Special Report: Major UK air terror plot thwarted

A police dog handler stands guard at Manchester Airport. (Xinhua/AFP Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

    BEIJING, Aug. 11 (Xinhuanet) -- Britain on Friday identified 19 suspects arrested in connection with a plot to blow up U.S.-bound airplanes and ordered their assets frozen, the Guadian newspaper reported.

    The Bank of England, acting on instructions from the government, published the names and addresses of 19 of 24 suspects arrested Thursday, saying it would be illegal to release their funds.

    The list gave the first details of some of those allegedly connected to the plot. Those arrested are aged 17 to 35 and lived in areas of east London, in the southeastern town of High Wycombe and in Britain's second city of Birmingham.

    Police are holding 24 people following arrests on Thursday after a series of raids in those areas.

    Treasury spokesman Nic Stevenson said more suspects may have their assets frozen. "The list may grow bigger as the process evolves," he said.

    Police said the plan was to carry out multiple suicide attacks by smuggling chemical bombs on to planes disguised as drinks. The bombs were to be assembled on the aircraft, apparently with peroxide-based solution and everyday carry-on items such as a disposable camera or a music player, AP reported.

    In Pakistan, a senior government official confirmed that seven people had been arrested in connection with the plot, including two British citizens.

    The two Britons, of Pakistani origin, were arrested a week ago, the official said. The five Pakistanis were arrested on suspicion that they had served as local "facilitators" for the two Britons. It wasn't clear when they had been detained.

    Rasheed Ahmed, a member of the Pakistani government, confirmed that the country's intelligence agencies had passed on information about the plot obtained from people -- including British nationals -- arrested in Pakistan.

    At Heathrow, Europe's busiest airport, around 70 percent of flights were running Friday, but many passengers turned around and headed home after an early morning announcement that a raft of flights had been canceled. Enditem

    (Agencies)