British played central role in foiled underwear bomb operation

British intelligence played a central role in the undercover investigation to foil an underwear bomb plot involving al Qaeda's Yemeni offshoot, sources told Reuters. The foiled plot ended with the explosive device in the hands of the FBI, which is examining it.

US officials revealed publicly on Monday that Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula tried to arm a suicide bomber with a non-metallic device that was an upgraded version of the "underwear bomb" which was carried onto a Detroit-bound plane on Christmas Day 2009. (Reuters)