Word of upgraded underwear bombing devices and double agents should never have been released because without inside intelligence, the key PETN explosive is undetectable by airport security scanners. Running double agents inside terrorist cells is the most tricky and hazardous of undercover operations because no one ever has the whole picture. Compromising the penetration of al Qaeda’s Yemen cell has therefore caused inestimable damage to the counter-terror efforts against al Qaeda. Hence the dismay in US intelligence agencies on both these counts.

The theft was the last in line of a row of unlucky incidents which seem to dog the steps of prime minister Netanyahu in both his terms of office.

While not admitting to "profiling," Washington has introduced new measures for screening US-bound air travelers based on how closely their personal characteristics match intelligence on potential terrorists, such as nationality, age, certain physical characteristics, recently visited countries and partial (Muslim-sounding) names - as revealed Friday, April 2, by the Homeland Security Secretary.