Jet plotters hid bomb in a Barbie doll

AN Islamic State cell planned to blow up a flight from Sydney by smuggling a bomb onboard hidden in a large Barbie doll, it was claimed yesterday.

Another device was allegedly concealed in a meat grinder. But they were never checked in to the Etihad Airways flight to Abu Dhabi because officials noticed the extra weight. The alleged plot was revealed by a Lebanese politician, who credited his country’s security forces with uncovering it.

Interior minister Nouhad Machnouk told Saudi Arabian TV the alleged plotters, three Lebanese-Australian brothers, tried to sneak two bombs on to the plane on July 29 in case one of them did not work.

Khaled Khayat, 49, and Mahmoud Khayat, 32, are both facing terror charges in Australia while a third brother is believed to be in Syria. It is thought only one planned to get on the plane, which had 400 passengers on board.