PM leads drive to cut out the 'terrorism cancer'

A NEW security crackdown on air cargo was brought in last night by the government in the wake of the attempted terror attack thwarted at East Midlands Airport, as the Prime Minister spoke of a "terrorist cancer" lurking in Yemen.

• Cameron: "Clearly the whole country has been focused this weekend on the terrorist threat" Pic: PA

Following a meeting of the government's emergency Cobra committee yesterday, Home Secretary Theresa May announced a ban on flights containing unaccompanied air freight from Yemen and Somalia and tighter restrictions on transporting toner cartridges.

She told MPs the two bombs identified in the plot originated in Yemen, but said suspending freight flights from Somalia was necessary because of a possible link between terrorists in the two countries.

Toner cartridges larger than 500g (17.6oz) will also be banned from hand baggage on flights departing from the UK and also on cargo flights unless they originate from a regular shipper with security arrangements approved by the Department for Transport.

Mrs May told MPs: "We are in a constant battle with the terrorists. They are always looking for another way, another innovative way, in which they can try to get around our defences.

"Our job, and the job of our security and intelligence agencies and the police, is to ensure that we are doing all we can to make sure that there are no gaps in our defences."

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• Emergency measures: Unaccompanied freight from Yemen and Somalia is banned

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She also reminded MPs that following the Detroit underwear bomb incident last year Britain is also committed to making changes to pre- departure checks to identify better the people who pose a terrorist threat and to prevent them flying to the UK.

And she said more would be done to "enhance e-borders."

Her statement came as it emerged that the bombs used in the cargo plane terror plot were at least 50 times more powerful than would be needed to blow a hole in an aircraft fuselage.

Experts in Germany said the bombs at East Midlands Airport and in Dubai contained at least 300g (10.58oz) of the powerful explosive PETN.

Addressing MPs in the Commons, Mr Cameron said: "Clearly the whole country has been focused this weekend on the terrorist threat.I want to put on record my thanks, and the thanks of everyone in this House, for all those involved in the international police and intelligence operation, whose efforts clearly prevented the terrorists from killing and maiming many innocent people whether here or elsewhere in the world.

"While we are rightly engaged in Afghanistan to deny the terrorists there, the threat from the Arabian Peninsula, and from Yemen in particular, has grown.

"So as well as the immediate steps which the Home Secretary will outline, it's clear that we must take every possible step to work with our partners in the Arab world to cut out the terrorist cancer that lurks in the Arabian Peninsula."

New information appeared to suggest that the bomb was supposed to detonate the plane above a target.

Mrs May told MPs: "The devices were probably intended to detonate mid-air and to destroy the cargo aircraft on which they were being transported.

"Had the device detonated we assess it could have succeeded in bringing down the aircraft."

While there was no information to suggest another attack of a similar type was imminent, the authorities were working "on the assumption that this organisation will wish to continue to find ways of also attacking targets further afield", Mrs May said.

US deputy national security adviser John Brennan aired fears about the extent of the latest plot, saying "it would be very imprudent to presume that there are no others (packages) out there".

The Metropolitan Police was criticised on Sunday after it emerged the UK device was at first declared "safe" before being re-examined as a "precaution".

Shadow Home Secretary Ed Balls praised the "brave and vital work" done by security and police personnel, but added: "Why was the device not discovered by police officers during the first search and could earlier information have made a material difference to the search?"

He said the fact that the two devices had been carried on a series of five aircraft, three of them passenger flights, raised "serious questions about the security of our airspace".

Mr Balls also raised concerns about the government's plans to cut the security budget by 8 per cent and pressed for assurances that this would not effect Britain's security.

The new measures seem unlikely to hit passengers and cause further delays at airports.

However, the government also made it clear that it was in no mood to end some security measures, such as shoe and laptop checks, despite pressure in the last week from airline bosses, including BA's chief executive Willie Walsh.

Yesterday, Ryanair's boss Michael O'Leary insisted that the bomb should not be used for new crackdowns. He said "pandering" to a postal bomber would mean more costly security measures for the industry.

Mr O'Leary added: "They are laughing away in their caves this morning at the Prime Minister and his security team meeting to discuss printer cartridges."