WASHINGTON (JTA) – Israeli cyberintelligence reportedly uncovered detailed Islamic State plans for bomb attacks aboard aircraft that led to the U.S. ban on laptops on flights from eight Muslim-majority nations.
The revelation appeared Monday in a New York Times article about the difficulties facing the United States in using cyber warfare to contain the influence of the terrorist group, which quickly regroups once Western intelligence agencies are able to disable its networks.
One of the few recent successes, the Times said, was Israel’s cyber infiltration of a small cell of terrorists in Syria working on disguising explosive devices as batteries for laptops. That was part of the information President Donald Trump leaked last month to top Russian officials, much to Israel’s consternation, the report said.
The Trump administration is considering extending the laptop ban to flights from European airports.
