Terrorists in Yemen reportedly planned to use a device similar to the one that failed to explode on a plane to Detroit on Christmas Day in 2009 but American officials said the new bomb was significantly more sophisticated.

While the would-be suicide bomber had yet to select a target and there was no imminent threat of attack, the plot served as a reminder of al-Qaeda’s ambitions to strike against US civilians.

Leon Panetta, the US defence secretary, confirmed the operation last night, saying the US must “continue to remain vigilant against those that would seek to attack this country.”

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