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Terror fear hits Paris-LA flights

The airline is not taking any chances
Air France has cancelled six flights between Paris and Los Angeles amid fears of a terror attack.
Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin requested the flights be cancelled in the light of US intelligence.

The services were to fly between Charles de Gaulle airport and Los Angeles on Wednesday and Thursday.

Earlier this week the US raised its alert status, warning that terrorists could be planning an even bigger attack than on 11 September 2001.

CANCELLED FLIGHTS
24 Dec: AF068 Paris 13.35
24 Dec: AF070 Paris 19.00
24 Dec: AF383 LA 08.30
24 Dec: AF069 LA 19.00
25 Dec: AF068 Paris 13.35
Sixth unconfirmed flight
All times are local
Source: Air France website
Hundreds of passengers have been left stranded by the cancellations over the Christmas period.

Mr Raffarin said the request was due to intelligence "gathered in the framework of Franco-American co-operation in the fight against terrorism".

The BBC's Matt Frei in Washington said US security sources indicated they had alerted the French authorities after scouring the passenger lists.

They said they had found the name of someone they believed to be an al-Qaeda operative due to board the flight to Los Angeles.

We are taking all reports of any threats very seriously

Air France source
US Homeland Security officials are reported to be upset that the flights were cancelled so publicly.

An unnamed official told the Associated Press news agency security forces had been "hoping that we would be able to lure some of these people in".

The cancellations come almost exactly two years after the "shoe bomber" Richard Reid attempted to blow up a flight between Charles de Gaulle airport and Miami.

Other passengers on the flight restrained him, and he was later tried and sentenced to life in prison.

Passengers at Los Angeles endured rigorous baggage checks
The cancellations come amid a huge security operation at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

Police have stopped drop-offs from private vehicles at terminals, amid fears of a terror attack.

Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn called the restrictions "a precautionary measure during a period of heightened readiness".

On Sunday the US Government raised the national threat level from Elevated to High Risk of terrorist attack.

An Air France source told AFP news agency: "We are taking all reports of any threats very seriously as we are facing the most significant threat we have had since 11 September 2001 and are reacting accordingly.

"We are doing the groundwork appropriate to at least head off some additional attacks."

Air France said it was trying to arrange accommodation for hundreds of stranded passengers.