Updated 11/01/2010 12:15 AM
Yemeni Officials Release Suspect In Mail Bomb Plot
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A woman suspected of mailing bombs from Yemen to U.S. synagogues was released Sunday.
Officials in Yemen say Hanan al-Samawi, 22, was released on bail because they no longer believe she shipped the bombs.
Her name and address were used to send the bombs but a shipping agent said she was not the person who actually mailed the packages.
One official in Yemen told the Associated Press that officials believe someone stole her identity.
Her release means investigators no longer have anyone in custody in the suspected al-Qaida plot that authorities believe was intended to take down cargo jetliners.
American officials met Sunday to develop a response to the mail bomb plot which they said was narrowly averted.
The bombs were intercepted on cargo planes in England and Dubai on Friday. But Qatar Airlines now says the mail bomb found in Dubai first traveled on two passenger flights.
The airline says the package arrived in its hub in Doha, Qatar on a flight from the Yemeni capital.
The Dubai explosives were packed into the ink cartridge of a computer printer.
Investigators tell the New York Times the bomb was set up that way so it would not be detected by airport scanners.
Investigators say the bombs were wired to cell phones, timers and power supplies. It's still unclear whether the explosives could have gone off while the planes were in the air or when the packages were in the U.S.
British officials believe the device found in England was intended to detonate aboard the plane, and was powerful enough to take it down.
Investigators think the bombs were made by al-Qaida's top explosives expert in Yemen. That man is also suspected of making the underwear bomb that was used in the failed attempt to bring down a Detroit-bound jetliner on Christmas Day.
Inspectors from the U.S. are now said to be heading to Yemen to monitor security practices and to try to find the holes in their system that allowed two explosive packages to leave the country.
Reports say a team of six inspectors from the Transportation Security Administration will make recommendations and give Yemeni officials training to improve their cargo security.
The agency is also reportedly considering an extension on the increased inspections of cargo for all flights through November 8.
Deputy National Security Advisor John Brennan says authorities "have to presume'' there might be more potential mail bombs.
He told NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday the bomb maker seemed to be experienced and the bombs were sophisticated.
Brennan said the plot bears the hallmark of al-Qaida's Yemen branch.
"They are still at war with us and we are very much at war with them," Brennan said. "They are going to try to identify vulnerabilities that might exist in the system. They continue to go after aviation targets, we need to stay one step ahead of them."
While Jewish synagogues in Chicago may have been the target of the mail bomb plot, religious institutions here in New York are also on alert.
Police contacted a number of synagogues around the city, offering their assistance and promising to step up security.
"We're all facing the threat of terrorism. We in the Jewish world. We in the Christian world," said Rabbi Joseph Potasnik of Congregation Mount Sinai. "I think that if you look at the history of terrorism, it looks to destroy those who are different. They see Christians and Jews as not conforming their particular configuration. They've attacked Muslims over the years. So anyone who in some way comes under the aegis of a civilized society, a Democratic society, is seen as a potential threat."
Local leaders also say the terror threat to the city is always there and warn New Yorkers should never get too comfortable.
"It's something that the president is taking very seriously. It was a credible threat. Something I have been fighting for in New York is more funding for terrorism because we are a chronic target. Since 9/11 New York has been a target 11 times. We need to make sure we have more terror funding," said Senator Kirsten Gillibrand.
"We can't be too careful. That's the bottom line here. We have made great progress against terrorism. The reason they had to move to Yemen is 'cause we're doing such a good job in Pakistan, Afghanistan. You know, the drones and predators were taken out 17 of the top 25 al-Qaida people," said Senator Charles Schumer.
The top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee says the failed bomb plot should be a "wake up call'' that the U.S. needs to step up security on cargo planes.