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An armed policeman patrols at Heathrow Airport in
London following the introduction of heightened security measures August
10, 2006.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) More
Photos |
BEIJING, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- British police in London
said on Thursday that they had thwarted a major terrorist plot to blow up
airplanes flying from Britain to the United States. The United States and some
other countries tightened airport security measures and maintained a high alert
to potential terrorist attacks.
British Home Secretary John Reid said Thursday
morning that Britain's MI5 and police had foiled the attempt to detonate
explosive devices smuggled aboard as hand luggage on midnight flights from
Britain to the United States. Twenty-one suspects have been arrested.
"Overnight the police, with the full knowledge of
ministers, have carried out a major counter-terrorism operation to disrupt what
we believe to be a major threat to the UK and her international partners," he
said.
"The police, acting with the Security Service MI5,
are investigating an alleged plot to bring down a number of aircraft through
mid-flight explosions, causing a considerable loss of life," he said.
Six planes were involved and flights were targeted
from London, Glasgow and Manchester, police said.
London's Heathrow airport is now closed to all
incoming flights. British Airways (BA) has cancelled all short-haul European
flights as well as significantly delaying other services.Olympic Airways has
grounded all flights.
Security at airports across the country has been
beefed up, and massive delays have been caused at all airports across Britain.
BA on Thursday advised all passengers that they would
not be permitted to carry any hand baggage on board any aircraft departing from
any airport in Britain.
Passengers will
be allowed to take only travel documents, eyeglasses and a handful of other
items through airport security, the company said in a statement. About 400,000
people were estimated to be affected by the travel disruption.
Responding to the incident, Britain's Joint Terrorism
Analysis Centre raised the country's security threat level to "critical" from
"severe," the highest of the five levels.
Through the day, 21 suspects had been arrested in
London, its suburbs and in Birmingham. Searches were continuing in a number of
locations, Deputy Commissioner Paul Stephenson from London's Metropolitan police
told a press conference.
Downing Street said that Prime Minister Tony Blair,
on holiday in the Caribbean, was in constant contact with the UK anti-terror
team and the operation had been undertaken with his full support.
Blair had also kept U.S. President George W. Bush
informed on the security threat to the planes, Downing Street added.
The United States has raised its threat level to the maximum in response to the
terror plot in Britain.
"For that reason, the United States government has
raised the nation's threat level to Severe, or Red, for commercial flights
originating in the United Kingdom bound for the United States," said a statement
from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Thursday.
Airports across the United States beefed up security
Thursday and some flights were canceled or delayed. The administration also
banned all liquids and gels from flights, including toothpaste, makeup, and
suntan lotion, but baby formula and medicines were exempted.
The Russian Transport Ministry boosted security at
the country's airports on Thursday as well, with security measures during
passenger and luggage checks being increased. However the ministry has not
imposed limitations on Russian airline flights to London.
Germany cancelled nearly all flights from Germany to
Britain on Thursday. Lufthansa, the biggest airline in Germany and the second
biggest in Europe, cancelled all flights scheduled to depart for Britain before
2 p.m. local time (1300 GMT).
French authorities said Thursday that the terrorism
alert level in French airports would remain unchanged at "red", the third
highest on a four-color scale.
However a French police spokesman said security
measures had been stepped up at British airline check-in counters at Paris' main
Charles de Gaulle airport. French airline Air France also cancelled all flights
for London until 1200 GMT.
Canadian airports also beefed up security measures.
Transport Canada, which oversees security in Canadian airports, has imposed
increased restrictions for the next 48 to 72 hours.
The Spanish airline Iberia said Thursday that it was
canceling flights to London's Heathrow Airport until noon.
Poland tightened its security measures at its
airports and Warsaw's subway on Thursday.
Some airports in Poland postponed or cancelled their
flights to London and a crisis team led by Polish commander-in-chief Marek
Bienkowski gathered at Warsaw's police headquarters.
In Israel, all flights leaving Ben Gurion
international airport in Tel Aviv for London's Heathrow airport were also
canceled Thursday.
Lithuania has also stepped up its security defenses,
especially in its transportation and energy sectors, but it has not canceled
flights to London.
South Korea also tightened security at the Incheon
International Airport on Thursday after an bomb plot was foiled in London,
government officials said.
The Incheon International Airport, which is the
country's largest air terminal, raised its security level by one notch from
"green" to "blue," airport officials said. Enditem
