London: Britain introduced body scanners at Heathrow airport on Monday, a measure rushed in after a failed attempt by an extremist with explosives strapped to his leg to bomb a US-bound passenger plane from Amsterdam.

"Given the current security threat level, the government believes it essential to start introducing scanners immediately," said Transport Secretary Andrew Adonis.

Britain raised its terrorism threat level to "severe", the second-highest level, on January 22, days before London was due to host two international conferences on Yemen and Afghanistan.

The British government has been particularly concerned about the botched attempt by a Nigerian national to blow up a plane bound for Detroit on December 25 because he was a student in London between 2005 and 2008.
Reuters