Today it was widely reported that the CIA thwarted a "plot by al Qaeda's affiliate in Yemen to destroy a U.S.-bound airliner using a bomb." This bomb, which was to be concealed in a pair of underwear, was designed as an improvement over what Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab attempted to use to blow up an airliner over Detroit on Christmas Day of 2009. This bomb was upgraded and designed to specifically avoid metal detectors.
At first glance it would appear to be a job well done by the world's leading domestic affairs meddlers.
But like all of these instances, it was routinely denied "there was ever any immediate threat to the public." It was also revealed that:
It would seem that what the CIA recovered was essentially just a crudely made bomb. The supposed bomber was nowhere to be found. There is no evidence presented as to a real threat or plan to use it.The bomb plot had allegedly advanced to the point that a would-be suicide bomber was told to buy a ticket on the airliner of his choosing and decide the timing of the attack. It's not immediately clear what happened to the would-be bomber.
The truth was finally revealed as the would-be bomber was, in fact, a double agent of the CIA.
When considering the nature of the state, this new instance of government supported terrorism is unsurprisingly comparable to previous cases.
Comment: See also: The Underwear Bomber - Crushing Freedom With Phony Arab Terrorism