Sochi Olympics under toothpaste bomb threat: US warns

Originally published on February 7, 2014

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The Sochi Olympics is under a toothpaste bomb threat, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Officials say that the threat is not targeted at incoming or domestic flights in the U.S., adding that warnings have been issued to U.S. and foreign airlines traveling to Russia.

Homeland Security officials declined to discuss any details in the warning, saying only that tubes of toothpaste can be used to carry explosives or materials into planes to make bombs.

Representative Peter King, Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee's Sub-Committee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, said in an interview with CNN that, "Any type of explosive, concealed explosive, can be extremely damaging."

King added that, "It could be enough to bring down a plane ... This is the type of threat that we're very concerned about."

BBC reports that Russian authorities have not yet commented on the U.S. warning, but Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak said the level of security at Sochi is on par with any other safe city in the world.

Liquids were banned from flights into Sochi starting last month. However, tubes of toothpaste not exceeding 100 ml in volume can still pass inspection.

At least three suicide bombing incidents have happened in Russia in the past three months. Just last month, suicide bombers in Russian city of Volgograd, 700 km northeast of Sochi, killed 34 people.

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