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AP Photo/Erik S Lesser

US warns of possible shoe bomb terror threat

The Department of Homeland Security has urged airlines to pay extra attention to flights from overseas into the US.

THE US HAS warned airlines of a new potential threat from shoebombers.

The Department of Homeland Security has urged airlines to pay extra attention to flights from overseas into the United States and to watch for explosives hidden in the shoes of passengers.

New intelligence has found that there is a credible threat of someone attacking a passenger plane using the method, officials told NBC News in the US last night.

Passengers flying into the US may notice increased security screenings as airports step up their scrutiny of incoming flights in a bid to avert any potential attack.

The Department of Homeland Security said the “very recent intelligence” did not specify any particular country, airline or time.

It said the warning had been issued due an “abundance of caution” rather than one specific plot.

Only one person has ever been convicted of attempting to use a bomb concealed in a shoe. British-born Richard Reid was sentenced to life in prison without parole after he tried to set off explosives on an American Airlines flight to Miami in December 2001.

Passengers have been required to take their shoes off as they go through airport security screenings ever since.

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37 Comments
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    Mute Stevie J
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    Feb 20th 2014, 7:58 AM

    Fear mongering again. Keep the people scared and implement all the controls you want.

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    Mute Antonov Merinov
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    Feb 20th 2014, 8:56 AM

    And then there is the 100ml restriction when travelling.
    So it takes just 5 terrorists to accumulate half a liter which is more than sufficient to bring down a plane.
    Fly out from Zurich and you can legally bring on board a Swiss Army knife.
    Much of it is completely senseless.
    P.S.
    If you want to bring 500 ml of coke on the plane just split it up into 5 separate 500ml bottles. Bingo.

    22
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    Mute Barry O'Brien
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    Feb 20th 2014, 11:31 AM

    Or just buy a litre of whiskey or vodka when past security and you can make a Molotov cocktail. Yet in heathrow I got searched because I forgot to take a small bottle of water from my bag.

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    Mute Andy Cahalan
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    Feb 20th 2014, 7:43 AM

    Does anyone still believe this s*it? The entire TSA deal is to condition people in stop and search – most notably children. Horrible Orwellian crap, as much as I hate to see the label tossed around so much these days.

    83
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    Mute John Smith
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    Feb 20th 2014, 7:23 AM

    Hopefully nothing comes of this America has had enough if terrorist
    Attacks.
    All this beautiful country does is try and help the world and ease the suffering of the poor and oppressed.
    God bless America

    48
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    Mute John Smith
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    Feb 20th 2014, 7:31 AM

    How could any body red thumb that’s comment?
    I will never understand you guys.

    31
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    Mute Kevin Higgins
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    Feb 20th 2014, 7:33 AM

    There’s a lot you don’t understand

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    See 12 more replies ▾
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    Mute The Green Monkey
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    Feb 20th 2014, 7:39 AM

    Good to see they have moved on from the toothpaste………

    36
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    Mute Andy Cahalan
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    Feb 20th 2014, 7:46 AM

    What? America? As in the USA? I suppose you probably still believe in American exceptionalism? Tis no longer the gilted age!

    32
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    Mute Nagger
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    Feb 20th 2014, 7:50 AM

    R u trolling r u a genuine dumb ass patriotic brainwashed American idiot?

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    Mute J. Dunn
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    Feb 20th 2014, 7:52 AM

    The US never had a gilted age

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    Mute Andy Cahalan
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    Feb 20th 2014, 7:59 AM

    *gilded. Happy now, pedant?

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    Mute Alan Scott
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    Feb 20th 2014, 8:09 AM

    John Smith the Journal attracts all sorts .

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    Mute Elizabeth Rigney
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    Feb 20th 2014, 9:31 AM

    How could anyone red thumb your comment? I’ll tell you why. But first, you tell me one country that America has brought genuine “freedom and democracy” to.
    Name one country that the US didn’t absolutely f**k up once they sufficiently conned the rest of the world into supporting their hegemonic ambitions – with outright lies…??? Iraq? Afghanistan? Libya? Grenada? Yemen? El Salvador? Guatemala? Dominican Republic? Laos? Indonesia? Korea? Vietnam? Cuba? Peru? Belgian Congo? Nicaragua? Iran? Panama? Kuwait? Somalia? Bosnia? Sudan? Iran? This list is conservative. Did they bring democracy or stability to any of these nations?? Bearing in mind that many of those countries we didn’t even know they were being bombed until after the fact. The US doesn’t drop their freedom bombs to help anyone. They do nothing altruistically John. If they’re bombing your country – it’s to protect their business interests.

    If the democratically elected leader of a country does not play ball with the special interests of the United States, meaning that they wish to take back land and/or resources for the use of their people rather than US corporations, then that country will either get “regime change” in the form of a military or some form of coup and a puppet dictator ,often worse than the one before, will be installed…or, if that doesn’t work the insolent leader in question will be assassinated, or, if either of those don’t work, then the pretext for war is plucked completely from the minds of think tankers out of Washington and then the bombs of freedom start dropping. The US doesn’t drop bombs on the Frances or Germanys, countries who could possibly fight back. No, the US intervenes in brown skinned Third World countries – countries who couldn’t fight back even if they wanted to. The US has waged a war on the developing world for decades. Far from bringing peace and democracy to any country unfortunate enough to have something it wants, it brings destruction and misery, and anyone who says otherwise should turn off the news.

    Since the end of WW2 the US has attempted to overthrow more than 50 governments, most of which were democratically-elected. It has attempted to suppress a populist or nationalist movement in 20 countries. It has grossly interfered in democratic elections in at least 30 countries. It has dropped bombs on the people of more than 30 countries. It has attempted to assassinate more than 50 foreign leaders.
    In sum, since 1945, the US has carried out one or more of the above actions, on one or more occasions, in 69 countries. That’s more than one-third of the countries of the world.

    That’s why your comment was red thumbed.

    62
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    Mute J. Dunn
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    Feb 20th 2014, 9:43 AM

    Actually, I feel a little guildy for upsetting you, Anty.

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    Mute Cram Wood
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    Feb 20th 2014, 9:49 AM

    First class answer Elizabeth, and correct.

    34
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    Mute Padraic O'Dwyer
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    Feb 20th 2014, 10:00 AM

    @ Elizabeth Rigney: Very good comment.

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    Mute aaron wheatley
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    Feb 20th 2014, 10:22 AM

    well said.all true

    19
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    Mute Jason Bourne
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    Feb 20th 2014, 10:37 AM

    Because John Smyth, you are a tool Sir!! Thats why.

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    Mute John Byrne
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    Feb 20th 2014, 7:27 AM

    Toothpaste to shoes , what next ? Haven’t they already admitted to recruiting people online and providing them with materials and knowledge of how to build such devices , but infact giving them inert materials and then thwarting the attack at the last minute .

    46
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    Mute J. Dunn
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    Feb 20th 2014, 7:49 AM

    That’s how the FBI stays in business.

    36
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    Mute Padraic O'Dwyer
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    Feb 20th 2014, 8:08 AM

    @ John Byrne : Toothpaste, shoes .What next ? This is what its really about :
    http://whatsupic.net/special-usa/1392700174.html

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    Mute John Byrne
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    Feb 20th 2014, 8:18 AM

    Preaching to the choir padraic , as in me . I still get the old tinfoil label though . I wear it with pride these days as its happening all around us .

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    Mute Padraic O'Dwyer
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    Feb 20th 2014, 8:22 AM

    The US needs a constant threat of terrorism to keep their own people docile, and as an excuse to attack other lands and rob their resources. Above link will show that it’s also working.

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    Mute Gordy Wilson
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    Feb 20th 2014, 9:05 AM

    Excellent piece Padraic!

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    Mute Horgay H
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    Feb 20th 2014, 9:39 AM

    Re Padraic.

    Excellent piece. Thank you.

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    Mute Jurgen Remak
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    Feb 20th 2014, 9:50 AM

    Lol yeah us dumb yanks are all just tools of the govt. Your’re all so very clever. Perhaps you should go preach the enlightenment to ordinary Americans and educate them all.
    Oh wait, much easier to moan and whinge on forums every day. You guys are nuts, very amusing all the same – keep up those rants. Pen (fingers!) mightier than the sword and all that!

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    Mute Nagger
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    Feb 20th 2014, 7:57 AM

    Possible Shoe bomb in America = Certain decade of indiscriminate bombardment with phosprous, depleted uranium and cluster bombs for whichever country they point the finger at.

    40
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    Mute John Mullen
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    Feb 20th 2014, 8:41 AM

    Full metal jackoff. Create a scare. Introduce draconian legislation. Kinda like burning the reichstag and the response by that government.

    19
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    Mute Alexander of Dublin
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    Feb 20th 2014, 7:27 AM

    Nice one John… I needed my morning laugh!

    18
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    Mute Alexander of Dublin
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    Feb 20th 2014, 7:31 AM

    (that was to John Smith – not John Byrne – John Byrne makes a good point, John Smith, not so much)

    20
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    Mute Byyys
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    Feb 20th 2014, 7:54 AM

    help the world and ease the suffering of the poor and oppressed.? Oh john some Numpty. Troll lol lol

    14
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    Mute Ryan Freeman
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    Feb 20th 2014, 9:01 AM

    Murica

    9
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    Mute Colette Kearns
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    Feb 20th 2014, 4:49 PM

    John smith what has America ever done for anyone? They are the terrorist of this world, they have used nuclear weapons & invaded many many countries. Get your head out of the sand!

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    Mute Declan Byrne
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    Feb 20th 2014, 9:06 AM

    I hate flying and I am flying next week so this adds to my fear bigtime. Thanks journal.

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    Mute J. Dunn
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    Feb 20th 2014, 9:51 AM

    Are you flying with Air Jordan?

    8
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    Mute Gordy Wilson
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    Feb 20th 2014, 10:04 AM

    Iranian Airlines?

    4
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