Anyone watching the news now.... plot to blow up british flights were foiled by polic

[305GUY]

glad nobody was harmed.. nobody has the balls to try that in the US, thats for sure!

[Booz]

yup pandamonium at the airports over hear at the moment............

[Kale]

'Airlines terror plot' disrupted

Stansted Airport
All airports have been put under the restrictions

Reid statement
A terrorist plot to blow up planes in mid-flight from the UK to the US has been disrupted, Scotland Yard has said.

It is thought the plan was to detonate explosive devices smuggled on to as many as 10 aircraft in hand luggage.

Police were searching addresses after a total of 21 people were being kept in custody after 25 arrests in the London area and West Midlands.

High security is causing delays at all UK airports, and MI5 has raised the threat level to critical.

According to MI5's website, critical threat level - the highest - means "an attack is expected imminently and indicates an extremely high level of threat to the UK".

Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Paul Stephenson said the alleged plotters had intended "mass murder on an unimaginable scale".


HAVE YOUR SAY
This disruption is one of the short term limits on freedom that are needed
Tony Shield, Chorley

Send us your experiences

Home Secretary John Reid confirmed that there had apparently been a plot "to bring down a number of aircraft through mid-flight explosions causing a considerable loss of life".

According to BBC sources the "principal characters" suspected of being involved in the plot were British-born. Arrests were made in High Wycombe, London and Birmingham.

In other major developments:

# The US Department of Homeland Security increased the threat level applied to US-bound commercial flights originating in the UK

# The Home Office confirmed there had been three meetings overnight and on Thursday morning of the Cabinet's emergency committee, Cobra, chaired by Mr Reid, to discuss the terror alert

# A spokesman for Number 10 said Tony Blair had briefed US President George Bush on the situation during the night

# All passengers were banned from taking hand luggage onto flights, while the government warned of delays.

BBC home affairs correspondent Daniel Sandford said he did not think the police believed an attack was imminent.


I was handed a piece of paper saying that pretty much nothing could be taken on board the plane
Joe Lynam
BBC journalist at Gatwick

Flights disruption across UK
At-a-glance: UK airports

"The reason for raising the threat level is in case there is some other sub-plot, back-up plot around this that the police aren't aware of," he said.

Scotland Yard said in a statement that their investigation into the alleged plot was a "major operation" which would be "lengthy and complex".

"We would like to reassure the public that this operation was carried out with public safety uppermost in our minds."

BBC security correspondent Gordon Correra said given that most liquids were being banned from flights it suggested the suspected plot involved "some kind of liquid explosive".

He also said the plot had an "international dimension", while the investigation had involved the CIA.

"The Americans have definitely been involved for quite some time," he said.

Prime Minister Tony Blair is on holiday in the Caribbean, but Downing Street said the police operation was undertaken with his full support and he had been "in constant touch".

Transparent bags

The Department for Transport set out the details of the security measures at UK airports.


THREAT LEVEL
The current threat level is assessed as critical as of 10th August 2006 - this means that an attack is expected imminently and indicates an extremely high level of threat to the UK
MI5 statement

Reid's terror plea
Ministers' statements in full

Passengers are not allowed to take any hand luggage on to any flights in the UK, the department said.

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

"We hope that these measures, which are being kept under review by the government, will need to be in place for a limited period only," the statement said.

British Airways said that passengers who do not wish to fly on Thursday could rebook on flights leaving over the next two weeks.

At Stansted airport, more than 2,000 passengers, clutching their plastic bags, snaked around the terminal queuing to pass through customs.

[stee]

yeah glad nothign happend, i would have been sent to manchester air port for sure if something happened there, not that it bothers me but to be honest its not something anyone should have to see or deal with. good on the security forces i say.

[stee]

Fancy wanting to blow up planes with liquid exposives, fvcking losers.
Ive heard that Con Air has just been released in the Cinema in Pakistan and they got the idea from the lighter fluid in the ingested condom.

[stee]

nobody has the balls to try that in the US, thats for sure!

To be honest there i dont think you are right in saying that. I dont think you can rule out anything against an enemy whos main objective is to become a martyr.

MI5 are saying the plot was to blow up transatlantic airliners flying from the UK to the USA.

[Act of God]

Islam rocks!

[1819]

i love watching the losers who are pissin and moanin that they cant bring stuff on the plane now. one lady said she just spent 20 bucks on shampoo. guess they dont sell shampoo where she's goin. everyone wants security as long as it doesnt affect them and they can still fly to vegas for 99 bucks.

[singern]

makes me wonder if there is a connection between the 11 egyptians who went AWOL in the US, Since just yesterday some were caught and interrogated and today we have this..............Im just sayin..

[Flagg]

Islam rocks!

I'm going to pretend to be stupid. Please elaborate on what you mean.

[IslamReligionOfPeace]

Islam rocks!

religion of peace!

[FranKieC]

I thought it was a plot to blow up US flights from Britan

[Logan13]

I thought it was a plot to blow up US flights from Britan

exactly. I am sure that Western Europe is running to Britain to ensure that these peole have adequate legal representation as well..........

[mark_newcastle]

damn that was crazy, was working nightshift and heard it all develop overnight over the radio!

wouldn't have liked to have been flying today thats for sure

[tiger909]

nothing had mateialized per se on the plan...my guess would have been it was gonna be carried out on 9/11 the 5th year anniversary