Yet another terrorist plot thwarted. Well done the UK authorities on their ongoing success.

<h2>* 'Liquid chemical devices in passenger bags' suspected
* US flights from UK were targeted, say Washington sources
* 21 arrests: main players 'accounted for' says Reid
* MI5 raises the threat level to critical - attack imminent</h2><div class="bodyCopy"><div class="articleButton"></div><div id="bodyCopyContent">

A terrorist plot to blow up aircraft in mid-flight has been thwarted, Scotland Yard said. Hand luggage has been banned at UK airports and MI5 has raised the threat level to &quot;critical&quot;. </p>

A statement on the MI5 website said: &quot;This means that an attack is expected imminently and indicates an extremely high level of threat to the UK.&quot; </p>

Sources say that liquid chemical devices were suspected. It is believed that the aim was to smuggle the devices on board the aircraft in hand luggage and that the attacks would have been targeted at flights from the UK to the USA. In Washington, counter-terrorism officials said United, American, Continental airlines were targeted. </p>

Senior sources in London said that the terrorists were believed to have been planning to blow up as many as nine aircraft. The sources could not give an accurate estimate about when exactly the simultaneous attacks were planned for, but said there were &quot;operational reasons&quot; which meant action was required last night. </p>

Scotland Yard has arrested 21 people in London, the Thames Valley area and Birmingham. </p>

Deputy Commissioner Paul Stephenson said that the plot was intended to bring down a number of aircraft through mid-flight explosions. He said: &quot;This was intended to be mass murder on an unimaginable scale.&quot; </p>

Searches were on-going at a number of addresses, he added. Sources said detectives had found &quot;a number of things that are causing interest&quot; . </p>

It is believed the covert investigation has been going on for several months and it is understood that officers made the arrests overnight not because they feared an attack was likely to happen today but for other intelligence reasons which meant they had to act quickly. </p>

The head of Scotland Yard's anti-terrorist branch, Peter Clarke, said the plot has &quot;a global dimension&quot;. The investigation had involved an &quot; unprecedented&quot; level of surveillance and had involved police forces in the UK and internationally. </p>

The Home Secretary John Reid said today that police had carried out &quot;a major counter-terrorism operation to disrupt what we believe to be a major threat to the UK and international partners&quot;. </p>

He said the main players were &quot;accounted for&quot;, but stressed the need to maintain vigilant. </p>

Mr Reid said the alleged plot was &quot;very significant&quot; and was designed to &quot;bring down a number of aircraft through mid-flight explosions, causing a considerable loss of life&quot;. </p>

He warned that the operation would mean major disruption at all UK airports from today but he added: &quot;As far as is possible we want people to go about their business as normal.&quot; </p>

Additional security measures have been put in place for all flights from UK airports. </p>

A Department of Transport spokesman said: &quot;Regrettably, significant delays at airports are inevitable. Passengers are being asked to allow themselves plenty of extra time and to ensure that other than a few permitted items, all their belongings are placed in their hold baggage and checked in. </p>

&quot;These additional security measures will make travel more difficult for passengers, particularly at such a busy time of the year. But they are necessary and will continue to keep flights from UK airports properly secure. </p>

&quot;We hope that these measures, which are being kept under review by the Government, will need to be in place for a limited period only. In light of the threat to aviation and the need to respond to it, we are asking the travelling public to be patient and understanding and to cooperate fully with airport security staff and the police. </p>

&quot;If passengers have any questions on their travel arrangements or security in place at airports they should contact their airline or carrier.&quot;</p>

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: &quot;We would like to reassure the public that this operation was carried out with public safety uppermost in our minds. This is a major operation which inevitably will be lengthy and complex.&quot; </p>

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Yes, well done the spooks. nt

 

Are we posting years old news now .....?

...... seeing as Jacqui Smith has been Home Secretary for ages.

</p>

 

That's the one from last year!

or year before (don't remember exactly when)

You bugger....freaked me out for a minute then thinking there were new restrictions a few days before I was going to the States.

 

Correct. Over a year after the taser incident. Did you miss that?

</p>

Heh heh.</p>

 

Apparently so. nt

 

You've just made a big fool of yourself Windy...

..but you haven't realised yet.

 

Here we go.

</p>

Aren't you still a little sore after yesterday?</p>

 

RE: You've just made a big fool of yourself Windy...

That's never stopped him before.</p>

 

I saw the taser posting

But that was a recently published story, even though the incident itself happened a while ago.

 

Windy - dont know you and dont care but you seem like nothing but a complete PRAT!

 

Is it cool to hate Windy now again then?

I swear this board is on a cycle, the same arguments etc come up all the time. </p>

I think you should all just fight it out. To the death</p>

 

That's a bit fair fetched Thrappo.

What's actually happening is that this bbs is actually a front to an internet time machine. You can travel anywhere in time and to any place, as long as you don't look out the window to see if anything's changed, like the seasons. Or a building, or the wind direction

Sadly you can't change anything or gamble and stuff or change the future, coz when you click back, the memory has been cached and that.

I might write a book about it.

 

Be careful what you say to *Windbag, he'll be threatening you with legal action soon!

 

That's a shame. I quite like you. nt

 

Well I've recently published the other story so **** off. nt

 

Aye, you're right. Your idea is a lot more realistic. And fun.</p>

Whatever they feed you down in that weird Island of yours I think I need some.</p>

When you write that book, let me know and I'll stock it in my bookshop. It'll sell like hot cakes (though I don't think I'd be too keen on hot cakes, seems a bit odd).</p>

Did you do a littlejig when you figured out the true secret of the board? I know I would've danced</p>

 

maybe a compromise is needed, how about selling it 'like a book' instead of hot cakes? I wouldn't want trading standards involved.

I nearly did my trademark caterpillar to celebrate, but I cut my chin open and chipped my front teeth doing the swallow dive and just laid there in pain. The moment has gone now.

Trying to think of a title.

 

No, just a little sad.

Still waiting for my apology - doesn't even need to be a public one either!

 

RE: No, just a little sad.

Take him to court, he's defaming your good name, I'll vouch for you.