Britain Reportedly Raises Terror Alert

AP ^ | November 15, 2003

[sarcasm]

LONDON (AP) -- Britain's security services have been placed on a higher level of alert because of intelligence that al-Qaida may be planning a new attack, the British Broadcasting Corp. reported Saturday.

Internal alerts for the police and military are not usually made public. The Home Office, which oversees the intelligence services, would not comment on the BBC report and said it never discussed alert levels unless there is a specific threat.

``If there's a specific threat the government would not hesitate to issue an alert,'' a spokeswoman said on customary condition of anonymity.

The BBC said the alert status had been raised to ``severe general,'' the second-highest level, following intelligence about plans by al-Qaida supporters from North Africa to launch an attack.

It said the change was not connected to next week's planned visit to Britain by President Bush.

Protesters opposed to the U.S.-led Iraq war are planning several demonstrations during Bush's Nov. 19-21 state visit. Police leave has been canceled and thousands of officers are expected on the streets.

Sir John Stevens, commissioner of London's Metropolitan Police, said the security level for the trip was ``unprecedented.''

Police also declined to comment on specific threat levels. A spokesman said security in London had been at a high level since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the United States, and is kept under constant review.

Experts believe Britain's participation in the Iraqi war has made London an attractive target for terrorist groups, but there have been few specific warnings of plots to attack the city.

In February, troops and tanks were sent to Heathrow Airport after police warned that al-Qaida might try attacking the British capital.