Posted on 12/29/2003 1:34:21 PM PST by knak
December 29, 2003
London - A British MP has revealed that two Islamic suicide pilots have been arrested while preparing to crash aircraft into a British Airways passenger jet.
The terrorists had already loaded their attack planes with explosives when they were apprehended, Patrick Mercer, the Tory shadow minister for homeland security, disclosed yesterday.
They had planned to swoop into the Boeing 777 airliner as it taxied on the runway at Saudi Arabia's main airport, claiming the lives of the 380 passengers and crew.
The alleged plot reported in the Mail on Sunday comes amid fears that Islamic extremists are planning a September 11-style terrorist attack.
Mercer said he had been informed of its existence by an "unimpeachable source" and would raise the matter with the British government.
However, Saudi Arabia has denied the incident.
"(It) is not true," an unnamed Saudi security official said yesterday.
"It is unfortunate that some newspapers have taken to publishing such baseless news, with the goal of sensationalism."
According to Mercer, Saudi agents made arrests after seizing two planes containing explosives on the ground near King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
Mercer claimed the Saudi Interior Ministry tried to cover up the incident and withheld information from international authorities.
"My understanding is that they (the two aircraft) were found on the flight line and that the plan was to fly them into a passenger jet either about to land or take off," he said.
He added that agents then arrested a number of Saudi nationals, among them the two would-be suicide pilots.
"These terrorists are potent and inventive and I very much hope the British government will take note of these developments.
"They must defend our airspace and issue timely, accurate and meaningful warnings to both airlines and passengers."
British Airways appeared unaware of the planned Saudi attack, and the Foreign Office said it had checked with the relevant agencies but could find no record of the incident.
But according to Mercer, the Saudi Interior Ministry has withheld information about anti-terrorist operations in the past, sometimes for political reasons or to protect ongoing investigations.
Also yesterday, the British government said sky marshals would be placed on some British passenger planes following warnings from the US about a heightened terror threat.
Meanwhile Italian Prime Minster Silvio Berlusconi said on Saturday he had reliable intelligence about a Christmas Day plan to assassinate the pope and destroy the ancient seat of the Catholic faith.
He said he had been passed precise and verified news of "a hijacked plane above the Vatican ... an attack from the sky".
Last week, details of a plot by al-Qaeda to crash planes into Los Angeles were revealed. Reports said six terrorists had intended to hijack a Los Angeles-bound Air France flight.
In August, BA suspended flights to Saudi for three weeks after the discovery of an al-Qaeda plot to down a jet. UK intelligence intercepted electronic communications involving a militant group. - Independent Foreign Service and Sapa-AFP
Job description, please.
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