Carry-on electronics ban followed ‘Israeli spy tip off’
A tip-off from an Israeli spy about an Islamic State plot to blow up a US-bound plane by smuggling a sophisticated bomb into a laptop led to the ban last March on electronic devices in cabins on flights from several Middle East and north African countries.
President Trump allegedly shared the intelligence with Russia’s foreign secretary Sergey Lavrov and Russian ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak last week, according to US news reports.
Trump appeared to confirm the reports on social media, when he Tweeted: "As President I wanted to share with Russia…which I have the absolute right to do, facts pertaining to terrorism and airline flight safety," he wrote in a tweet.
However, EU ministers, who are meeting today to discuss US proposals to extend the ban on electronics in carry-on bags to flights from Europe, claimed the Trump administration had not shared the information with them.
Imposing such a ban on flights from Europe would affect 65 million passengers a year, say experts, and could severely dent transatlantic business travel.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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