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'Real and Definite Threat' Caused BA Flight Cancellation
The Scotsman ^ | Jan 02 2004 | By Caroline Gammell, PA News

Posted on 01/02/2004 9:44:19 AM PST by 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.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Government; News/Current Events; United Kingdom; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: airlinesecurity; aq; ba; ba223; iad; lhr; orangealert4
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To: BulletBobCo
that is a nice pic; I've been on 747's before; they're nice planes. Lot's of room in those.
721 posted on 01/02/2004 6:45:58 PM PST by nicmarlo
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Comment #722 Removed by Moderator

To: BulletBobCo
How's the speed? In air at an altitude of 10000 feet and ground speed of 351 KTS
723 posted on 01/02/2004 6:52:53 PM PST by nicmarlo
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To: Coop
Okay. I could buy AQ destroying this flight over D.C. airspace, but them attempting to hijack the flight - just honestly can't see it happening. Hijacking a cargo plane, yes, but not another passenger plane.

I'm not so certain Coop. Sure, you and I know that the passengers would stand up and fight- but does al Qaeda? How do they know this? I mean, it hasn't been made an official policy or anything. If you're sitting in some stinking cave in Pakistan and you're planning this thing, what would be your impetus for thinking the passengers would put up a fight?

Second, this might not even be al Qaeda. This could be an 'also-ran' or a group that has the training but not the brains. We've been hammering away at al Qaeda for two years. Perhaps their serious planners and intel types that helped them put together such well coordinated operations like 9/11 are 'dead or otherwise accounted for'. Lot of people here figure Osama is dead. If he's dead and all his smart guys are out of the loop, maybe the ones they have left behind are not so smart and they figure they could get away with this.

I don't know, I just have a hard time applying rational thought to these nutjobs. I'm sure they're capable of it and I'm sure they try to figure out new and interesting ways to kill the Great Satan, but you always have to throw that 'Whacko Factor' into the mix.

724 posted on 01/02/2004 6:52:58 PM PST by Prodigal Son
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To: nicmarlo
Not sure about that. Airspeed should be no more than 250 knots. Don't think there is enough tail wind to give a ground speed that high at only 10,000 feet.
725 posted on 01/02/2004 6:55:11 PM PST by BulletBobCo
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To: BulletBobCo
now saying 261 knots, but same altitude
726 posted on 01/02/2004 6:56:33 PM PST by nicmarlo
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To: BulletBobCo
247
727 posted on 01/02/2004 6:56:41 PM PST by LikeLight ( ___________________________________ it's a line)
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To: LikeLight
233
728 posted on 01/02/2004 6:57:21 PM PST by LikeLight ( ___________________________________ it's a line)
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To: LikeLight
That sounds better.
729 posted on 01/02/2004 6:57:28 PM PST by BulletBobCo
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To: nicmarlo
Can't some Freeper sit out by the runway and give us a play-by-play from their laptop? This is just nerve wracking!
730 posted on 01/02/2004 6:58:06 PM PST by myprecious
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To: BulletBobCo; fullwave
however, on the link that fullwave provided, it is given yet another speed: 228 kts Altitude: 4,100
731 posted on 01/02/2004 6:58:07 PM PST by nicmarlo
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To: LikeLight
228 . . . but probably on the ground now real time, based on the last flight . . .
732 posted on 01/02/2004 6:58:26 PM PST by LikeLight ( ___________________________________ it's a line)
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To: BulletBobCo
according to flight tracker, this: In air at an altitude of 6600 feet and ground speed of 200 KTS
733 posted on 01/02/2004 6:58:45 PM PST by nicmarlo
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To: BulletBobCo
Switched on FOX from watching the History Channel. Looks like this flight is a non-event. Not a peep out of them.
734 posted on 01/02/2004 6:59:18 PM PST by BulletBobCo
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To: nicmarlo
Ground Spd: 209 kts Altitude: 2,900
735 posted on 01/02/2004 6:59:32 PM PST by nicmarlo
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To: myprecious
wish they could!
736 posted on 01/02/2004 6:59:55 PM PST by nicmarlo
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To: nicmarlo
191 kts Altitude: 1,900
737 posted on 01/02/2004 7:00:20 PM PST by nicmarlo
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To: 5050 no line
Oh, I didn't realize that. My dad flew for UAL, and had a certificate full of type ratings.

OTOH, I think Southwest, and lately, Jet Blue, have the right idea in sticking to a single type of aircraft. Fewer maintenance costs, and the training is more streamlined as well.
738 posted on 01/02/2004 7:00:59 PM PST by bootless (Never Forget)
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To: nicmarlo
149 kts Altitude: 1,100
739 posted on 01/02/2004 7:01:07 PM PST by nicmarlo
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To: myprecious
Can't some Freeper sit out by the runway and give us a play-by-play from their laptop? This is just nerve wracking!

I used to live within 10 miles of Dulles. If I were still there, you bet I'd be nosing around! :)

740 posted on 01/02/2004 7:04:13 PM PST by bcoffey
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