Yemen bombers tried dry run in September

The al Qaeda group behind two bombs recovered last week mailed suspicious packages to Chicago earlier this year.

U.S. authorities seized three packages in September that contained books and papers, but no explosives. Officials now say the packages were a test run for two bombs airmailed to the U.S. last week by Yemeni-based al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula. The bombs were intercepted in Britain and Dubai and failed to detonate, but prompted Canada and Britain to ban cargo flights originating the Arabian country. Germany has banned both cargo and passenger flights from Yemen. The use of cargo flights as a conduit for bombs marks a new development in terrorist tactics, which up until now have targeted passenger jets. The same al Qaeda group is believed to have been behind the failed ‘underwear bomber’ plot last year.