No doubt from a small, secretive band of extremist Methodists hiding out in Yemen. “High alert in U.S. after suspicious packages found in UK,” from CNN, October 29 (thanks to all who sent this in):
(CNN) — Cargo planes and trucks in several U.S. cities were inspected Friday after investigators found suspicious packages in at least two locations abroad, law enforcement sources with detailed knowledge of the investigation said.
U.S. officials believe that al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, commonly referred to as AQAP, is behind the plot.
One suspicious package, found in the United Kingdom, contained a “manipulated” toner cartridge but tested negative for explosive material, the source said. It led to heightened inspection of arriving cargo flights in Newark, New Jersey, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and a UPS truck in New York.
The package had white powder on it as well as wires and a circuit board, a law-enforcement source said; someone shipped it from Sanaa, Yemen, with a final destination of Chicago, Illinois. A similar package has been discovered in [modern, moderate — RS] Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, the source said.
Investigators were looking for a “possible nexus to terrorism,” a U.S. official said
“We are taking this very seriously,” the official said.
Some Jewish religious leaders in Chicago were alerted Friday, said Linda Haase, spokeswoman for the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago.
“We were notified about this earlier this morning,” she said. “We are taking appropriate precautions and we are advising local synagogues to do the same.”
Lucille Price, a receptionist at Anshe Emet Synagogue, said Chicago police made them aware of the reports and asked them to keep an eye out for suspicious packages among any deliveries that arrived Friday.
But congregation leaders at two prominent Chicago synagogues, Temple Sholom and Chicago Sinai Congregation, told CNN they were not made aware of any attempts to ship bombs or hazardous material to them….