'Plot to blow up planes' foiled [UK TERROR THREAT LEVEL RAISED TO IMMINENT{U.S.raised terror level)

BBC News ^ | Thursday, 10 August 2006, 05:06 GMT 06:06 UK | Unknown

[gary_b_UK]

A major terrorist plot to blow up planes in mid-flight has been disrupted by police, Scotland Yard says.

It is thought the plan was to detonate explosive devices smuggled on board aircraft in hand luggage.

During the night, police arrested a number of people in London after a counter-terrorist operation they said had lasted several months.

Police believe the attacks would have been particularly targeted at flights from the UK to the US.

The Department for Transport said security at all UK airports has been increased.

Passengers on all flights will not be allowed to take any hand luggage on to any flights in the UK.

Only the barest essentials - including passports and wallets - will be allowed to be carried on board in transparent plastic bags.

[Cindy]

NOTE: The following post is a quote:
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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1680997/posts


London - Police statement on airline bombing plot - "mass murder on an unimaginable scale"
Reuters ^ | August 10, 2006 | Paul Stephenson

Posted on 08/10/2006 3:00:54 AM PDT by HAL9000

Police statement on airline bombing plot

LONDON (Reuters) - Following is the full text of a statement issued by London Deputy Commissioner, Paul Stephenson on Thursday morning:

"We are confident that we have disrupted a plan by terrorists to cause untold death and destruction and commit mass murder.

The Commissioner has been fully briefed and he is at New Scotland Yard today. He and I want to pay tribute to officers from the Met's Anti-Terrorist Branch and the security services for the work they have undertaken to disrupt these activities.

We believe that the terrorists' aim was to smuggle explosives onto airplanes in hand luggage and to detonate these in flight.

We also believe that the intended targets were flights from the UK to the USA.

Overnight we have arrested 21 people. The majority of those arrests have been in London but we have also made arrests in Thames Valley and Birmingham. We are currently searching a number of addresses.

We are grateful to our colleagues in other force areas for their support.

As the operation got under way we spoke to community leaders to make them aware that a major anti-terrorist operation was taking place but without giving specific details about locations. This extensive dialogue will continue throughout the operation.

We would like to reassure the public that this operation was carried out with public safety upper most in our minds. This is a major operation, which will inevitably be lengthy and complex. The UK is now at the highest possible level of alert.

We will consider the threat in its wider sense and take whatever action is necessary to protect people in London and throughout the country.

Measures have already been put in place to restrict hand luggage taken onto aircraft. This will inevitably cause significant delay and we ask people to remain calm, patient and vigilant at this very difficult time.

Put simply this was a plot to commit mass murder on an unimaginable scale."

[AmeriBrit]

I think in our guts we've all had a feeling that this was coming at any moment.

I have to go and try and get some rest. 3 cigarettes going and I was about to light another. Jeez!

Night all.

[Ngamatapouri]

At the top of that list and more in line with this thread, and showing how short our memory is LOCKERBIE Scotland, Pan Am Flight 103, 270 dead including 11 on the ground.

[Timeout]

Thanks. Much clearer.

____________________

Even CBS has now stopped covering the story.

But the anchor babe asked WHY WE WEREN'T TOLD OF THIS BEFORE if it's been going on for months. The terror "expert" she was interviewing said he'd been hearing about this for some time...BUT HE DIDN'T BELIEVE IT!

[Fresh Wind]

'plot "disrupted", but not "thwarted"'

No thanks whatsoever to the treasonous bastards at the New York Times.

[I Drive Too Fast]

Fire up the printer for plenty to read ping

[EBH]

Night AmeriBrit....say a prayer and sleep well.

I am just getting up...

[Timeout]

I must say, I believe Rudy's electoral prospects may have just gone up significantly.

[Pebcak]

That must have been very unnerving.

This looks like Bojinka with a twist. It seems the screening methods are unable to detect the substances.

If they have arrested 21, but still believe there may be thirty more - that's less than half.

[backhoe]

...Flight 103...

Rest assured, I Never Forget...

[mewzilla]

Per FNC: United, Continental, and American airlines were those targeted in this plot.

[AmeriBrit]

I'm still trying to get everything shut down.

Check this.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1680953/posts?page=1267#1267

[Miss Marple]

The oldest (10) will watch news when it is something interesting (car chases, explosions, etc.)...he's a boy, of course. I have two TV's here, so it's not as big a problem as it used to be.

[stripes1776]

But the anchor babe asked WHY WE WEREN'T TOLD OF THIS BEFORE if it's been going on for months.

This woman has the brains of a baboon.

[Cindy]

Targeted Airlines as heard on Fox News: "Continental;United, American Airlines and British Airways"

http://www.foxnews.com

===
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http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,207703,00.html

"U.S. Raises Flight Threat Levels to Severe, Imposes Liquid Ban After British Plot"
Thursday, August 10, 2006

PHOTOS

Click image to enlarge
STORIES
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ARTICLE SNIPPET: "London Police Disrupt Terrorist Plot to Blow Up Aircraft in Mid-Flight
WASHINGTON — The U.S. government raised its threat warning to the highest level for commercial flights from Britain to the United States early Thursday in response to a reported terror plot in London and also stepped up the general level for all flights within the U.S. or entering the country."

[Timeout]

This woman has the brains of a baboon.

Actally, she's merely representative of those who insist "this is the most SECRETIVE administration EVER!".

Duh.

[MEG33]

I heard the same report..He says there are so many rumors this one was just too much..He suggested this was the "big one" Al Queda has talked about..and that Pakistani authorities might have made the Brits aware...IIRC.

The students being part of a terrorist plot is being denied..just a crackdown on the students not doing what they were supposed to do to have visas.? (If I understands correctly the news reports.)

I have no doubt there are cells here ready to do as directed .

[listenhillary]

Check out the date on this article.

New Devices May Foil Airline Security

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/national/longterm/twa800/bomb.htm

[Sacajaweau]

I find nothing more pleasurable than being with my grandchildren at this point in my life. They are as awesome as my own children. How lucky I am!!

[mainepatsfan]

Well this a heck of a thing to wake up to. Thank God we didn't wake up one day to the attack having taken place.