Plot an attempt at 'mass murder'
2006-08-10 12:08
London - British police on Thursday said they had thwarted a plot to blow up aircraft in mid-flight between Britain and the United States, and were holding 21 people after overnight raids.
"We are confident we have disrupted a plan by terrorists to cause untold death and destruction," said London police deputy commissioner Paul Stephenson.
"Put simply, this was intended to be mass murder on an unimaginable scale."
Both countries stepped up security, causing severe delays at airports following the announcement of the plot, which a police source said was believed to involve a "liquid chemical" device.
Up to 10 planes targeted
Unconfirmed media reports said anywhere from six to 10 planes had been targeted in the plot.
The US department of homeland security raised the threat level for all commercial aircraft to "high" and US authorities banned liquids, including drinks, from US commercial flights.
Britain's security services upped the threat level in the country to "critical" from "severe", the highest of its five ratings, which means "an attack is expected imminently".
"The police acting with the security service MI5 are investigating an alleged plot to bring down a number of aircraft through mid-flight explosions, causing a considerable loss of life," interior minister John Reid said.
Al-Qaeda call on Muslims
The security alert comes 13 months after four British Islamist suicide bombers killed 52 people and injured about 700 on London's transport network. The nationality of those being held was not immediately clear.
Last month, the global militant group al-Qaeda called on Muslims to fight those who backed Israel's attacks on Lebanon and warned of more attacks unless US and British forces pulled out of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Al-Qaeda hijacked passenger aircraft in September 2001 to destroy the World Trade Centre in New York, and Briton Richard Reid was arrested in December 2001 for trying to blow up a plane headed to the United States.
Flights suspended
The British Airports Authority said it had asked all European carriers to suspend flights to London's main Heathrow airport, where tighter security measures caused severe delays.
Shares in European airlines fell on the news, with British Airways shares opening nearly five percent lower. The pound also fell against the dollar and the euro.
No hand baggage
Airlines said no hand baggage would be let on planes leaving British airports, banning electrical or battery powered items, including laptops and mobile phones. All liquids were also being removed from passengers on flights to the United States.
Long queues formed at London's Heathrow airport as passengers were subjected to thorough searches.
Britain under sustained threat
Britain has been criticised by Islamist militants for its military campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Prime Minister Tony Blair has also come under fire at home and abroad for following the US lead and refusing to call for an immediate ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah fighters.
In a speech on Wednesday, Reid said Britain was in the most sustained period of severe threat since the end of World War Two and warned there was no room for complacency.
Blair's office said the prime minister, who is on holiday in the Caribbean, had briefed US President George W Bush on the operation during the night and had been in constant contact with Britain over the situation.
Hand luggage can't be 'sniffed' for explosives
Independent terrorism expert Paul Beaver said hand luggage was a weak spot in airport security.
"Hold baggage and cargo can be 'sniffed' for explosives. You can't do that for hand luggage at the moment. The technology is there, but it's time consuming and expensive."
Beaver said the nature of the suspected plot suggested a connection to al-Qaeda.
'Direct link' to al-Qaeda
"In the last two months al-Qaeda promised that it would avenge Iraq and Afghanistan by attacking British and American aviation assets - I see a direct link with that," he said.
The home office website showed the threat rating had been raised to "critical" from "severe" earlier on Thursday. Britain has a five level rating for security threats, ranging from low to critical, which is the highest level.
- Reuters