'Real and Definite Threat' Caused BA Flight Cancellation

The Scotsman ^ | Jan 02 2004 | By Caroline Gammell, PA News

[Dog]

'Real and Definite Threat' Caused BA Flight Cancellation

By Caroline Gammell, PA News

The cancellation of British Airways flight BA223 from Heathrow to Washington was caused by a “real and definite threat”, a defence expert warned today.

The plane had already started checking in passengers and was due to leave at 3.05pm.

But BA announced it had been cancelled at 1.15pm – less than two hours before take off – for security reasons.

Paul Beaver, a defence analyst, said: “This is certainly unusual. The intelligence is very, very precise which is why this one flight has been cancelled.

“We have got intelligence, I am told, that there was a plan to take the aircraft and destroy it over Washington or fly it into something.

“Washington is the definite target.”

Mr Beaver said the information passed on to BA via the Government was likely to have come from American intelligence.

“All I know is there is a real and definite threat.”

He went on: “There is good and precise intelligence that there is more than one al Qaida or al Qaida-like group operating against the US.

“One is based in central America and the other is based in Europe – in London or Paris.”

Mr Beaver said it was not known whether operatives in these potential terror cells are carrying legal British passports.

Yesterday’s flight BA223 was also cancelled several hours before it was scheduled to depart after BA received “security advice” from the Government.

On New Year’s Eve, the same flight had been kept on the runway for three hours after landing at Washington Dulles International Airport to allow security officials to board the plane and question passengers.

The Boeing 747 was escorted into Dulles by two F-16 fighter jets.

An Aeromexico flight from Mexico City to Los Angeles was also cancelled after US authorities refused to allow it to land.

Flight 490 was cancelled after Homeland Security officials said they were concerned it might be a safety risk, said a spokesman for Mexico’s President Vicente Fox.

[BulletBobCo]

You have Freepmail.

[BulletBobCo]

One hour to go until touchdown of BAW225.

[NeutronTeuton]

<> hmmm. so this goes with my totally unfounded theory that the problem with the plane is that a brigade of AQ have decided to fire a missle at it over British airspace as the first in a series of coordinated strikes...

[oceanview]

the escort demonstrates that we do not even know the nature of the threat: it could be a hijacking, an AQ pilot, or a shoebomber. if we knew the threat was only for a shoebombing, there would be no need to escort the plane I would think.

[nicmarlo]

Estimated arrival: 22:01
http://www.britishairways.com/travel/arrdep/public/en_sa

[bcoffey]

From a recent thread:

"However, senior British investigators suspect the most likely option would involve blowing up a number of aircraft in mid-air in a carefully synchronised operation....

Here is the link.

[arasina]

yeah right. pffffffft

[MississippiMan]

With things getting as specific as this, I'm wondering if there were also "real and definite" suspects, and where are they? If they're worried enough about a particular flight to cancel it, does it not follow that they think the potential terrorists are actually on the plane or about to board it?

MM

[arasina]

Maybe Free Republic should start TIME STAMPING as well as dating the membership registrations. sheesh

[BulletBobCo]

The time on the British Airways site reflects the time that the aircraft arrives at the gate. The time that I've been monitoring is the time that the plane sets down. Both will change slightly as the aircraft flies through the changing winds aloft.

[nicmarlo]

I wasn't criticizing, Bob, just checking to see if, according to BA, all's well with their posted estimated arrival time... : )

[artcolley]

I haven't heard anything yet here in Mid Coast Maine.
Maybe taking a slightly different route than earlier?
It is eerily quiet outside tonight except for the snowplow/sanding truck every half hour or so.

[WestCoastGal]

http://www.cheaptickets.com/trs/cheaptickets/flighttracker/flight_tracker_graphic.xsl

It's over Vermont right now.

[LikeLight]

This one (225) is WAY west of the last one . . .

[artcolley]

Okay, that explains why I'm not hearing anything! :o)

[fivecatsandadog]

....a chair,....frig......stove/oven......toilet......(doo-doo-honey-doo)...loaded onto the planes toilets 'soil' storage tank) in the form of 'plastic'.....etc.,.....or,....'germs'....

You might have something there.... Remember the vending machine in "sum of all fears"?

[BulletBobCo]

I didn't take it that way at all...Happy Holidays to you. :)

[BulletBobCo]

[nicmarlo]

And a Happy New Year to you, as well, Bob! : )

[nicmarlo]

This one (225) is WAY west of the last one .

What was the pattern last night? Is there a storm nearby? Wind patterns different or anything tonight?