Packages from Yemen credible terrorist threat: Obama

U.S. President Barack Obama said on Friday that apparent explosive material was discovered on two suspicious packages that were bound for the United States from Yemen.

Obama said investigators had discovered a credible terrorist threat against the United States. He said that the packages contained explosive materials and that they were destined to two places of Jewish worship in Chicago.

The president spoke at the White House, adding that the Yemeni president has pledged full support in the investigation. Obama was first briefed about the terror probe Thursday night.

Authorities on three continents are investigating a package containing explosive materials intercepted in Dubai on its way from Yemen and another package in Britain. U.S. officials say they are increasingly confident that the packages were part of a plot by Yemen's al-Qaeda branch.