Police have foiled a major plot to "commit mass murder on an unimaginable scale'' by destroying as many as 10 passenger jets in mid-air.
The targets were flights leaving UK airports to the United States.
Anti-terror police arrested 21 people in London, the Thames Valley and Birmingham as stringent new security measures were imposed on all UK airports.
A ban on hand luggage along with other checks and precautions led to chaos at airports where scores of flights were cancelled and massive queues built up.
Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Paul Stephenson said the plot was designed to cause "untold death and destruction''.
He added: "This was intended to be mass murder on an unimaginable scale.''
Searches were on-going at a number of addresses, he added. Sources indicated that the majority if not all of those arrested were British.
Home Secretary John Reid said the plot represented "a major threat to the UK and international partners''.
He said that the terrorists planned to "bring down a number of aircraft through mid-flight explosions, causing a considerable loss of life''.
The official UK terror threat state was raised to "critical" - its highest level - as travellers were urged not to attempt to catch flights unless it was essential.
Among the measures introduced at airports were specific restrictions on taking liquids on board, prompting speculation that the terrorists were planning to smuggle liquid explosive devices on to jets.
It is believed the covert investigation had been going on for several months and it is understood that officers made the arrests not because they feared an attack was likely to happen immediately but for other intelligence reasons, which meant they had to act quickly.
The Department for Transport said it was hoped that the extra security measures would be needed "for a limited period only''.
Downing Street said the anti-terror operation had been undertaken "with the full support'' of Prime Minister Tony Blair, who is on holiday in the Caribbean.
He had been "in constant contact'' with the situation in the UK and had briefed US President George Bush, a spokesman said.
You're taking an awefully high and mighty tone for one who is just as responsible. No splitting the difference with the blame for you, heh? Still, my way or the highway? That's OK Lavikor, fortunately for me you don't speak for all your people.
Hezbollah are doing what is in the best interest of their people. I'm very proud of them because you have no clue how hard that was for them to do!
Ninth Scribe
Alright you be proud of them, as they put nails inside there rockets to kill mothers and sons like these.
Alright you be proud of them, as they put nails inside there rockets to kill mothers and sons like these.
Split the Difference!
This is what I meant when I said that! I don't like what anyone's been doing, especially my own government and I've already said Hezbollah and Hamas had inadvertantly interferred with my work to restore the northern lands to Palestine... that project was already under-way!
I know everyone knows how to kill, torture, behead, disgrace and desecrate each other. Now I'm calling everyone on this, myself included, to make the concessions we need to make ~ for the best interest of the people we all claim to care so much about. Hezbollah agreed to do that and that wasn't easy for them... they're a proud people!
No more name calling! I can get that from any eighth grader but it's just the pot calling the kettle black again. It gets us all nowhere.
Ninth Scribe
Last edited by Ninth_Scribe; 08-13-2006 at 07:39 PM.
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