Huge Terrorist Attack thwarted

gryp

Thu, Aug 10 2006, 7:11 am

Quote:

US raises terror alert for incoming British flights to red – orange for other flights. American security officials report the terrorists, whose airplane plot British security foiled, had targeted United Airlines, American Airlines and Continental Airlines

August 10, 2006, 3:04 PM (GMT+02:00)

British Airways cancels all domestic and European flights. All flights in and out of London cancelled after after Britain foils a major terror plot to blow up six or seven UK planes bound for the United States, Europe and the Middle East. Heathrow cancels all incoming flights amid chaotic queues in the terminals and disruptions at all British airports.

All flights to the UK from Tel Aviv cancelled. Belgium, Lufthansa, Air France, Iberia and KLM cancel flights to UK. US raises terror alert to orange.

Two people still sought by police after 21 overnight arrests. The suspects are all British-born of Pakistani origin.

The plot had “global dimensions,” Scotland Yard said. The number, timing and destination of the flights remained under investigation.

The US alert was raised to one short of maximum after Prime Minister Tony Blair briefed President George Bush on the security threat to the planes.

UK police say this attack could have been bigger than 9/11, encompassing 20 attacks with substantial loss of life, had the plot not been thwarted by a British covert anti-terror operation very close to its execution.

The British national security alert was raised from severe to critical to thwart any further threats. The planes were to have been blown up in mid-air by suicide bombers over cities in the US, Britain and other "allied" countries - possibly also Tel Aviv - by explosives smuggled aboard in hand luggage in liquid form to evade detection. Hand luggage is banned on flights departing British airports, except for essentials in transparent plastic bags such as medication, passports or baby food.

debka.com