In-flight Electronics Ban Due to iPad Bomb Plot

A plot to place explosives inside an iPad led to the in-flight ban on electronic devices larger than a phone on flights from some Middle East countries last week that were flying into the US and UK, according to a report in the Guardian.

The US banned electronics on flights from 10 airports in eight countries – Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.

Following the US, the UK placed an electronics ban on flights from six countries - Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and Turkey.

The plot was apparently to take down an airplane by having the iPad explode near a window or door.

According to the report in the Guardian, by placing electronic devices in the hold, it was believed that if a bomb was successfully smuggled on-board, it would have had less of a chance in the hold of causing a crash or blowing up the plane.