Brits Foil Major Terror Plot to Bomb Planes

Security at all British airports has been increased as the Security Service MI5 and Scotland Yard have disrupted a plot to blow up planes in mid-flight. Home Secretary John Reid stated that the "very significant scheme could have caused a considerable loss of life."

From Sky News:

"Overnight the police, with the full knowledge of ministers, have carried out a major counter-terrorism operation to disrupt what we believe to be a major threat to the UK and international partners.

"The police, acting with the Security Service MI5, are investigating an alleged plot to bring down a number of aircraft through mid-flight explosions, causing a considerable loss of life."

Mr Reid said the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre has raised the UK threat status to its highest level - critical.

He added: "We are doing everything possible to disrupt any further terrorist activity."

Police will provide an update on the operation, that involved 20 arrests, later this morning.

All those arrested are British Muslims who were booked on consecutive flights from London, Glasgow, Birmingham, and Manchester to the United States. Police are still searching for two people.

The intended bombs are believed to be some sort of liquid chemical devices so all liquids are prohibited from carry-on luggage. U.S. Homeland Security has raised the terrorist threat level to Red for all flights between the U.S. and Britain. Domestic threat level has been raised to Orange.

All flights from Brussels to the UK have been canceled. All inbound flights to Heathrow Airport have been canceled. All hand luggage has been banned.

From Sky News:

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.

Developing ...


[Update 0500 EDT]

From FoxNews, it's reported that six planes were targeted in the plot which involved as many as 50 conspirators. Severe travel disruptions are being experienced. British Airways, Air France, KLM, Alitalia, Iberia, and El Al have canceled all flights until further notice.

Carry-on luggage restrictions:

- No liquids other than baby formula which must be tested

- All pocket-sized carry-on items must be in clear plastic bag

- No contact lens cleaning solution

- Eyeglasses okay but no eyeglass cases

- No laptops, cellphones, briefcases, rucksacks

- Prescription medicines allowed.

Travel restrictions are most extensive since 9/11.

Scotland Yard holds brief press conference. Twenty-one people have been arrested. Others are being investigated. Operation is ongoing.

Unnamed U.S. intelligence official says there is a serious al-Qaeda connection with the plot.


[Update 0550 EDT]

From Guardian.co.uk:

Paul Stephenson, the deputy commissioner of the Metropolitan police, said he was confident that a plan "intended to be mass murder on an unimaginable scale" had been thwarted.

Unconfirmed reports suggested between three and 10 flights could have been targeted.

Police said 21 people had been arrested in London, the Thames Valley and Birmingham. Sources said those arrested were British-born and were held as part of an operation, involving the security services, that has been ongoing covertly for several months. [Note: SkyNews interviewee said the terrorists were of Pakistani origin.]

At 2am, the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre raised the UK terror alert from severe to critical - its highest level - for the first time. The Home Office website defines that as meaning an attack is expected "imminently."

U.S. Homeland Security to hold press conference at 0800 EDT.

See also The Jawa Report ( here and here).