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Laptops and tablets banned from cabins on some US-bound flights

The US today confirmed a ban on large electronic devices from cabin baggage on passenger flights from eight mainly Muslim countries.

Nine airlines are affected from ten airports on the open-ended restriction.

Large electronic devices will only be allowed on board in checked baggage. Mobile phones are exempt from the new rules.

The US Department of Homeland Security said extremists were seeking “innovative methods” to bring down aircraft.

Bombs could be hidden in laptops, tablets, cameras, DVD players and electronic games, it said.

The nine airlines are: Royal Jordanian, Egypt Air, Turkish Airlines, Saudi Arabian Airlines, Kuwait Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Qatar Airways, Emirates and Etihad Airways.

US officials said the airlines had been given 96 hours from 7am today to ban devices bigger than a mobile phone or smartphone from cabins.

They said the ban had no end date.

The airports affected are Queen Alia International, Amman, Jordan; Cairo International airport, Egypt; Ataturk airport, Istanbul, Turkey; King Abdulaziz International, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; King Khalid International, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Kuwait International; Mohammed V International, Casablanca, Morocco; Hamad International, Doha, Qatar; Dubai International and Abu Dhabi International in the United Arab Emirates.

The Department of Homeland Security said: “The US government is concerned about terrorists’ ongoing interest in targeting commercial aviation, including transportation hubs over the past two years, as evidenced by the 2015 airliner downing in Egypt; the 2016 attempted airliner downing in Somalia; and the 2016 armed attacks against airports in Brussels and Istanbul.

“Evaluated intelligence indicates that terrorist groups continue to target commercial aviation, to include smuggling explosive devices in various consumer items.”

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