maizière warns of imminent terror attacks
German Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière on Wednesday warned the government had indications Islamists were planning terrorist attacks in Germany later this month.
* Suspected bomb meant for Munich-bound flight - National (18 Nov 10)
* Terror warning sparks surveillance debate - Society (18 Nov 10)
* German media roundup: Alert but not hysterical - National (18 Nov 10)
“There is information from our foreign partners that planned attacks are allegedly to be carried out at the end of November,” he said in Berlin, describing a “new situation” regarding the Islamist threat towards the nation.
“There’s reason to be worried, but no reason for hysteria,” he said, mentioning “concrete leads” being followed by the authorities.
De Maizière said he had put federal police on alert and ordered heightened security at German airports and train stations.
"From today, there will be a more visible police presence. I thought it should be explained to citizens," he said.
The announcement is a marked departure from the German government’s warnings in recent weeks of an abstract terrorist threat.
Only last month, de Maizière criticized reports Islamists were planning imminent attacks in Germany as "alarmist" and said there was no reason to change the country's security threat level.
But the minister said on Wednesday security services had noticed growing signs that the terrorist network al-Qaida was planning attacks in the United States, Europe and Germany since mid-2010.
"We now have more details and indications of danger," he said. "It is the unanimous assessment of the security services that we are currently dealing with a new situation."
He said Berlin had been tipped off by overseas authorities following the discovery of two US-bound parcel bombs originating from Yemen last month. One of the packages travelled undetected through Cologne-Bonn Airport before being stopped in Britain.
Full article....... (http://www.thelocal.de/national/20101117-31227.html)
A suspected bomb in a suitcase that was to be put on a Munich-bound plane was intercepted in Namibia, German police said, a day after Berlin issued an alert about an imminent attack.
The BKA federal police force said the suspicious baggage had been seized Wednesday at the international airport near the capital Windhoek before it was due to be loaded on to an LTU/Air Berlin flight to Munich, southern Germany.
"A subsequent X-ray (of the luggage) revealed batteries that were attached with wires to a detonator and a ticking clock," it said in a statement.
Advertisement: Story continues below
"Only the ongoing forensic investigation will show whether this was a live explosive."
Namibian police told state television that the piece of luggage seized was a laptop bag wrapped in plastic and confirmed it contained wires and a timer.
"Our officers found the parcel suspicious as it did not have a travel tag and it was thus removed from the luggage," said Inspector General Sebastian Ndeitunga.
Passengers on the flight as well as all luggage in the hold and the aircraft itself underwent subsequent checks before the Airbus plane was given clearance to take off. It arrived safely in Munich overnight.
A spokeswoman for Air Berlin, Germany's second largest airline, said the baggage had not been checked in.
"It is an unlabelled piece of luggage, which means that .its destination was not indicated nor was the airline with which it was to fly. In other words it was an unattended piece of luggage in the hall at Windhoek airport where luggage is processed," she said.
"It is possible that it only happened to be there at the time the Air Berlin plane was to be loaded."
Full article...... (http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-world/suspected-bomb-bound-for-germany-found-in-namibia-20101119-1808u.html)
Meanwhile yesterday......
De Maizière warns of imminent terror attacks
German Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière on Wednesday warned the government had indications Islamists were planning terrorist attacks in Germany later this month.
* Suspected bomb meant for Munich-bound flight - National (18 Nov 10)
* Terror warning sparks surveillance debate - Society (18 Nov 10)
* German media roundup: Alert but not hysterical - National (18 Nov 10)
“There is information from our foreign partners that planned attacks are allegedly to be carried out at the end of November,” he said in Berlin, describing a “new situation” regarding the Islamist threat towards the nation.
“There’s reason to be worried, but no reason for hysteria,” he said, mentioning “concrete leads” being followed by the authorities.
De Maizière said he had put federal police on alert and ordered heightened security at German airports and train stations.
"From today, there will be a more visible police presence. I thought it should be explained to citizens," he said.
The announcement is a marked departure from the German government’s warnings in recent weeks of an abstract terrorist threat.
Only last month, de Maizière criticized reports Islamists were planning imminent attacks in Germany as "alarmist" and said there was no reason to change the country's security threat level.
But the minister said on Wednesday security services had noticed growing signs that the terrorist network al-Qaida was planning attacks in the United States, Europe and Germany since mid-2010.
"We now have more details and indications of danger," he said. "It is the unanimous assessment of the security services that we are currently dealing with a new situation."
He said Berlin had been tipped off by overseas authorities following the discovery of two US-bound parcel bombs originating from Yemen last month. One of the packages travelled undetected through Cologne-Bonn Airport before being stopped in Britain.
Full article....... (http://www.thelocal.de/national/20101117-31227.html)