The capability to build a laptop bomb has been known to the security agencies for some time -- it's what prompted the recent ban on carry-on laptops on flights from certain Middle East airports and carriers (mostly rescinded). What's new in the CBS story is that al Shabab is doing it. Up until now, I think it was usually credited to AQAP's bomb-builder, who reputedly put together the bollocks bomb (Detroit a few years ago) and the printer-cartridge bombs they found in some UPS shipments.

At some point, the authorities are going to have to reconcile the demand to put laptops in checked baggage (the laptop bombs they had learned about reportedly still required the bomber to add an initiator in the passenger cabin to make it work) with the pending ICAO advice to keep lithium batts out of the cargo hold (due to the fire hazard).