A major terrorist plot to commit 'mass murder on an unimaginable scale' by blowing up aircraft flying from the United Kingdom to the United States has been foiled with the arrest of 21 people in London, Birmingham and Thames Valley in an ongoing operation.
The plot was 'very significant' and was designed to 'bring down a number of aircraft through mid-flight explosions causing a considerable loss of life,' British Home Secretary John Reid said on Thursday.
British Intelligence agency M15 said the current threat level is critical -- the highest possible -- meaning thereby 'an attack is expected and indicates an extremely high level of threat to the UK.' Security sources believe that some liquid explosives could be mixed during the flight into a lethal concoction. Security at all airports in Britain has been increased with additional security measures put in place for all flights.
Heathrow airport, the busiest in Europe, was closed to all incoming flights that were already in the air while several outbound services were cancelled causing inconvenience to thousands of travellers.
"The plot was intended to be mass murder of unimaginable scale," Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Paul Stephenson said, adding: "We believe that the terrorists' aim was to smuggle explosives onto aeroplanes in hand baggage and to detonate these in-flight."
"This is about people who are desperate, people who want to do things that no right-minded citizen of this country or any other country would want to tolerate," he said.
Domestic news agency Press Association quoted unnamed senior police sources as stating that majority of those arrested were believed to be of Pakistani origin but most, if not all, were British.
In the US, the Department of Homeland Security raised the terror threat to the highest level of 'severe' or red for commercial flights originating in the UK and bound for US. It also prohibited any liquids, including any beverages, hair gels and lotions, from being carried on aircraft. In addition, the threat level has been raised to high for all commercial
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