Chicago-bound explosives same as those used in Detroit plot

American media reported Saturday that the explosives found in Dubai and the UK are the same type used by al-Qaeda's Yemeni wing in its attempt to blow up an airplane over Detroit last Christmas.

According to reports, initial checks show the devices contained PETN, the same explosive material used by Nigerian terrorist Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab. The substance is extremely potent. The checks have yet to receive official confirmation.

Meanwhile, CNN released a photo of one of the devices caught en route to the US showing what appears to be a printed circuit board from a disassembled cell phone.

"This size and the shape of the PCB (printed circuit board) are typical to a handset cell phone type device," said Olivier Clerc, hardware application engineering manager for a large US-based cell phone parts manufacturer.

CNN photo showing electric circuit (Photo: AFP)

White House counterterrorism adviser John Brennan later told reporters that the explosives "were in a form that was designed to try to carry out some type of attack," but he provided no further details.

"The forensic analysis is under way," he said, adding, "Clearly from the initial observation, the initial analysis that was done, the materials that were found in the device that was uncovered was intended to do harm."

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