Accessibility links
National Security National Security

National Security

Sunday

White House: Threat From Bombs Is 'Ongoing'

Cargo planes sit on the tarmac of Dubai airport Saturday, the day after a parcel bomb was intercepted in Dubai on a cargo plane originating from Yemen. Karim Sahib/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Karim Sahib/AFP/Getty Images

White House: Threat From Bombs Is 'Ongoing'

A team of federal investigators -- including FBI agents and transportation security officials -- is on the way to Yemen to hunt for clues in the airline cargo bomb plot and advise about screening procedures. Meanwhile, Yemeni authorities have released a female student brought in for questioning, citing an apparent case of identity theft.

NPR's Tom Gjelten talks to host Liane Hansen

Listen
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/130951163/130952915" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">

Saturday

Bomb Plot Leads To Calls For Tougher Cargo Checks

All cargo in the belly of passenger planes must be inspected, but that's not the case for cargo on cargo-only planes. Some say security should increase after two mail bombs were discovered on cargo planes headed for the U.S. But shippers say screening everything would slow things down and be extremely costly.

Bomb Plot Leads To Calls For Tougher Cargo Checks

Listen · 3:45
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/130943434/130952916" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Package Bombing Probe Focuses On Yemen's Al-Qaida

Security is in evidence at Duesseldorf International Airport in Germany on Saturday. Authorities on three continents thwarted multiple terrorist attacks aimed at the United States from Yemen, seizing two explosive packages addressed to Chicago-area synagogues and packed aboard cargo jets. The plot triggered worldwide fears that al-Qaida was launching a major new terror campaign. Frank Augstein/AP hide caption

toggle caption
Frank Augstein/AP

Package Bombing Probe Focuses On Yemen's Al-Qaida

The thwarted bombing attempt prompted tightened security at airports around the globe and had President Obama conferring with key allies Saturday. Officials said they have accounted for all the suspicious packages in the U.S. The search now is for any suspect packages in Yemen and Europe awaiting delivery to the United States.

Friday

Cargo Packages Contained 'Explosive Materials' White House Says

Law enforcement agents arrive at a United Parcel Service staging area at Newark Liberty International Airport, where a cargo plane was searched and a suspicious package removed Friday. Joe Epstein/FR170243 AP hide caption

toggle caption
Joe Epstein/FR170243 AP

The Two-Way

Cargo Packages Contained 'Explosive Materials' White House Says

Investigators are examining cargo planes in the northeastern U.S. after British inspectors found a suspicious package on a United Parcel Service plane en route from Yemen to Chicago, according to reports.

Wednesday

GPS Devices Do The Work Of Law Enforcement Agents

GPS devices are being used more frequently to help authorities monitor people. Law enforcement officials use them because they save time and money. With GPS, officials don't need to pay to put agents on surveillance details.

GPS Devices Do The Work Of Law Enforcement Agents

Listen · 4:26
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/130851849/130851839" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
FBI's GPS Tracking Raises Privacy Concerns

This image of what turned out to be the FBI's GPS tracking device was posted online after Yasir Afifi found it under his car. via reddit hide caption

toggle caption
via reddit

FBI's GPS Tracking Raises Privacy Concerns

KQED

When Yasir Afifi took his car in for an oil change, his mechanic found an unusual wire hanging from below. It turns out it was part of a GPS tracking device. And after Afifi posted photos of it online, the FBI came to get it back. Civil rights groups say using GPS to track people is going too far.

FBI's GPS Tracking Raises Privacy Concerns

Listen · 3:16
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/130833487/130851838" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

Tuesday

In Information Age, Leaks Are Here To Stay

The disclosure of secret intelligence files is in many ways a phenomenon of the information age, and national security officials in the U.S. and other countries need to prepare for the consequences, WikiLeaks or no WikiLeaks.

In Information Age, Leaks Are Here To Stay

Listen · 4:25
Transcript
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/130840426/130840403" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
The Technology Of The Insurgency In Iraq

This image provided by the U.S. military on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2007 shows what officials call "explosively formed penetrators,"or EFPs. U.S. military officials on accused the highest levels of the Iranian leadership of arming Shiite militants in Iraq with the sophisticated armor-piercing roadside bombs. Anonymous/U.S. MILITARY hide caption

toggle caption
Anonymous/U.S. MILITARY

The Two-Way

The Technology Of The Insurgency In Iraq

The recent dump of the Wikileaks documents has revealed a lot of details about the war in Iraq. One of them is the technology used by the insurgency to attack Americans.

Monday