UK Terror Plot Thwarted, Terror Threat Raised to Critical

[jameslofton29]

LONDON - British authorities thwarted a terrorist plot to blow up several aircraft mid-flight between the United States and Britain using explosives smuggled in hand luggage, officials said Thursday.

"A major terrorist plot to allegedly blow up aircraft in mid-flight has been disrupted in a joint, pre-planned, intelligence-led operation by the metropolitan police anti-terrorist branch and security services," a police spokesman said.

Britain?s Home Secretary John Reid said the alleged plot was ?significant? and that terrorists aimed to ?bring down a number of aircraft through mid-flight explosions, causing a considerable loss of life.?

Police arrested a number of people overnight in London after a major covert counterterrorism operation that had lasted several months, but did not immediately say how many.

The national threat level was raised to critical ? a warning level that indicates the likelihood of an imminent terrorist attack. The threat rating was posted on the Web site of Britain?s MI5 ? the British domestic spy agency.

The U.S. government raised its threat level to the highest level for commercial flights from Britain to the United States early Thursday.

?We believe that these arrests (in London) have significantly disrupted the threat, but we cannot be sure that the threat has been entirely eliminated or the plot completely thwarted,? said U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff.

Prime Minister Tony Blair, vacationing in the Caribbean, had briefed President Bush on the situation overnight, Blair?s office said.

The Department of Transport advised all passengers that they would not be permitted to carry any hand baggage on board any aircraft departing from any airport in the country.

Passengers faced delays as tighter security was hastily enforced at the country?s airports and additional measures were put in place for all flights. British Airways said laptop computers, mobile phones, iPods and remote controls were among the items banned from being carried on board.

The Associated Press                                                         

[jameslofton29]

All you UK Gunners stay safe. Definitely major shit.  Has the level been this high before, like before or immediately after that last terrorist attack?


Just thought of something after posting this: Since it goes into minor detail about Blair- Bush and US Government agencies, could it be classified as a political thread even though it is strictly a news article?

[anythinggoes]

Its scary stuff especially as im planning on going to the states in the next few months lets just hope they got everyone.  Although none of the terrorist actions have had a direct effect on me it still makes you worried about the what if factor because one day it could be you or someone you know and love involved in it all.

[jazjme]

IVe jsut turned on the news here , and it was the first thing that was reported , as someone who lived and worked at the world trade center , this shit pisses me off.

Just only hope that this time indeed plans were thwarted , as much as its a pain in the ass when this shit confronts people, only way to over come is to keep moving forward.  This is the first I ever heard of the critical terror level being implamented. BUT if these security warnings are supposed to be in place to protect, than I hope that all the world govt's and people  react accordingly. Shame we need this shit. BUt then again, we had no system to gauge  9/11.

[blaqktiger]

This is scary because my girlfriend has gone on a plane trip today... she sent me a text at 6:30am saying there is a security alert and she can't take her phone, so I won't hear from her for a long time.

This is killing me because I just want to talk to her and I have no contact 

[Jonx]

This is scary because my girlfriend has gone on a plane trip today... she sent me a text at 6:30am saying there is a security alert and she can't take her phone, so I won't hear from her for a long time.

This is killing me because I just want to talk to her and I have no contact 

It will be fine, MI5 have been watching everyone involved in this plot for months now, the only reason they moved in and kicked all this off was because "something happened" probably the beginings of the supposed opperation, perhaps they saw someone packing etc indicating the start of some attack or heard something via wiretaps/phonetaps. What is clear though is that its still in the early stages, with all the security and the amount of survailence that goes on that we dont know about, there is no way the British govt would let things advance to a point where the mass majority are put in danger.

Jonx

[T_Roxie]

Shit my brother is flying today

[Slashead]

Peaceful religion...

[Kaybee]

The insane thing is, they've caught these guys, but this is an evil circle that will never stop. No matter how many people they arrest/detain/put in jail, there are always going to be more extremists willing to take their places to commit evil.

This world is a scary and strange place.

[badapple81]

I'm just glad so many lives have been spared here.. so many people would have died and their families and friends lives ruined.

It's just scary to think about what happens if sometime again soon, they don't catch them beforehand 

Up until today I had been planning a trip back home to the UK, and around Europe then to the States.. it's been a few years now since 9/11 and I hadn't even given the whole terror thing a second thought.. but I'd hate to think how I would feel if this news broke and I was a week or so from boarding a plane.

[Drew]

Good job U.K. investigators.

But, I wonder how how long it will take now before some organization(s) comes to the defense of the terrorist saying that their rights were violated? I'm sure U.K. officials are dirty and did something illegally to obtain this plot information. Some poor terrosits rights had to be violated.

[Jonx]

Good job U.K. investigators.

But, I wonder how how long it will take now before some organization(s) comes to the defense of the terrorist saying that their rights were violated? I'm sure U.K. officials are dirty and did something illegally to obtain this plot information. Some poor terrosits rights had to be violated.

Yeah somehow i dont think it was a coincidence that yesterday lunchtime John Reed gave a press conference saying that European Regulations and International Treaties were hampering his job and stopping vital investigations from taking place. The example he used was that he finds it hard to understand how he cant send one person home who is threatening the lives of thousands of people because there is a risk that that one person may be tourtured when he is returned home! Dirty survelience will surely have been used, just read up on GCHQ and project Echelon and some of the stuff they do and have done in the past, fortunatly i doubt we will ever know about it since this is a threat related to the US and UK and can be kept in house, both countries have a long history of covering things up and bending the law to the limits!

Jonx

I

[Origen]

We've let everyone and anyone into our country and this is what happens.

I'm glad what could of been a disaster has been avoided and everyone is safe.

[babydolls]

glad my flight was on tuesday.  sad for all the people trapped at airports or on planes feeling scared and confused and also for the airport staff there that are having to deal with loads of stressed passengers when they prob dont know any further details.

In reply to your question jameslofton, I think the last time we were at Critical level was immediately after our bombings last July and then the "fake" ones two weeks later.  Not as high a level in between although there has been talk of at least four major plots being foiled since last years atrocities.

britain has been and will continue to be a bit of a mess for some time thanks to certain people in power.

stay safe all.  xx

[Slashead]

We've let everyone and anyone into our country and this is what happens.

I'm glad what could of been a disaster has been avoided and everyone is safe.

The sad thing is that the Islamic terrorists that have been arrested are born in the UK...

[SPUNKY]

We've let everyone and anyone into our country and this is what happens.

I'm glad what could of been a disaster has been avoided and everyone is safe.

The sad thing is that the islamist terrorists that have been arrested are born in the UK...

well you know what I would do...... in fact wont say propley get banned!!!

 

[Guns N RockMusic]

And what sucks even more is that you know the fuckers that are gonna blow the planes up are Arabs. But you have people that would rather look at 90 year old women than focus on the only ethnicity to pull shit like this.

[Bostonrose]

Actually they were not arab, they were of british decent..pakistani

[blaqktiger]

Well I heard from my g/f now.. but she's still gotta fly home... I just want to be with her and comfort her

[Izzy]

Oh dear - critical threat level is issued when an attack is imminent

Its spread like wildfire over here - hand luggage on all outbound flights has been banned - not even a wallet is allowed with you