Police say they have disrupted a major plot to blow up as many as 20 planes over UK and US cities with explosive devices smuggled aboard as hand luggage. Police are have arrested 20 people in London - the culmination of a covert counter-terrorist operation lasting several months. Big queues were building up at UK airports as passengers trying to board international flights were not being allowed to carry on normal hand luggage. Security sources are said to be believe that liquid explosives would have been used and could therefore be missed during the x-ray screening of such luggage. Sky News' Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said he had been told the threat was imminent and those arrested were mainly young, British-born Asian men. He said the plan allegedly involved people boarding flights and detonating explosives on planes over UK and US cities. The Home Secretary John Reid said the alleged plot was a "major threat" to bring down a number of planes. The Home Office's level of security - indicating public risk - has been raised from 'severe' to 'critical'. The swoop followed a pre-planned intelligence led operation by the Met's anti-terrorist branch and security service. A police statement said: "This is a major operation which inevitably will be lengthy and complex. We will provide further information as soon as possible." Lengthy queues at airports have been reported and a Transport Department spokesman said delays were inevitable. "Passengers are being asked to allow themselves plenty of extra time. These additional security measures will make travel more difficult for passengers, particularly at such a busy time of the year." Source: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/10082006/140/plane-terror-plot-disrupted.html
It's all over the news here, I only read about it now once I got into work. I guessed something was up last night as I saw about 30 armed policemen on my way home from work on all of the station platforms and on the trains, normally it's a muggers paradise as there's none at all.
I'm not sure, we'll have to see how it pans out, if it turns out to be the same as the Forrest Hill episode then the police will come in for some stick.
Common Matt.... Israel is all after that...they must stop killing those 'Innocent' suicide bangers.. no?? What the hell is Asian men?? Were they Middle eastern?? or Pakistani?? or Indian?? or Chinese?? or Japanese.. Who were those young asian men??
Don't you think that scotland yard will back up this issue ones investigation is finished. It's still going on, and I think its important for the public to know why there are so many security personal all around the country now. Propaganda? No
I agree with mcfox, Another attempt to raise the fear. Liquid explosives my ass. it would be way easier to smuggle conventional explosives onto a train or tube again. no need for this sci fi bullshit, since when do terrorists use liquid explosives?
Does anyone actually know anything about 'liqud explosives' if they're so easy to smuggle on board planes then why haven't they been used before?
You as a rocket scientist (profile) know that all. Are you working for hizbollah, hamas or north korea?
Terrorists use them off and on, its not the first time.. http://www.thehindu.com/2005/12/30/stories/2005123025900300.htm
Mainly because they are not easy to make, use and maintain and you need a very large quantity to make real damage. On planes however, all you need to do is a small explosion to damage the plane's structure and it goes down. The same amount on a tube or a bus would make very little damage (only a few dead). Can you compare it to taking a 747 down?
I guess we'll just have to wait and see how things pan out over the day. After Forrest Hill I'm hoping the police would be certain before they moved in and made arrests
Yeah, yeah, yeah ... another 'terrorist swoop' - boy, am I convinced. The whole point is to take the middle east off it's top spot in the news. So in that sense, it's propoganda. It's also propoganda because it raises the fear levels and 'perceived risk'. It's also a load of shite. Like all the other load of shite so-called plots that they dream up in Whitehall spy offices.
Neither. I could tell you but I would then have to kill you. feel free to guess though. As hextrordinaire stated, liquid explosive is very hard to make and maintain. much like liquid rocket propellent. It is also very hard to transport as it is generally highly corrosive and sometimes quite volatile.
Webby it was not meant to be derogatory, it is just the terminology we use in the Uk. Black means of Afro caribbean origin, Asian means of Asian decent meaning pakistani, bangladeshi Indian etc. Chinese means just that as does japanese (normally termed oriental) and Middle eastern/ Arab is another classification. Occasionally of late Terrorists have been white, when for some strange reason they feel the need to say 'white muslims' (assuming that is the case). The other classification is Eastern Europeans meaning basically Poles or Russians from the old russiian states of Latvia etc.
Well it's all over the TV... first it was 20 planes.. now they're saying it was 6 planes. They say they've arrested 20 british-born men with links to Pakistan, and there are still 2 on the loose.
Liquid explosive could refer simply to petrol guys. Petrol in a small area contained, becomes explosive. Nitro is also liquid explosive. They are probably talking about Nitromethane though.