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Attacker 'badly burnt'
01/07/2007 08:11 - (SA)
Glasgow - Britain is at "critical" risk of a terrorist attack, the government says, after a petrol-filled car was rammed into the terminal at Glasgow airport the day after failed car bombings in London.
Two men, one of whom was badly burned, were arrested in Glasgow after the car exploded in flames.
Two more people were arrested later on a motorway in northern England in connection with the incidents on Friday and Saturday.
"I can confirm that we believe the incident at Glasgow airport is linked to the events in London yesterday," the top police officer in the Glasgow area, Willie Rae, told reporters.
"There are clearly similarities and we can confirm that this is being treated as a terrorist incident."
Britain's Home Office (interior ministry) has raised the national security alert level to "critical", the highest ranking and one which indicates further attacks are expected imminently.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown, in office for just four days, convened a meeting of Britain's top security committee on Saturday.
"I want all British people to be vigilant and want them to support the police and all the authorities ... I know the British people will stand together united, resolute and strong," he said.
Rae said the vehicle, a green Jeep Cherokee, was driven at speed into the main glass door to the airport terminal in Glasgow, Scotland's second city 600 km north of
London, and was then engulfed in flames.
Rae said the badly burnt man was found to have a "suspect device" hidden on his body but would not confirm it was a suicide vest. The hospital briefly had to be evacuated while the device was inspected.
The attack, which the head of Scotland's administration described as a "terrorist incident", came barely 36 hours after police thwarted a possible al-Qaeda plot in London in which two cars loaded with fuel, gas canisters and nails were left in the centre of the capital poised to detonate.
- Reuters
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