Bombers may carry implanted devices

Forget underpants bombs. The new terror threat is far more serious. Daniel Klaidman And Christopher Dickey report on a more sophisticated attempt to evade security

AFTER the explosion, as the air cleared in a Saudi villa, the grotesque remains of the suicide bomber littered the room. His mission on that night in Aug 2009 had been to murder Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, the head of the country’s counter-terror operations.

The would-be assassin had claimed he was giving himself up. He had said he would try to persuade others to surrender as well, -but only if he could meet the prince in person. The Saudis flew the “repentant” terrorist from near the border with Yemen to Riyadh. They searched him. He carried no weapon that anyone could see. And then, as he met with the prince, suddenly, like something out of a horror movie, the man exploded.