Devices banned on flights over terror fears

WASHINGTON - The United States has banned electronic devices such as laptops and tablets from cabin luggage on flights originating from eight countries in the Middle East and North Africa, local media reported.

The new rule, which is expected to be officially announced and take effect on Tuesday, will apply to US-bound flights from 10 international airports in Amman, Jordan; Kuwait City, Kuwait; Cairo; Istanbul; Jeddah and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Casablanca, Morocco; Doha, Qatar; and Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

About 50 flights a day, all on foreign carriers, will be impacted. The officials said no US-based airlines have nonstop flights from those cities to the US.

The officials said the decision was prompted by "evaluated intelligence" about ongoing potential threats to airplanes bound for the US. The officials would not discuss the timing of the intelligence or if any particular terror group is thought to be planning an attack.

However, the ban had been under consideration since the US government learned of a threat several weeks ago, Reuters reported, quoting a US official.

The airlines and their host governments have already been informed of the order by US officials, and some of them have begun informing passengers about the restriction.

Airlines will be responsible for policing the cabin ban, and if they fail to do so could lose their rights to operate US routes.

No end date has been put on the order, and officials would not say whether the restriction might spread to other airports.