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[url="http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060810/ts_nm/security_britain_dc"]http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060810/ts_nm/...rity_britain_dc[/url]


[quote][size=5][b]British police foil plot to blow up planes between Britain, US[/b][/size]

LONDON (AFP) - British police have thwarted a major terrorist plot to blow up aircraft flying between Britain and the United States, Scotland Yard said.

Britain immediately went on its highest alert for terrorist attacks, raising the level issued by the domestic intelligence service MI5 to "critical" from "severe", where it had been for several weeks.

Security was ordered to be tightened at British airports, where departing passengers were not allowed hand baggage except articles placed in transparent bags.

Police said the plot involved hiding explosive devices in hand baggage.

In Washington the US Department of Homeland Security raised the threat level for all US-bound planes to "Severe, or red," the department said in a statement.

"This adjustment reflects the Critical, or highest, alert level that has been implemented in the United Kingdom," it added.

"To defend further against any remaining threat from this plot, we will also raise the threat level to High, or orange, for all commercial aviation operating in or destined for the United States."

"Currently, there is no indication, however, of plotting within the United States," it added.

"We believe that these arrests have significantly disrupted the threat, but we cannot be sure that the threat has been entirely eliminated or the plot completely thwarted," the department said.

London and Washington, it added, "are fully united and resolute in this effort and in our ongoing efforts to secure our respective homelands."

The plan was uncovered in a joint operation by the Yard's anti-terrorist branch and security service that lasted several months, the Metropolitan Police said, adding that many arrests had been made.

Home Secretary John Reid said the plot was designed to "bring down a number of aircraft through mid-flight explosions, causing a considerable loss of life."

The plot disrupted by Scotland Yard was "very significant" and the authorities believed it to "be a major threat to the UK and international partners," Reid said..

The operation would mean major disruption at all airports throughout the United Kingdom, he said.

However, he added: "As far as is possible we want people to go about their business as normal."

Television reports said around 20 people were arrested Thursday in connection with the alleged plot.

The BBC said some 18 people were arrested. Sky News reported that 20 people were arrested, adding that 20 planes were targeted.

British Airways warned that it was experiencing severe delays to operations and would likely cancel some of its flights during the day.

"British Airways is experiencing severe delays to its operations on Thursday, August 10, as a result of the current security situation," BA said in a statement.

"It is likely that some flights will be cancelled during the day. Any customers who do not need to travel today are advised to stay at home."

Police said the plot involved hiding explosive devices in hand baggage and that many arrests had been made, although the number was unclear.

In response BA placed restrictions on hand luggage items -- banning handbags, contact-lens solutions and cases for eye glasses.

BA passengers deciding against travel Thursday were entitled to refunds, the airline added.

BA's share price tumbled 4.57 percent to 372.16 pence in early trading on London's FTSE 100 index of leading shares. The FTSE 100 shed 1.22 percent to 5,788.80 points.

British airports operator BAA requested the suspension of all flights due to take off for Heathrow, the National Air Traffic Services said.

"BAA has asked that no flights due to come to Heathrow be dispatched," an NATS spokesman said.

The Spanish airline Iberia said it was cancelling flights to London's Heathrow airport until 1200 GMT.

Flights out of Heathrow, the only British airport used by Iberia, "are late because of checks carried out at Heathrow airport but are taking off normally."

Alitalia cancelled three flights to and from Britain, while German airline Lufthansa said it was cancelling all its flights to Britain until 1200 GMT.

Lufthansa was scheduled to operate a total of 56 Britain-bound flights on Thursday.

Low-cost airline Air Berlin also said it was cancelling its flights to Britain. It operates services from a variety of German cities to Britain.

Air France said it had cancelled three Paris-London flights.

"All Air France flights (from Paris) to London are cancelled until 1200 GMT due to saturation at Heathrow airport," at which point the situation will be reviewed, a spokesman said. Three flights were to be affected.

Australia's Qantas airlines said it would enforce tougher security checks and baggage controls for all flights leaving from and transiting through Britain due to the heightened terror alert.

London's Metropolitan Police said the plot involved hiding explosive devices in hand baggage.

Qantas said passengers would only be allowed to take very basic items into the cabin, such as passport, wallets and tickets, preferably in a transparent plastic bag.

All passengers would be hand-searched, and their footwear and all the items they were carrying would be X-ray screened.

"The new measures, which apply to all airlines operating from the United Kingdom, restrict the items that passengers can carry onto an aircraft as hand baggage," Qantas said in a statement.[/quote]


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