US official: Investigators believe Al Shabaab carried out airline explosion attack

A US official has told the CNN that investigators believe that extremist group Al-Shabaab was responsible for the explosion on the Somali airliner, Dallo Airline. However, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

CNN have also learnt from their sources that the attack was carried out using a military grade of the explosive TNT, citing an initial analysis of residue recovered from the aircraft.

The blast, which took place on Tuesday, is estimated to have occurred when the plane was between 12,000 and 14,000 feet high. Two people were injured before the plane landed while Somali authorities say they later discovered a body near Mogadishu they believe fell from the Daallo Airlines plane. Al-Shabaab has been behind some of the worst violence in recent years in and around Somalia.