news details |
|
|
| Major terror plot foiled in Britain | | |
London, Aug 10: A major terrorist plot designed to bring down a number of aircraft through mid-flight explosions causing huge loss of life was foiled on Thursday by the British Police. Twenty-one people have been arrested in this connection.
The plot was "very significant" and was designed to "bring down a number of aircraft through mid-flight explosions causing considerable loss of life", British Home Secretary John Reid said.
British intelligence agency M15 said the current threat level is critical-- the highest possible-- and the security at all airports in the UK has been increased with additional security measures put in place for all flights.
Police overnight arrested a number of people in London - the culmination of a major covert counter-terrorist operation lasting several months.
The anti-terror operation would mean major disruption at all major airports throughout the country, Reid said adding, "As far as possible we want people to go about their business as normal."
It is thought that the plan was to detonate explosive devices smuggled onto aircraft hand baggage and attacks would have particularly targeted flights from the UK to United States, the Scotland Yard said in a statement.
”Plot meant to cause untold death and destruction”
Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Paul Stephenson said the alleged plotters had intended "mass murder on an unimaginable scale".
Stephenson said, "We are confident that we have disrupted a plan by terrorists to cause untold death and destruction and to commit, quite frankly, mass murder. I would want to join the commissioner who is fully briefed and has been here at New Scotland Yard since very early this morning in paying tribute to the Met`s counter terrorist branch and the Security Services for the work that they have undertaken in disrupting these activities."
"We believe that the terrorists` aim was to smuggle explosives onto aeroplanes in hand luggage and to detonate these in flight. We also believe that the intended targets were flights from the United Kingdom to the United States of America, "he added.
"We are currently searching a number of addresses and Deputy Assistant Commissioner Peter Clarke, head of the anti-terrorist branch - who is known to many of you - will give further details about the investigation later this morning, "Stephenson stated.
He also said that as the operation got underway the Police spoke to a good number of community leaders to make them aware that a major anti-terrorist operation was underway but without giving specific details about locations.
"We would like to reassure the public that this operation was carried out with public safety upper-most in our minds, "he said.
Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner also said, "This is a major operation, which will inevitably be lengthy and complex. The United Kingdom is now at the highest possible level of alert. We will consider the threat in its wider sense and take whatever action is necessary to protect people here in London and right the way throughout the United Kingdom. "
21 suspects held
British Police is holding 21 people in connection with a foiled plot to blow up several passenger planes flying between Britain and the United States.
The arrests had been made in the London area and in Britain`s second city Birmingham.
Bomb plot believed to involve liquid: Police
A thwarted plot to blow up aircraft is believed to involve liquid chemical devices, a British Police source said on Thursday.
"It would be safe to assume it is believed it involves some kind of liquid chemical," the source said.
BAA cancels all in-bound Heathrow flights
British airport operator BAA Plc said on Thursday it had requested that all in-bound flights from Europe into London`s Heathrow Airport be canceled temporarily.
A BAA spokesman said flights which had already taken off would not be affected but it was requesting airlines to cancel all flights bound for Heathrow later Thursday.
BAA warned passengers to stay away from Heathrow and warned of severe delays following heightened security after a bomb threat.
The incident has brought back the memories of an attempt made by British "shoe-bomber" Richard Reid to blow up a Paris-Miami flight in 2001 using explosives hidden in his shoe-soles. The tragedy was averted on time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
