WASHINGTON ( CNN ) -- Airport screeners are giving additional scrutiny to remote-controlled toys because terrorists could use them to trigger explosive devices , the Transportation Security Administration said Monday . The TSA suggests travelers place remote-controlled toys in checked luggage . The TSA stopped short of banning the toys in carry-on bags but suggested travelers place them in checked luggage . `` Travelers may encounter additional screening when bringing remote control devices in carry-on baggage , '' the TSA said . In addition , anyone carrying such toys , including children , may have to go through secondary screening . The change was not prompted by any specific intelligence , the TSA said . Instead , it was made in response to July 's National Intelligence Estimate , which concluded the United States will face `` a persistent and evolving terrorist threat '' in the coming years , and also by generalized threats that noted the use of remote-control toys as detonators . Authorities allege one of two students arrested in South Carolina in August posted a video on YouTube demonstrating how to use a remote-controlled toy to trigger a bomb . The arrested men -- Ahmed Mohamed , 26 , and Youssef Megahed , 21 -- are Egyptian nationals . Mohamed allegedly told authorities he made the videotape about remote bomb detonation to help people in Arab countries fight infidels . In a statement on the TSA 's Web site , Administrator Kip Hawley said , `` We work very closely with law enforcement and intelligence communities about possible methods of attack and it appears that terrorists may have an interest to use these remote-control toys as a means to initiate these devices in a terrorist attack . '' Hawley added , `` We want to let passengers know that if they see some different security screening related to remote control devices , they know why we 're doing it . '' A TSA spokesman said the agency is publicizing the heightened scrutiny because it wants to be transparent with the public and let terrorists know `` we 're on to them . '' E-mail to a friend .
TSA : Remote - controlled devices can be used to trigger explosive devices . Travelers encouraged to keep them in their luggage . Additional training not required by any specific intelligence , agency says .