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British police say foil plot to bomb aircraft (18 arrested,, so far)
Reuters on Yahoo ^ | 8/9/06 | Adrian Croft

Posted on 08/09/2006 11:18:30 PM PDT by NormsRevenge

LONDON (Reuters) - British police said on Thursday they have thwarted a plot to blow up aircraft in mid-flight between Britain and the United States, arresting a number of people in the London area.

Britain's security service MI5 raised the threat level to the country to "critical" from "severe," meaning an attack is expected imminently.

News of the arrests and heightened security threat came amid high international tension over Israel's war against Hizbollah in Lebanon.

Police said the aim of the plot was to detonate bombs smuggled on board aircraft in hand luggage.

"A major terrorist plot to allegedly blow up aircraft in mid-flight has been disrupted in a joint, pre-planned, intelligence-led operation by the Metropolitan Police anti-terrorist branch and security services," a London police spokesman said.

He said police believed the intention was particularly to target flights from Britain to the United States.

The BBC said about 18 people were arrested.

The police spokesman could not confirm the figure, saying only that an unspecified number of people had been detained in London during the night. The operation was the culmination of a major covert counter-terrorist operation lasting several months, he added.

Following the arrests, security at all British airports was increased and additional security measures put in place for all flights.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair has come under strong criticism at home and abroad for following the U.S. lead and refusing to call for an immediate ceasefire in the conflict between Israel and Lebanese Hizbollah guerrillas.

The security alert comes 13 months after four Islamist suicide bombers killed 52 people on London's transport network on July 7 last year.

The Home Office Web Site showed the threat rating had been raised to "critical" from "severe" earlier on Thursday. Britain has a five level rating for security threats, ranging from low to critical, which is the highest level.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; United Kingdom; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: 77; 911; aircraft; bomb; british; foil; foiled; heathrow; islam; islamist; islamofascist; jihad; london; londonairlineplot; muslim; pakistani; plot; police; terror; terrorist; wot
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To: FostersExport
I doubt this is to do with the Lebanon. You surely can’t turn around a major terrorist plot in such a short space of time.

Great point. Worth repeating.

41 posted on 08/10/2006 2:49:05 AM PDT by Right_in_Virginia
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To: Brit1
Good to hear you. (as it were}

Guy just on BBC radio 5 phone in "I don't believe it - this is government propaganda again..."

Like we'll mess with the world economy to bluff the left into thinking there is an enemy out there?

Stroll on...
42 posted on 08/10/2006 2:49:34 AM PDT by vimto (Blighty Awaken!)
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To: vimto

Aaah, radio phone-ins. The sane and reasonable need not apply!


43 posted on 08/10/2006 2:58:31 AM PDT by FostersExport
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To: FostersExport
Yep - but on the terrorist front the Angloshere have been hot on the tails of Islamofascists terrorists recently with lots of critical arrests. Canada going Conservative has helped I would guess. They seem to have got their acts together, doing good job at the moment.
44 posted on 08/10/2006 3:03:53 AM PDT by vimto (Blighty Awaken!)
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To: NormsRevenge
Fourth thread I've read on this topic. Not one of the source articles identifies the ethnicity or religion of the bad guys.
45 posted on 08/10/2006 3:06:38 AM PDT by Beckwith (The dhimmicrats and liberal media have chosen sides and they've sided with the Jihadists.)
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To: Beckwith

FNC was saying something about suspects being Brits of Pakistani origin.


46 posted on 08/10/2006 3:07:55 AM PDT by mewzilla (Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist. John Adams)
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To: Jedi Master Pikachu
The Spaniards acquiesced to the Muslims after their train bombing, and they haven't been attacked since.

and The Muslims are now setting up "schools" all throughout Spain.
47 posted on 08/10/2006 3:10:08 AM PDT by Beckwith (The dhimmicrats and liberal media have chosen sides and they've sided with the Jihadists.)
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To: vimto
Hi Vimto, Had a pleasant day in Hastings with my 85 yr old Father. Former RAF Lanc and Lib 'Jockey'.

Like he said to me this morning 'some people can't tell the shiny from the smelly'.
48 posted on 08/10/2006 3:16:44 AM PDT by Brit1 ('Suppers Ready.' (23 mins and 32 seconds of Heaven))
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To: Brit1
Regards and respect to your father. His pithy comment made me really laugh. Typical British humour (yes with the 'u' in it!).

I would guess you have been keeping an eye on the photography fakery threads. what do you as a pro' think?
49 posted on 08/10/2006 3:21:48 AM PDT by vimto (Blighty Awaken!)
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To: Beckwith

The media can only put in their early reports what the police tell them.

If you want a hint (and I don’t have the answer) then there are plenty of (what we call) Asians, so that includes Pakistanis, living in the Thames Valley and London. That is where the people arrested are from.


50 posted on 08/10/2006 3:24:09 AM PDT by FostersExport
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To: FostersExport
I am familiar with Indians and Pakis being referred to as Asians. Japanese and Chinese are also Asians.

It is dishonest not to identify these bastards for what they are, Muslims.
51 posted on 08/10/2006 3:27:31 AM PDT by Beckwith (The dhimmicrats and liberal media have chosen sides and they've sided with the Jihadists.)
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To: callthemlikeyouseethem

Pakistan is our ally in the war on terror -


52 posted on 08/10/2006 3:27:53 AM PDT by expatguy (http://laotze.blogspot.com/)
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To: Beckwith
Not one of the source articles identifies the ethnicity or religion of the bad guys.

Is it really necessary at this point?

53 posted on 08/10/2006 3:29:23 AM PDT by Right_in_Virginia
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To: FostersExport
Is Fox News down?

I'm not getting Fox News and am having to watch CNN (gag!).
54 posted on 08/10/2006 3:29:51 AM PDT by Beckwith (The dhimmicrats and liberal media have chosen sides and they've sided with the Jihadists.)
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To: NormsRevenge

Does it say what religion these guys were? Were they Southern Baptists?


55 posted on 08/10/2006 3:43:36 AM PDT by The_Media_never_lie
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To: Beckwith

The reason you don't mention these things on the news is because progroms are not British style.

Remember the idiots that attached a paediatrician’s office because of the hysterical coverage in the tabloid press about paedophiles???

The mob in Angerlund has to be kept docile or they burn the house down.


56 posted on 08/10/2006 3:56:29 AM PDT by Diggadave (There is no shortage of people who just will not think for themselves!)
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To: backhoe

Actually, Orwell was forced to change the title of his book to 1984 because the publishers thought ‘1948’ was just too provocative.


57 posted on 08/10/2006 3:58:19 AM PDT by Diggadave (There is no shortage of people who just will not think for themselves!)
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To: vimto
Hi Vimto thank you.

Difficult one the photography thing.I understand that the photographer was a freelance or stringer so there is the money angle but he probably won't get used again by anybody. In a way his greed perhaps not only for money has cooked his own goose.

Then again he can't be that good , and Reuters shouldn't be using him, if in the middle of a war he can't find enough to photograph without fakery.

I started using digital in 1995 and was untill quite recently and know the potential for image manipulation.

Sometimes as in any other professions you just have to rely on the photographers integrity.
Regards
58 posted on 08/10/2006 4:06:09 AM PDT by Brit1 ('Suppers Ready.' (23 mins and 32 seconds of Heaven))
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To: chichilarue
Why are Muslims still allowed to fly...PERIOD!!!
59 posted on 08/10/2006 4:09:42 AM PDT by RetSignman (New York Times.."All the news that fits our agenda")
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To: vimto

Right on.


60 posted on 08/10/2006 4:17:07 AM PDT by nuf said (I am, therefore I think.)
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