美国官员说，他们挫败了基地组织意图炸毁一架飞往美国的民航飞机的阴谋。
美国官方在华盛顿说，基地组织设在也门的分支机构，计划将一名内衣藏有爆炸物的自杀炸弹攻击者，安排于一架飞往美国的喷气客机上。
官员说，这项阴谋被识破并且在飞机遭到危险之前搜出了爆炸物。
美国白宫国家安全委员会星期一发布的一项声明说，奥巴马总统早在四月间，就已经获知有关这项阴谋的讯息，并且按时接获有关局势的后续报告。声明中说，总统获得保证，这项爆裂装置没有对大众安全造成威胁。
美国国防部长帕内塔星期一对记者发表讲话，拒绝对机密行动发表评论。但他表示，这一事件显示美国必须对可能发生的袭击保持警惕。
美联社的一项报道说，这名意图攻击的自杀炸弹客的基地在也门，原本计划于本拉登遭美方突击人员击杀后一周年之际，执行这项阴谋。
美方官员说，这枚炸弹，是根据2009年意图炸毁一架由荷兰阿姆斯特丹飞往美国底特律市班机的爆裂装置改装而成的。
U.S. officials say they have stopped an al-Qaida bomb plot intended to destroy an airliner heading for the United States.
Authorities in Washington say the al-Qaida branch in Yemen intended to put a suicide bomber aboard a U.S.-bound jet with explosives concealed in the attacker's underwear.
They say the plot was detected and the bomb was seized before any plane was at risk.
The White House National Security Council said in a statement Monday that U.S. President Barack Obama was first informed about the plot in April and has received regular updates about the situation. It said the president was assured that the device did not pose a threat to the public.
Addressing reporters Monday, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta declined to comment on specific classified operations. However, he said the incident makes clear the United States must remain vigilant against possible attacks.
The Associated Press says the would-be attacker is based in Yemen and the plot was to be carried out around the one-year anniversary of the U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden.
Officials say the bomb was a redesign of an explosive that was used to try to blow up an airplane bound for Detroit from Amsterdam in 2009.
