FBI investigates laser beams directed into aircraft cockpits

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has started investigation into seven incidents in which laser beams were directed into plane cockpits since Christmas, media reports in Washington said Thursday.

The FBI was probing into two incidents in Colorado, and one each in Ohio, Washington, Texas, New Jersey and Oregon, the reports quoted law enforcement and transportation officials as saying.

Laser beams can temporarily blind or disorient pilots endangering a plane, and the FBI was concerned that laser beams could be used by terrorists as weapons.

There was no evidence of a terrorist plot to use laser beams as weapons so far, but pilots were troubled by the incidents, the reports said.

Earlier this month, the FBI issued a warning that there was a possibility terrorists might use laser devices as weapons, although there was no intelligence indicating they might use them in the United States, according to the reports.

Source: Xinhua