TERROR SUSPECTS HELD NEAR AIRPORT (UK)

Sky News ^ | 23:41 UK, Tuesday March 18, 2003 | sky news

[xm177e2]

America will escape the next round of terrorism largely unscathed; it is Europe that will suffer.

[appalachian_dweller]

>> America will escape the next round of terrorism largely unscathed; it is Europe that will suffer. <<

As mad at Europe as I am now, I still hope WE ALL escape largely unscathed.

Pray for the best - Plan for the worst

[P.O.E.]

I've been wondering why the terror alert level was raised here in the US. Not sure if it's just a general precaution, or are they acting on specific info they're not telling us about? More chatter, "tips", intelligence, etc.

I'm not a conspiratorialist (or whateveryacallit), I was just wondering.

[pawdoggie]

European men? Would that be Muslim European men, from Marseilles or Bosnia perhaps?

Not so fast, you Ashcroft-esque profiler. They could be French or German, you know.

[colette_g]

Apparently Portuguese -

http://www.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-12271630,00.html

GATWICK WORKERS?

The three terror suspects arrested after two home-made bombs were made in a flat near Crawley may have been working at Gatwick airport.

The Europeans are being held under the Terrorism Act after the devices were found at the property on Langley Parade.

Pinakin Patel, a shopowner said: "We don't know for sure what they did but we think they worked at the airport.

"They often came back wearing airport-style clothes as if they were cleaners or something."

He added: "They looked Portuguese and spoke Portuguese and were aged between 30 and 40 years."

Sussex police discovered the explosives during a routine inquiry, but have refused to confirm the men were Portuguese.

Inspector Geoff Sharnock said: "Three men have been arrested. One was arrested elsewhere and two were arrested at the flat."

They are being held at an undisclosed police station in Sussex.

A police cordon has been put up near the flat and police officers are guarding the property, located above an engraving shop called Jem in Langley Parade.

People living nearby were told to leave the area immediately and have not been allowed back yet.

Amil Patel, the owner of a mini supermarket on the street, said: " I was very surprised. It was very scary. We did not even have time to pick up any belongings."

Heathrow and Gatwick airports were at the centre of security alerts last month after intelligence reports warned al Qaeda was planning to shoot down a commercial airliner.

Christine Gover, terminal manager at Gatwick airport refused to say whether the men worked there.

She said: "I'm aware that there is an incident ongoing in Crawley but at this stage there is not any confirmed link with Gatwick."

Last Updated: 11:11 UK, Wednesday March 19, 2003

[Marysecretary]

Or Russian...