BEIJING, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- Police in London said on Thursday they had thwarted a major terrorist plot to blow up aircraft in mid-flight and arrested 21 suspects who had attempted to take explosives-packed hand luggage aboard.

    The following are major terrorist attacks against British targets over the past 20 years.

    Dec. 21, 1988 -- A Pan Am Boeing 747 blast over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing all 259 people aboard and 11 people on the ground.

    Sept. 3, 1989 -- A bomb exploded outside the Liberty department store in London, leaving one woman seriously injured.

    Feb. 7, 1991 -- Three mortar shells landed near 10 Downing Street, the Prime Minister's Office, but caused no casualties.

    Sept. 20, 2000 -- The office building of Britain's Secret Intelligence Service was attacked with missiles. No one was injured.

    March 4, 2001 -- A car bomb exploded outside the headquarters of the British Broadcasting Corp. in London, leaving one person injured.

    Oct. 19, 2001 -- The British lower house of parliament adjourned session after a parcel containing suspicious white power was found there.

    March 19, 2003 -- British police arrested three suspects near London's Gatwick Airport and found them in possession of two explosive devices.

    Nov. 20, 2003 -- At least 30 people were killed and about 450 injured in two consecutive car bomb explosions at the HSBC headquarters in Istanbul, Turkey and Britain's consulate general there.

    July 7, 2005 -- London public transport system came under terrorist bomb attacks which killed 52 people and wounded nearly 700.

    July 21, 2005 -- One person was injured in bomb attacks on three subway stations and one double-decker bus in London. Enditem