2006 transatlantic aircraft plot
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The 2006 transatlantic aircraft plot is an alleged plan devised by "British born" people that London's metropolitan police claims to have foiled. On August 10, 2006 the police claimed that a serious terrorist plot to explode bombs on flights from the United Kingdom to the United States was prevented.
The plot
The plot is claimed to have the aim of blowing up as many as ten aircraft in mid-flight over the Atlantic Ocean with bombs carried in hand luggage. According to news reports, aircraft from United Airlines, Continental Airlines and American Airlines were among those planned to be blown up.
Paul Beaver, a UK terror expert, has said that it appears possible al-Qaeda was behind the plot, which comes only weeks after the group threatened to attack UK aviation.[1]
Police investigation
Police have stated that they have been observing this plot for months, and had to reveal the investigation after finding infomation which suggested an attack was due in the coming days. [2]
A police spokesperson made the following statement: "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".[citation needed]
Twenty-one people were arrested in London, High Wycombe and Birmingham on the morning of August 10, and are currently in custody. The BBC has reported that the key people involved in the plot are British born.[3]
Intervention
The British Home Secretary John Reid claimed that this was a "very significant plot" with the aim of taking "down a number of aircraft through mid-flight explosions".[2] "We are doing everything possible to disrupt any further terrorist activity," he said. "This will mean major disruption at all UK airports". [citation needed]
The current terror alert level was raised at 02:00 BST by Britain's Joint Terrorist Analysis Centre from 'severe' to 'critical', signalling an attack may be imminent.[4] Security at all UK airports has also been raised to the highest level, with all luggage having to go into the aircraft's hold (including even books/newspapers and glasses cases). No hand luggage (carry-on luggage) is allowed except essentials such as travel documents and wallets. Passengers travelling with small children are permitted to carry baby milk but must taste it in front of staff.[5] It has been suggested that the use of liquid explosives was planned.[3] These would probably have been Binary explosives, which would be inert until mixed.
It was confirmed by a Metropolitan Police Service deputy commissioner that 21 people were arrested in London, Birmingham, Thames Valley and the West Midlands in an overnight operation. [6]. Two of the arrests were in the Birmingham area, where firearms officers were not involved, according to a statement by West Midlands Police.[3]
Consequences
Flight cancellations
All inbound flights to London Heathrow Airport which are not already in the air have been cancelled due to congestion at the airport [7]. All flights in and out of London Gatwick Airport have been suspended [8]. In addition, passengers on all other UK airports were allowed to take only minimal hand luggage onto the planes, carrying those items in transparant plastic bags. [9]
- British Airways have cancelled all shorthaul (UK and European) inbound and outbound flights to and from London Heathrow up until 15:00 BST.
- Lufthansa have cancelled all flights to the UK[10]
- Aer Lingus has cancelled 18 flights between Ireland and Heathrow, until at least 15:00 BST [11]. The airline has recommended that only absolutely essential travel is undertaken to the UK [12].
- EasyJet Has suspended all flights in and out of London Gatwick.
- SAS have cancelled all flights to the UK from Scandinavia until at least 15:00 BST.[13]
- Spanish carrier Iberia have cancelled flights to the UK [1].
Other
- BAA advised passengers not to travel to Heathrow unless their journey was "essential", and long delays were expected by outbound passengers.[2]
- The road system into Heathrow was reported by the BBC to be gridlocked.[citation needed]
- The US have raised their threat level to the highest possible for all flights inbound to the US from the UK.[14]
International reaction
United States -
The United States Department of Homeland Security has raised the threat level for commercial flights originating in the United Kingdom to Severe, the highest threat level, for the first time in American history. All other aircraft have their threat levels raised to High. [15]
References
- ^ Reuters UK. "Police say foil plot to bomb aircraft". Reuters UK. Retrieved August 10.
{{cite web}}:|author=has generic name (help); Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ a b ABC News. "British Police Thwart Aircraft Bomb Plot". ABC News. Retrieved August 10.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c BBC News UK. "'Airlines terror plot' disrupted". BBC News UK. Retrieved August 10.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ MSNBC. "U.K.: Plot to bomb U.S.-bound planes foiled". MSNBC. Retrieved August 10.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ CBS News. "'Terror Plot Foiled In London". CBS News. Retrieved August 10.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ CNN News. "'Police: Plot to blow up aircraft foiled". CNN News. Retrieved August 10.
{{cite web}}:|author=has generic name (help); Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ BBC News UK. "Heathrow shut to incoming flights". BBC News UK. Retrieved August 10.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ BBC News UK. "Travel chaos grips UK's airports". BBC News UK. Retrieved August 10.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ CNN. "BAA outlines new security measures". CNN News. Retrieved August 10.
{{cite web}}:|author=has generic name (help); Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ BBC. "UK alert hits flights within EU". BBC News UK. Retrieved August 10.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ Aer Lingus. "Flight Disruption to and from UK Airports". Aer Lingus website. Retrieved August 10.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ RTÉ. "Aircraft terror plot foiled, say UK police". RTÉ News. Retrieved August
10.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help); line feed character in|accessdate=at position 8 (help) - ^ SAS. "Security Alert at all UK Airports". SAS website. Retrieved August 10.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Cite has empty unknown parameter:|1=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ BBC. "High alert for UK flights to US". BBC News UK. Retrieved August 10.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ Todd Eastham (August 10 2006). "US raises air security alert to red for first time". Reuters.
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See also
External links
Press
- Major UK air terror plot thwarted (Guardian)
- UK police foil terrorist plot to bomb aircraft (NZ Herald)
- Police: Plot to blow up aircraft foiled (CNN)
UK government
- UK Home Office, Advice to travellers - increased security measures, downloaded August 10 2006.
- UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Statements on terrorism arrests and airline security, downloaded August 10 2006.
- UK Department of Transport, Airline security notice, downloaded August 10 2006.