derstuka
08-10-2006, 08:44 AM
Everybody is kinda numb to the "terror alerts" now, but, this might have gotten ugly if they had gotten thru. Maybe Osama is back at it again?
U.S.: Airline terror plot 'close to execution'
Security chief: Plans reminiscent of al Qaeda
Thursday, August 10, 2006; Posted: 11:27 a.m. EDT (15:27 GMT)
Polices officer with a sniffer dog prepare to board an American Airlines plane at Glasgow Airport.
The plans were "suggestive of an al Qaeda plot," he said.
British police said they had arrested 21 suspects in the plot to blow up passenger jets flying between the United Kingdom and the United States.
The effects of the plot rippled across the globe Thursday.
The U.S. raised the terror threat level to "severe" for all flights leaving Britain for the United States. Britain raised its alert level to "critical."
A British security official told Reuters news service the plotters could have been just days away from their attacks.
The plot involved hiding liquid explosives in carry-on luggage, U.S. officials said.
Passengers at all U.S. and British airports, and those boarding U.S.-bound flights at other international airports, are banned from taking any liquids onto planes. British police are also banning passengers from carrying electronic key fobs, which have the potential to trigger bombs. (Watch what passengers must do at the world's busiest international airport -- 3:06)
A U.S. administration official said the plot targeted Continental, United, British Airways and American Airlines flights to New York, Washington and California. (Map of flight delays)
Six to 10 flights were targeted, U.S. officials said.
U.S. and British officials said some suspects could still be on the loose and their investigations were continuing.
Flights were canceled or delayed at airports across Europe and the United States as the new security measures produced massive lines at airports. (Full story)
In a sign of the heightened security, Chertoff said the U.S. was dispatching extra air marshals to Britain.
Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney ordered the National Guard to Boston's Logan Airport.
Police said they were still raiding businesses and homes, and Chertoff said it was unclear if all suspects were in custody.
Chertoff said the plotters were "getting close to the execution phase."
"There were very concrete steps under way to execute all elements of the plan," he said.
The plot was "intended to be mass murder on an unimaginable scale," London's Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Paul Stephenson said. (Full story)
British investigators are telling the U.S. that terrorists planned "to get on board with liquid substances that when mixed could be turned into something that could be detonated." (
'Untold death and destruction' planned -- 2:37)
"What makes it frightening is the sophistication to turn relatively common materials into a dangerous" bomb, a U.S. intelligence official told CNN.
Passengers "were not yet sitting on an airplane," but were very close to traveling, a senior U.S. counterterrorism official told The Associated Press.
Chertoff said the plan was reminiscent of a plot by 9/11 coordinator Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, who in 1995 had envisioned detonating bombs on 11 airlines possibly traveling over the Pacific Ocean.
The plot was "as sophisticated as any we have seen in recent years as far as terrorism is concerned," Chertoff said. (Watch Chertoff detail the threat to blow up jetliners -- 7:38)
CNN terror analyst Peter Bergen said two factors pointed to the influence of al Qaeda. He said al Qaeda was "obsessed" with commercial aviation and that the timing of the plot was "very interesting."
"It's not clear when this was going to be implemented ... but we are coming up on the fifth anniversary of 9/11. They do want to make a big statement," he said on CNN's "American Morning."
Britain's threat warning level has been raised to "critical" -- meaning an attack is expected imminently.
The U.S. threat level has been raised to the highest level of "severe," or red, for commercial flights originating in the United Kingdom bound for the United States, according to the Department of Homeland Security. (Full story)
In addition, the threat level has been raised to "high," or orange for all commercial flights operating in or coming to the United States, the DHS said.
The nation's overall terror threat level has not been altered.
Thursday was the first time the DHS has raised the threat level for a specific group of flights.
"Due to the nature of the threat revealed by this investigation, we are prohibiting any liquids, including beverages, hair gels, and lotions from being carried on the airplane," a DHS statement said.
Increased security means airline passengers around the country should show up at least two hours early for all flights, an official with the Transportation Security Administration told CNN.
British and U.S. security agencies quickly moved to impose strict limits on carry-on items in the wake of Thursday's arrests, causing extended delays at airport security checkpoints. (Full story)
The British Airports Authority said no hand luggage would be allowed onto planes leaving British airports until further notice.
British Airways canceled all short haul flights in or out of Heathrow Airport for Thursday, and delays were stacking flights up at airports across Europe.
U.S.: Airline terror plot 'close to execution'
Security chief: Plans reminiscent of al Qaeda
Thursday, August 10, 2006; Posted: 11:27 a.m. EDT (15:27 GMT)
Polices officer with a sniffer dog prepare to board an American Airlines plane at Glasgow Airport.
The plans were "suggestive of an al Qaeda plot," he said.
British police said they had arrested 21 suspects in the plot to blow up passenger jets flying between the United Kingdom and the United States.
The effects of the plot rippled across the globe Thursday.
The U.S. raised the terror threat level to "severe" for all flights leaving Britain for the United States. Britain raised its alert level to "critical."
A British security official told Reuters news service the plotters could have been just days away from their attacks.
The plot involved hiding liquid explosives in carry-on luggage, U.S. officials said.
Passengers at all U.S. and British airports, and those boarding U.S.-bound flights at other international airports, are banned from taking any liquids onto planes. British police are also banning passengers from carrying electronic key fobs, which have the potential to trigger bombs. (Watch what passengers must do at the world's busiest international airport -- 3:06)
A U.S. administration official said the plot targeted Continental, United, British Airways and American Airlines flights to New York, Washington and California. (Map of flight delays)
Six to 10 flights were targeted, U.S. officials said.
U.S. and British officials said some suspects could still be on the loose and their investigations were continuing.
Flights were canceled or delayed at airports across Europe and the United States as the new security measures produced massive lines at airports. (Full story)
In a sign of the heightened security, Chertoff said the U.S. was dispatching extra air marshals to Britain.
Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney ordered the National Guard to Boston's Logan Airport.
Police said they were still raiding businesses and homes, and Chertoff said it was unclear if all suspects were in custody.
Chertoff said the plotters were "getting close to the execution phase."
"There were very concrete steps under way to execute all elements of the plan," he said.
The plot was "intended to be mass murder on an unimaginable scale," London's Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Paul Stephenson said. (Full story)
British investigators are telling the U.S. that terrorists planned "to get on board with liquid substances that when mixed could be turned into something that could be detonated." (
'Untold death and destruction' planned -- 2:37)
"What makes it frightening is the sophistication to turn relatively common materials into a dangerous" bomb, a U.S. intelligence official told CNN.
Passengers "were not yet sitting on an airplane," but were very close to traveling, a senior U.S. counterterrorism official told The Associated Press.
Chertoff said the plan was reminiscent of a plot by 9/11 coordinator Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, who in 1995 had envisioned detonating bombs on 11 airlines possibly traveling over the Pacific Ocean.
The plot was "as sophisticated as any we have seen in recent years as far as terrorism is concerned," Chertoff said. (Watch Chertoff detail the threat to blow up jetliners -- 7:38)
CNN terror analyst Peter Bergen said two factors pointed to the influence of al Qaeda. He said al Qaeda was "obsessed" with commercial aviation and that the timing of the plot was "very interesting."
"It's not clear when this was going to be implemented ... but we are coming up on the fifth anniversary of 9/11. They do want to make a big statement," he said on CNN's "American Morning."
Britain's threat warning level has been raised to "critical" -- meaning an attack is expected imminently.
The U.S. threat level has been raised to the highest level of "severe," or red, for commercial flights originating in the United Kingdom bound for the United States, according to the Department of Homeland Security. (Full story)
In addition, the threat level has been raised to "high," or orange for all commercial flights operating in or coming to the United States, the DHS said.
The nation's overall terror threat level has not been altered.
Thursday was the first time the DHS has raised the threat level for a specific group of flights.
"Due to the nature of the threat revealed by this investigation, we are prohibiting any liquids, including beverages, hair gels, and lotions from being carried on the airplane," a DHS statement said.
Increased security means airline passengers around the country should show up at least two hours early for all flights, an official with the Transportation Security Administration told CNN.
British and U.S. security agencies quickly moved to impose strict limits on carry-on items in the wake of Thursday's arrests, causing extended delays at airport security checkpoints. (Full story)
The British Airports Authority said no hand luggage would be allowed onto planes leaving British airports until further notice.
British Airways canceled all short haul flights in or out of Heathrow Airport for Thursday, and delays were stacking flights up at airports across Europe.