US considering extending laptop travel ban worldwide

The White House is considering expanding a ban on laptops and other tech devices to all flights entering and leaving the US.

John Kelly, the head of the Department of Homeland Security, told Fox News that the ban may be introduced globally in order to combat terrorism.

Earlier this year Donald Trump's administration introduced a ban on electronic devices larger than smartphones on flights coming from Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, with the UK following suit with a similar ban shortly after.

Kelly was asked directly by the Fox presenter if he had plans to ban laptops from all international flights, to which he replied, "I might. That's a quick answer."

Expanding, he added: "Well, there's a real threat. Numerous threats against aviation, that's really the thing that they are obsessed with, the terrorists, the idea of knocking down an airplane in flight, particularly if it’s a US carrier, particularly if it's full of mostly U.S. folks, people."

Passengers on flights from the affected states must check in any device which is larger than a standard smartphone, and Kelly said the final decision about whether the ban will be extended will be taken "when the time is right."