US President Barack Obama has described the discovery of two packages containing explosives, shipped from Yemen and addressed to synagogues in Chicago, as very “credible terrorist threat” to the United States.
“The events of the past 24 hours underscores the necessity of remaining vigilant against terrorism,” the New York Times quoted Obama, as saying.
He added: “The American people should be confident that we will not waver in our resolve to defeat Al Qaeda and its affiliates and to root out violent extremism in all its forms.”
The packages were intercepted in Britain and Dubai, setting off a broad terrorism scare on Friday that included the scrambling of fighter jets to accompany a passenger flight as it landed safely in New York.
The explosives were packed in toner cartridges for computer printers. Saudi intelligence officials alerted Washington to the movement of the packages. Cargo planes were moved to secure areas of airports in Philadelphia and Newark for searches, and a United Parcel Service truck in Brooklyn was stopped and inspected.
No additional explosives had been discovered by late Friday. News of the terrorist plot came as Obama was barrelling into the last four days of campaigning before mid-term elections on Tuesday. The White House appeared determined to project the appearance of a commander in chief who was on top of the developments.