Thursday, August 10, 2006
'Plot to blow up planes'
foiled
The current threat level is assessed as critical as of 10th August
2006 - this means that an attack is expected imminently and indicates an
extremely high level of threat to the UK - MI5 statement
United Kingdom - The
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
A terrorist plot to blow
up planes in mid-flight from the UK to the US has been disrupted, Scotland Yard
has said.
It is thought the plan was to detonate explosive devices
smuggled on aircraft in hand luggage.
Police have arrested about 18
people in the London area after an anti-terrorist operation lasting several
months.
Security at all airports in the UK has been tightened and delays
are reported. MI5 has raised the UK threat level to critical - the highest
possible.
According to MI5's website, critical threat level means "an
attack is expected imminently and indicates an extremely high level of threat to
the UK".
BBC home affairs correspondent Daniel Sandford says he does not
think the police believe an attack is imminent.
"The reason for raising
the threat level is in case there is some other sub-plot, back-up plot around
this that the police aren't aware of," he said.
Scotland Yard said in a
statement that their investigation into the alleged plot was a "major operation"
which would be "lengthy and complex".
"We would like to reassure the
public that this operation was carried out with public safety uppermost in our
minds."
Home Secretary John Reid confirmed that there had apparently been
a plot "to bring down a number of aircraft through mid-flight explosions causing
a considerable loss of life".
Prime Minister Tony Blair is on holiday in
the Caribbean, but Downing Street said the police operation was undertaken with
his full support and he had been "in constant touch".
A spokesman for
Number 10 added that Mr Blair had briefed US President George Bush on the
situation during the night.
Transparent bags
The Department for
Transport set out the details of the security measures at UK
airports.
Passengers will not be allowed to take any hand luggage on to
any flights in the UK, the department said.
Only the barest essentials -
including passports and wallets - will be allowed to be carried on board in
transparent plastic bags.
"We hope that these measures, which are being
kept under review by the government, will need to be in place for a limited
period only," the statement said.
'Jam-packed'
At Heathrow
Airport, BBC presenter Fiona Bruce said there were "ranks of people" unable to
get into the terminal.
"Terminal One is completely at a standstill.
Nobody is being checked in at all."
She said it was "jam-packed", but
passengers were managing to remain "good natured".
BBC journalist Joe
Lynam encountered the increased security measures at Gatwick airport.
"I
was handed a piece of paper saying that pretty much nothing could be taken on
board the plane," he said.
"Everything had to be checked in and that
includes mobile phones, ipods, wallets - even spectacle cases had to be checked
in."
British Airways said that passengers who do not wish to fly on
Thursday can rebook on flights leaving over the next two weeks.
David
Learmount from Flight International Magazine said he expected passengers to be
searched much more carefully.
He added: "This is the first time this
measure has actually been taken. Certainly I've never seen hand luggage
banned."
Attached Photo:
All airports have been put under the
restrictions.
Passengers have to put any carry-on luggage in plastic
bags.
Watch the video:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/nolavconsole/ifs_news/hi/nb_wm_fs.stm?news=1&bbram=1&bbwm=1&nbram=1&nbwm=1&nol_storyid=4778769
