American and British intelligence officials believe an Islamic State sympathizer snuck a bomb into the cargo hold of Russian Flight 9268, causing the beefing up of security at airports in the Sinai Peninsula. Photo by Karem Ahmed/ UPI |
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WASHINGTON, Nov. 7 (UPI) -- The Department of Homeland Security announced it would increase airport security for international travelers while the crash of Russian Metrojet Flight 9268 in the Sinai Peninsula is still under investigation.
Although there are no direct flights from Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, to the United States, Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson said the agency would enhance scrutiny of baggage and packages on commercial and freight flights for the near future, in a press release.
"Transportation Security Administrator Peter Neffenger and I, out of an abundance of caution, have identified a series of interim, precautionary enhancements to aviation security with respect to commercial flights bound for the United States from certain foreign airports in the region," Johnson said. "These enhancements are designed to provide an additional layer of security for the traveling public, and will be undertaken in consultation with relevant foreign governments and relevant passenger and cargo airlines."
The extra security measures include the enhanced screening of items loaded on planes, but also enhanced assessments of airports in the United States, and 10 others in the Sinai Peninsula.
"These measures are not being taken in response to a specific threat to the homeland, but it is the prudent exercise of an abundance of caution given the information that U.S. officials have learned about this airline disaster in the Sinai Peninsula," White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters.
British and American intelligence officials have told reporters that "intelligence and information" indicates a bomb brought down Flight 9268, which is why security is being enhanced. Russia also has said it would suspend flights to Egypt until improved security measures are put in place.
A sympathizer of the Islamic State, also referred to as Daesh and by the acronyms ISIL and ISIS, is believed to have put a bomb in the cargo hold of Flight 9268, causing DHS to pay more attention to terror threats from the group.
