LONDON – Britain is ready to follow the United States in banning laptops and other electronic devices on UK-bound flights from selected Middle Eastern countries, it was revealed on Tuesday (March 21).

This came just hours after the US Department of Homeland Security announced that it will require passengers coming to the United States from airports in Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Morocco and Qatar to check in electronic devices larger than a mobile phone such as tablets, portable DVD players, laptops and cameras.

The new restrictions were prompted by intelligence reports that terror groups want to smuggle explosive devices in consumer electronic devices.

According to British daily The Telegraph, citing British security sources, UK security services have seen the same intelligence reports and “are expected to follow with a similar ban”.

The intelligence reports are said to reveal that extremists are seeking “innovative methods” to bring down passenger planes amid concerns that bombs will be hidden in laptops.

It is believed British officials and ministers have spent the past few weeks discussing how the ban will work.

The US government said in a statement it is “concerned about terrorists’ ongoing interest in targeting commercial aviation, including transportation hubs over the past two years".

It said “intelligence indicates that terrorist groups continue to target commercial aviation, to include smuggling explosive devices in various consumer items”.