Still no let-up in flight bomb risk

For many analysts the balance of risk looks little changed: While the industry has tightened security, attackers continue to innovate and transport systems remain a target of choice. Some take a darker view, arguing a post-2006 toughening of security has been clumsy, producing longer queues at checkpoints that offer attackers a bigger on-ground target. Others complain potential security improvements have been stymied by red tape.

“Yes we are safer, because this plot brought liquid explosives to the attention of regulators and led to new regulations,” said Omer Laviv of Israel's Athena GS3, which works with European firms on aviation counter-terrorism.

“But how many other plots are there that regulators may not be aware of?”

Three Britons were found guilty in September of plotting to kill thousands by blowing up North America-bound airliners in mid-flight suicide attacks with bombs made of liquid explosives.

The suspected al-Qaida plot, just days away from being put into operation according to British detectives, had huge worldwide ramifications leading to tight restrictions on the amount of liquids passengers could take on board aircraft.

It was a reminder that al-Qaida plots attacks not just for shock and fear but to kill large numbers of people, as it did in the Sept 11, 2001 suicide hijackings in which 2,992 people died.

Swarm Attacks

“We are still at risk,” said security and aviation analyst Chris Yates, noting there is still no widely available system installed at international airports to detect explosives in liquid form, although several technologies are in trials.

Nor is there a widely-deployed technology to routinely guard against a bomber with explosives hidden in a body cavity — a technique al-Qaida used only last month in Saudi Arabia.

In that case, a suicide bomber on Aug. 27 blew himself up in the Jeddah office of the kingdom's security chief, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, a member of the Saudi royal family.

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