BRITIS AIRWAYS - SAUDI FLIGHTS SUSPENDED (Update!)

SkyNews ^ | 08/13/03 | Staff Writer

[bedolido]

British Airways has suspended flights to Saudi Arabia over a security threat, it has been announced.

All of the airlines flights to the country have been stopped until further notice due to "heightened security concerns" in the region.

The decision followed discussions with the Government's transport department, the airline said.

Geoff Want, BA's director of safety and security, said: "As a matter of precaution we have decided to suspend all flights to Saudi Arabia for the time being and we will continue to liaise closely with the British Government."

BA normally operates four flights a week to Riyadh and four a week to Jeddah.

Last Updated: 15:02 UK, Wednesday August 13, 2003

[bedolido]

[sarasota]

But that won't keep flights from Saudi Arabia from going in and out with Brits aboard.

[vbmoneyspender]

So much for the idea that Al Qaeda's main base of operations isn't Saudi Arabia.

[japaneseghost]

MI6 is the best in the world - this means they know something the rest of us don't.

Any Brit who doesn't take this seriously is a fool.

This is gonna get real interesting. . .

[Ranger]

I think we are in for another wave of terrorist attacks. Consider, 2 on the terrorist list were just caught at Sea-Tac buying one way tickets to JFK; the surface-to-air missile purchase bust in Newark this week; the Saudi raid yesterday seems linked to an attempt to shoot down British commercial airliners out of Saudi; the suicide terrorist out of Indonesia that blew up the Marriott was one of 15 in his group. The Kenya bust last week found surface-to-air weapons. The hottest days of the summer haven't happened yet IMO.

[Buck W.]

This is also a strong message to Saudi Arabia that they need the West. Might we see an avalanche of Saudi cooperation soon?

[robjna]

sounds like a plan to me, cut all the muslims off from traveling to britain, america. they continue to hate us, lok down onus , but without us they are still on the backs of camels

[Lijahsbubbe]

I agree. Seems like a pretty big development to me. Wonder how much yesterday's sting has to do with this.

[Miss Marple]

Ping!

[Recourse]

The year 2001 may someday be looked back upon as the "Twilight of the House of Saud." No one supports them. Not the West. Not Al-Qaeda. Not even the Wahabist groups to buy off with petrodollars.

[Pearls Before Swine]

without us they are still on the backs of camels

...and, unfortunately, without their oil we are back in the saddle on horses. I wish we could just lock 'em down in their sand dunes.

[X-Servative]

Deja vu??

August 2003...Kobe in titilating sex scandal; Bush at ranch in Texas, Dems saying the economy is sputtering, et al...
August 2001...Condit in titilating sex scandal; Bush at ranch in Texas, Dems saying the economy is sputtering, et al...

History repeating itself, or are we ready this time?

[freeperfromnj]

Seems like a pretty big development to me

Very big. Just yesterday British Airways announced that they were resuming flights to Iraq for the first time in 13 years. But of course, we all know there's no Al Qaeda/Iraq connection.

[Alas Babylon!]

Hmmmm.... since British Intelligence says this, will the democrats now blame Bush for it if no actual attack occurs?

[tbpiper]

without their oil we are back in the saddle on horses.

You're right. It's far better to be subject the muderous whims of muslims than it is to drill off the west Florida coast.

[mtbopfuyn]

cut all the muslims off from traveling to britain, america

Uh, no. The alert is only about saving a British Airways jet from becoming another WMD. They aren't stopping other airlines and Muslim passengers coming into Heathrow and JFK from all over the world. There must be something going on but grounding one service may delay an event but it's not going to stop it if the people behind it are serious.

[r9etb]

The hottest days of the summer haven't happened yet IMO.

I, personally, do not plan to be flying on September 11.

[r9etb]

There must be something going on but grounding one service may delay an event but it's not going to stop it if the people behind it are serious.

British Airways is the one that they can actually make to stop the flights. You can be sure that other airlines have noticed this, and are seriously considering following suit.

[Orangedog]

Al Qaeda has one trait that should give us pause right now: they never leave a job half-done. They tried to drop one of the WTC towers in 93 and failed, only to make another swipe at it in 2001, totally destroying the WTC complex. I'd give a high probability that next time around they will go after one of the targets they missed on 9/11. The Pentagon seems to have been a secondary target, so that leaves the White House or Capitol Building. Who knows what other targets were slated for 9/11 that were spared when all air traffic was grounded. Possibly the Sears Tower or Transamerica building.

Also, next time around, they will play to what our reaction might be, based on how 9/11 was handled. One plane crashing into a building would trigger the order to empty the skies all air traffic again. Imagine the problems with trying to get every plane to land if there are terrorist cells with shoulder launched missiles shooting down planes on approach at three or four major airports.

[Orangedog]

History repeating itself, or are we ready this time?

Lets see if we have any shark attacks like we did in August 2001. ;)