The Prime Minister said he had ordered an immediate review of physical security and the systems used to identify potential terrorists which will report within days.

In an article on the Downing Street website he said the use of full-body scanners would be among measures to be discussed with the US in a bid to prevent a repeat of the attempted atrocity.

He warned that Britain needed to “remain vigilant” over the radicalisation of young Muslims in this country and called for more international help to counter al Qaida’s presence in Yemen.

The scanners are being considered after existing security allowed Detroit suspect Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab to board a flight to the US carrying hidden explosives.

The Dutch government has already announced that the technology will be introduced for flights to the US from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, where Abdulmutallab took Northwest Airlines Flight 253.

British ministers have been accused of acting too slowly to introduce the scanners, which produce “naked” images of passengers and are being trialled at Manchester Airport.

BAA, which owns six UK airports, including Heathrow, said yesterday that it would await a European ruling on privacy regulations before considering a similar move.

But the Prime Minister said new techniques being used by al Qaida meant security had to be improved.

“We need to continually explore the most sophisticated devices capable of identifying explosives, guns, knives and other such items anywhere on the body,” he said.

“So, in co-operation with President Obama and the Americans, we will examine a range of new techniques to enhance airport security systems beyond the traditional measures, such as pat-down searches and sniffer dogs.

“These could include advancing our use of explosive trace technology, full body scanners and advanced x-ray technology.

“Working alongside the US and other partners, we will move things forward quickly.”

US President Barack Obama has blamed “human and systemic failures” by American intelligence for failing to put Abdulmutallab on its “no fly” list despite receiving warnings that he posed a threat.

The suspect, a former University College of London student, was later refused a UK visa after applying to attend a bogus college.

But Mr Brown said that should “not lead us to any complacency” and pledged to work with the US and other countries to tighten controls on suspected terrorists.

“The UK has one of the toughest borders in the world and we are determined to ensure it stays that way,” he added, saying 180 people had been barred from entry on grounds of national security.

“But in light of the Detroit incident we all urgently need to work together on how we might further tighten these arrangements - in particular, at what point suspects are added to the list and when they are deemed too risky to be allowed to fly, or leave or enter the country - and also into wider airport security.

“That is why on Monday I ordered immediate reviews into existing measures - including for transit passengers - and asked for ways we can urgently tighten procedures.

“I will be receiving the preliminary findings in the next few days and we will act on them as quickly as possible.”

The Prime Minister said it was “increasingly clear” that Abdulmutallab linked up with al Qaida in Yemen only after leaving London, but said home-grown terrorists remained a threat.

“If there are concerns that particular young people might be vulnerable to targeting by terrorist recruiters, it is the responsibility of all of us - families, local communities, teachers, youth workers and other young people themselves - to provide support to those vulnerable young people.”

But he insisted that the “vast majority of young people and Muslims in Britain reject all forms of extremism, so the success of our strategy depends on support from all communities”.

Mr Brown also called for more international efforts to tackle Yemen, which was an “incubator and potential safe haven for terrorism” and posed “a regional and global threat”.

The UK was already one of the biggest donors to the country, with £100 million pledged by 2011 and was providing intelligence support, training of counter-terror units, capacity building and development programmes in a bid to prevent al Qaida gaining a serious foothold.

“We recognise the importance of preventing failed states because of the dangers they pose to regional and global stability and security,” he said.

“It is right that we now also work more closely with allies in the region, through a new ‘Friends of Yemen’ group we will help establish to pool effort, resource and expertise.”

The PM concluded: “The Detroit plot thankfully failed. But it has been another wake-up call for the ongoing battles we must wage not just for security against terror but for the hearts and minds of a generation.

“I am determined to do everything I can to learn from events of this kind to continue to maintain the security and safety of everyone in Britain.”

Liberal Democrat spokesman Norman Baker said: “The Government ought to have made more progress than it has in deploying these scanners.

“Ministers face serious questions about why they have not been introduced with much greater urgency.

“Once again the Department for Transport looks flat-footed and the price is being paid by hundreds of thousands of people going through our airports.”