Former El Al Security Chief Recounts Foiling 1986 Heathrow Bomb Plot

The dramatic thwarting of a bomb plot targeting an El Al flight from London's Heathrow Airport in 1986 was recalled through a nostalgic archive report from Israel's Channel 1 "Mabat" news broadcast. The incident, which prevented a major disaster, involved the arrest of an Irish woman carrying a suitcase with a double bottom containing plastic explosives.

Yossi Orbach, the security chief who foiled the attack, described the suspicions that arose regarding the Irish passenger. Although she appeared calm and had already passed British security checks, Orbach's professional intuition was triggered by a subtle detail: the suitcase felt slightly heavier than expected even when empty. This minor anomaly led him to bypass standard technological screening and request a thorough physical inspection.

The detailed examination revealed a suspicious package hidden beneath the plastic lining of the suitcase's bottom. Orbach recounted discovering an "orange, oily substance" which was identified as explosive material. Alongside the explosives, a booby-trapped pocket calculator, intended to detonate the bomb, was also found.

The sophistication of the bomb, which used an ordinary-looking calculator as its trigger, highlighted the severe danger that was averted thanks to the timely discovery of the device. The report featured archival footage from 1986, with reporter Haim Yavin detailing the sequence of events, including the arrest of the woman with the explosive-laden suitcase.