U.S. foils airline 'bomb plot'

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U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta broke the news that an updated underwear bomb that could have been used by an airline suicide bomber has been seized.

SOUNDBITE: U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY LEON PANETTA SAYING (English):

"The United States engages in a number of operations to go after al Qaeda and their militant allies or their terrorist allies who would try to attack the United States. What this incident makes clear is that this country has to continue to remain vigilant against that that would seek to attack this country. We will do everything necessary to keep America safe."

The latest device is said to be an updated version of the one sewn into the underwear of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab.

His explosives burst into flames but failed to go off aboard a flight from the Netherlands to Detroit on Christmas Day 2009.

Some officials say the device is similar to the work of fugitive Saudi militant Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri, believed to be linked to al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula in Yemen.

U.S. authorities say the plot was uncovered early and no U.S. airliner was ever at risk.

Paul Chapman, Reuters