London , England ( CNN ) -- London 's Heathrow Airport will begin subjecting passengers to full body scans `` as soon as practical , '' following the failed attempt to blow up a U.S.-bound jetliner , its operator said Sunday . `` It is our view that a combination of technology , intelligence and passenger profiling will help build a more robust defense against the unpredictable and changing nature of the terrorist threat to aviation , '' BAA , which run Britain 's largest airport , announced in a statement . The move follows the British government 's approval of electronic bodyscanners , which Prime Minister Gordon Brown said was necessary to combat `` a new type of threat . '' Speaking on the BBC , Brown said the devices will be put into place gradually , as will checks of carry-on luggage for traces of explosives for passengers boarding flights at British airports . `` We will do everything in our power to tighten up on security that is essential , '' he said . The actions come in response to the unsuccessful Christmas Day plot to bomb a Northwest Airlines jetliner heading from the Netherlands to Detroit , Michigan . A 23-year-old British-educated Nigerian , Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab , has been arrested after U.S. authorities said he attempted to set off explosives that had been concealed in his underwear . Officials in the Netherlands and Nigeria said last week they would begin using the bodyscanners on airline passengers in the wake of the bombing attempt . Bodyscanners are currently in use at 19 U.S. airports , but U.S. officials said Thursday that 150 new ones are set to be placed in airports across the country . `` We 've recognized there are new forms of weapons that are being used by al Qaeda , so we 've got to respond accordingly , '' Brown said .
Heathrow to use technology , intelligence , profiling to fight terror , official statement . Body scan ##s follows Christmas Eve to blow up people in U.S. Heathrow joins Netherlands , Nigeria , many U.S. airports in their body scans . CNN iReport : Tell us about your airport security plan .