Underwear bomb had no metal components

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The plan was to take down an American bound plane sometime near the anniversary of the death of Osama Bin Laden. This plan was in full swing and included a bold and sophisticated way to smuggle the bomb past airport security. The CIA got wind of the plan, and caught the would-be bomber before he could strike. This was a workable plot that, if not for the CIA, might have killed hundreds.

The bomb had no metal components, so it could easily slip through metal detectors, and since few foreign airports have full body scanners, the bomb might well have found its way past dogs onto an American bound plane.

"This was a non-metal type bomb to kill Americans," according to Rep. Peter King.

The device was similar to one devised by Ibrahim Hassan al Isiri, the bomb maker for al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. He made the underwear bomb worn by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab on the Detroit-bound Christmas Day 2009 flight. It didn't work that day, because Abdulmutallab perspired so much and ruined the detonation system. Sources tell ABC News that this device was far more sophisticated with a "highly redefined detonation system."

Indeed, experts say al Qaeda is constantly coming up with new chemical combinations to make explosives and plans for delivery systems. Al Isiri also built the ink cartridge bombs that were on their way to the United States, but was caught because of a tip from Saudi intelligence.

"The bad guys will never stop trying," said Airport Security Expert William Fife.

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Peter King says this is just one plot among many to strike out against the US

"There are a number of threat streams - terrorism is not over," King added.

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al qaida, bomb scare, new york news, jim dolan

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