Terrorists Target Laptops !

It seemed inevitable that the security people would have to take new security measures when an exploding laptop blew a hole in the side of a Somali passenger jet and killed a passenger.   It seems that this was a suicide bomber testing the ability to smuggle hidden explosives onto a jet liner.  Fortunately, the plane was able to land safely and the only casualty was the actual bomber.

We know that international terrorists employ some very talented people in developing new ways to create death and destruction that evades discovery by the security forces, and bringing down passenger jets with a big loss of life is high on their agenda.  It is obvious that our security people have reason to suspect that they have achieved the ability to disguise the batteries that power laptops, tablets and a whole host of electronic devices with the explosive ability to destroy an aircraft in flight.

Britain and the United States have now imposed a ban on any sort of electronic device bigger than a mobile phone from being carried in the passenger cabin of aircraft flying from a number of Middle East and north African countries.    The fact that these can be checked in and form cargo carried in the pane's baggage compartment indicate that some sort of triggering activity is required to activate such a bomb.   The ban is obviously designed to remove all such devices from the hands of passengers until the flight has ended - and the baggage is collected at the terminal.

Here in Australia no such ban is being immediately contemplated and Britain has implemented a softer version of the ban than the United States.  The British will not include stopover flights that include Middle Eastern hubs such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Qatar.

It is reasonable to suppose that this ban may be universally extended to include all forms of electronics as cabin baggage on a world wide basis if a terror group succeeds in downing a passenger jet.  Even this present ban is going to have an enormous impact on the travelling public.  In the business world, a laptop contains the information needed on a business trip and few families travel without at least a tablet to keep the kids amused on a long journey.  Electronics have become a way of life and being deprived of instant contact is likely to become a new medical ailment.

There is also a new " fear factor ".   The security people would not have imposed this ban unless they had good reason to suspect that a danger now exists.  No doubt passengers on flights where laptops are permitted will look long and hard at their fellow passengers.   We now have reason to regard anything powered with a battery - with suspicion.