Posted on 08/15/2006 9:27:20 AM PDT by Alouette
LONDON - Police said Tuesday that they raided two Internet cafes in the investigation of an alleged plot to blow up jetliners over the Atlantic, and a news report said officers found firearms in a search of a woodlands near where some of the suspects were arrested earlier.
Travelers continued to face problems at Britain's main airports, where delays and cancellations exacerbated confusion over shifting rules governing hand luggage.
The two Internet cafes were raided Thursday in central Slough, 25 miles west of London, not far from the neighborhood in the town of High Wycombe where several suspects were arrested last week, Thames Valley police said. They didn't say what, if anything, was found.
Police said they had increased their presence in Slough, but urged people to remain calm.
"There is no intelligence to suggest that there is any specific terrorist threat to anyone in this area," Chief Superintendent Brian Langston said.
Meanwhile, the British Broadcasting Corp. said a search of some suspects' homes and of a woodland area in High Wycombe turned up several firearms and other items of interest. It was not clear if they were related to the alleged jetliner plot, which authorities say involved a plan to smuggle liquid explosives aboard flights hidden in hand luggage.
The two developments came after several days of a near lockdown on information. The government has not briefed the media since last week, has not said where suspects are being held, and has not even released the names of some of them.
Authorities will have to provide at least some details of its evidence to a judge at a detention extension hearing Wednesday. Twenty-three people are being held in the plot, including the alleged ringleaders.
On Tuesday, opposition Conservative Party leader David Cameron accused the government of talking tough but doing little to counter extremism and boost counter-terror efforts.
Prime Minister Tony Blair, he said, failed to follow through on a plan unveiled after last year's London transit bombings to crack down on radical clerics and help Britain's moderate Muslims face down militants in their communities.
"We need follow-through when the headlines have moved on," Cameron said. "But precious little has actually been done."
At London airports Tuesday, passengers were allowed to take a single, briefcase-sized bag as a carry on and were also permitted to have mobile phones, laptops and other electronic devices. Cosmetics, gels, toothpaste, liquids and sharp objects remained forbidden.
Despite the easing of the rules, British Airways canceled a fifth of its flights from London on Tuesday, the same as on Monday. BA cut 52 flights, including four bound for the United States. Budget airline Ryanair canceled eight flights out of Stansted airport.
At Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport, travelers again were forced to wait outside before taking their turn at a check-in desk. Inside the terminals, stranded and delayed passengers slumped against piles of luggage or tried to sleep on rows of chairs.
"I'd rather have the increased security, but the people are just so irritable and angry," Reema Alhabeeb, 16, said after waiting two hours outside a terminal hoping to fly home to Boston.
British Defense Secretary Des Browne said work was under way on new permanent security requirements for airports, but declined to say what the new measures might be.
A report by The Times newspaper said officials were considering a system of passenger-profiling that would select people behaving suspiciously, who had an unusual travel pattern or were of a certain ethnic or religious background.
Leaders in the Muslim community criticized that approach, saying it would further isolate British Muslims.
"The government needs to think very, very carefully before it considers putting this measure into practice," said Inayat Bunglawala, a spokesman for the Muslim Council of Britain. "There is concern that such profiling would perhaps only contribute to further alienating a group whose close co-operation is essential in countering terror."
The government dropped the terror threat level Monday to severe — where it was before the alleged jetliner plot was thwarted.
Interrogations continued in an atmosphere of secrecy. Tough new anti-terror laws give the government up to 28 days to hold suspects without charge, but they must periodically go before a judge to make a case for continued confinement.
Investigations were also under way in Pakistan, where authorities held 17 people, including British citizen Rashid Rauf, who they said has al-Qaida connections and was a key player in the plot. At least one of Rauf's brothers was arrested in England during the sweep here.
Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that it might extradite Rauf to Britain.
This is the same guy who sent the "Zionist Pig" death threat to littlegreenfootballs.com
Warning! This is a high-volume ping list.
Cameron could be speaking here as well. The "revelation" that the X-rays can't pick up explosives can't be new information. We have to quit listening to every little whiner group who has a problem with increased scrutiny before the Islamonazis succeed in one of these plots. Without national security, there would be no civil liberties. I believe Hamilton alluded to something of this nature in the Federalist Papers in the 1700s. The Islamonazis need to be killed and any member of the Muslim community where these clowns are residing doesn't turn them in then the whole community should be questioned and/or placed under increased scrutiny. Start deporting the followers of the pedophile NOW.
Bingo! (There's a reason why "Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" are listed in that order.)
When can we stop calling it an alleged plot. Sounded pretty real to me.
I would think that 'Police' would have already moved in to set up shop ... so that there would be no need to raid.
It might be the case...
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