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   U.S.: Airline terror plot 'close to execution'

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Topic: U.S.: Airline terror plot 'close to execution' (Read 285 times)

Rhune
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U.S.: Airline terror plot 'close to execution'
« on: Aug 10^th, 2006, 11:27am »

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U.S.: Airline terror plot 'close to execution'
Security chief: Plans reminiscent of al Qaeda

Thursday, August 10, 2006; Posted: 11:59 a.m. EDT (15:59 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Terrorists were in the final stages of planning to blow up planes heading to the United States from Britain, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Thursday.

The plot was the "greatest terrorist threat" against the United States since 9/11, government officials are saying privately.

Information gathered after recent arrests in Pakistan convinced British investigators they had to act immediately to stop the plot, sources told CNN.

British police said they had arrested 21 suspects in the plot. Indications are that all of those arrested were British citizens and some were of Pakistani ethnicity, a senior U.S. intelligence official said.

The plotter may have been just days from attacking, the official said.

The plans were "suggestive of an al Qaeda plot," Chertoff said.

President Bush said the arrests are a "stark reminder" that the U.S. is "at war with Islamic fascists."

"It is a mistake to believe there is no threat to the United States of America," Bush said in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

The effects of the plot rippled across the globe Thursday.

The U.S. raised the terror threat level to "severe" for all flights leaving Britain for the United States. Britain raised its alert level to "critical."

The plot involved hiding liquid explosives in carry-on luggage, U.S. officials said.

Passengers at all U.S. and British airports, and those boarding U.S.-bound flights at other international airports, are banned from taking any liquids onto planes. British police are also banning passengers from carrying electronic key fobs, which have the potential to trigger bombs.

A U.S. administration official said the plot targeted Continental, United, British Airways and American Airlines flights to New York, Washington and California.

Nine flights were targeted, U.S. officials told CNN.

U.S. and British officials said some suspects could still be on the loose and their investigations were continuing.

Flights were canceled or delayed at airports across Europe and the United States as the new security measures produced massive lines at airports.

In a sign of the heightened security, Chertoff said the U.S. was dispatching extra air marshals to Britain.

Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney ordered the National Guard to Boston's Logan Airport.

Police said they were still raiding businesses and homes, and Chertoff said it was unclear if all suspects were in custody.

Chertoff said the plotters were "getting close to the execution phase."

"There were very concrete steps under way to execute all elements of the plan," he said.

The plot was "intended to be mass murder on an unimaginable scale," London's Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Paul Stephenson said.

British investigators are telling the U.S. that terrorists planned "to get on board with liquid substances that when mixed could be turned into something that could be detonated."

"What makes it frightening is the sophistication to turn relatively common materials into a dangerous" bomb, a U.S. intelligence official told CNN.

Passengers "were not yet sitting on an airplane," but were very close to traveling, a senior U.S. counterterrorism official told The Associated Press.

Chertoff said the plan was reminiscent of a plot by 9/11 coordinator Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, who in 1995 had envisioned detonating bombs on 11 airlines possibly traveling over the Pacific Ocean.

The plot was "as sophisticated as any we have seen in recent years as far as terrorism is concerned," Chertoff said.

CNN terror analyst Peter Bergen said two factors pointed to the influence of al Qaeda. He said al Qaeda was "obsessed" with commercial aviation and that the timing of the plot was "very interesting."

"It's not clear when this was going to be implemented ... but we are coming up on the fifth anniversary of 9/11. They do want to make a big statement," he said on CNN's "American Morning."

Britain's threat warning level has been raised to "critical" -- meaning an attack is expected imminently.

The U.S. threat level has been raised to the highest level of "severe," or red, for commercial flights originating in the United Kingdom bound for the United States, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

In addition, the threat level has been raised to "high," or orange for all commercial flights operating in or coming to the United States, the DHS said.

The nation's overall terror threat level has not been altered.

Thursday was the first time the DHS has raised the threat level for a specific group of flights.

New security restrictions
"Due to the nature of the threat revealed by this investigation, we are prohibiting any liquids, including beverages, hair gels, and lotions from being carried on the airplane," a DHS statement said.

Increased security means airline passengers around the country should show up at least two hours early for all flights, an official with the Transportation Security Administration told CNN.

British and U.S. security agencies quickly moved to impose strict limits on carry-on items in the wake of Thursday's arrests, causing extended delays at airport security checkpoints.

The British Airports Authority said no hand luggage would be allowed onto planes leaving British airports until further notice.

British Airways canceled all short haul flights in or out of Heathrow Airport for Thursday, and delays were stacking flights up at airports across Europe.

Copyright 2006 CNN.

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lakelady
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Re: U.S.: Airline terror plot 'close to execution'
« Reply #1 on: Aug 10^th, 2006, 5:33pm »

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FYI - email from a friend.

I am forwarding this message received from our HR department. You or someone you know may be impacted by these changes. bw
************************************************************************ ************************************************************************ ********

As you may have already heard, British authorities have just uncovered a
terrorist plot targeting aviation interests between the United Kingdom and
the United States. As a result, alert levels have been raised to maximum
levels on both sides of the Atlantic and airport security has been
similarly raised.

Recommendations for Passenger Travel

Passengers advised to arrive early, place liquids in checked baggage

Aug. 10, 2006 â The Department of Homeland Security has raised the threat
level to Orange for all commercial aviation in the U.S. and Red for all
flights from the United Kingdom to the U.S.

Domestic U.S. Travel

The US Department of Homeland Security has issued a Security Directive
effective immediately for all US carriers to/from/within the US, Puerto
Rice and the USVI. All passengers are advised that no liquids or gels are
permitted to enter the sterile area thru the screening checkpoint or be in
accessible property or on one's person except:
Baby formula, breast milk, or juice if a baby or small child is
traveling
Prescription medicine with a name that matches the passengers ticket
or travel documents
Insulin and essential other non-prescription medicines

Liquids and gels include beverages, shampoo, suntan lotion, creams,
toothpaste, hair gel, and other items of similar consistency.

UK Travel
The following measures apply to all passengers starting their journey at a
UK airport and to those transferring between flights at a UK airport and
from anywhere connecting in the US to the UK.

Effective immediately all cabin baggage must be processed as checked
baggage and carried in the hold of passenger aircraft departing UK
airports, connecting thru UK airports and departing the US for the UK.
Passengers may take through the airport security check point, in a single
(ideally transparent) plastic carrier bag, only the following items.
Nothing may be carried in pockets:
Âˇ Pocket size wallets and pocket size purses plus contents (for
example money, credit cards, identity cards, etc (not handbags));
Âˇ Travel documents essential for the journey (for example,
passports and travel tickets);
Âˇ Prescription medicines and medical items sufficient and
essential for the flight (eg, diabetic kit), except in liquid form
unless verified as authentic.
Âˇ Spectacles and sunglasses, without cases.
Âˇ Contact lens holders, without bottles of solution.
Âˇ For those traveling with an infant: baby food, milk (the
contents of each bottle must be tasted by the accompanying passenger)
and sanitary items sufficient and essential for the flight (nappies,
wipes, creams and nappy disposal bags).
Âˇ Female sanitary items sufficient and essential for the flight,
if unboxed (eg tampons, pads, towels and wipes).
Âˇ Tissues (unboxed) and/or handkerchiefs
Âˇ Keys (but no electrical key fobs)

Please refer to the following websites for updates and additional
information:

http://www.tsa.gov/
http://www.tsa.gov/press/happenings/threat-change.shtm

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Tyler
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Re: U.S.: Airline terror plot 'close to execution'
« Reply #2 on: Aug 10^th, 2006, 11:51pm »

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Sometimes when I turn on the news I can't beleive what I'm seeing and hearing...It's amazing what this world has become.

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lakelady
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Re: U.S.: Airline terror plot 'close to execution'
« Reply #3 on: Aug 11^th, 2006, 10:30am »

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Me too, RD. Me too......

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Joab
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Re: U.S.: Airline terror plot 'close to execution'
« Reply #4 on: Aug 11^th, 2006, 11:16am »

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I heard about this on the news.

I really don't understand why would terrorism even exist. Those terrorists, do they even realize they are doing harm to the human race, and their own race as well?

It's saddening to hear about all these every now and then. Why can't there just be world peace? Undecided

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LittleBoy
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Re: U.S.: Airline terror plot 'close to execution'
« Reply #5 on: Aug 12^th, 2006, 9:01am »

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OOO.. someone said that Osama was once in USA working for some official agencies and that he turned to hate the US when they show their support to Israel, which obviously he thinks that Israel 'rob' the land off Palestine, which is why there is so much unrest in the Middle East now, because of Israel's pesence in the place where almost all people living there are muslims, and they are jews... thats what i heard from 1 of my teachers.

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lakelady
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Re: U.S.: Airline terror plot 'close to execution'
« Reply #6 on: Aug 12^th, 2006, 9:48am »

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I4S, I'm thankful I wasn't out there for a visit. Not a good time, eh? I'm not too friendly when asked to dump lip gloss and wine. Not to mention, my carry on water bottle.

Airports dumping toothpaste, lip gloss and wine
Passenger: 'I assume before too long we'll be naked'

Friday, August 11, 2006; Posted: 6:11 p.m. EDT (22:11 GMT)
ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) -- Loads of liquid goods discarded by airline passengers at security checkpoints will end up in the trash, not in the pockets of airport employees or others, officials at airports across the country promised Friday.

No exceptions -- not even for cases of Napa Valley wine.

"We had people throw away a whole case of wine, or try to drink their wine in line," said San Francisco's International Airport duty manager Lily Wang.

Airport security screeners scrambled to implement a new ban on all liquids and gels -- from lip gloss and toothpaste to perfume and tequila -- in carry-on luggage after British authorities announced Thursday the arrest of 24 people in an alleged plot to blow up U.S.-bound planes. Baby formula, prescription medication and essential nonprescription medication are still allowed.

From Atlanta to Albuquerque, New Mexico, airport maintenance crews were ordered to dump any confiscated items along with the rest of the garbage.

"They seal it, they do not touch it, they dispose of it as they would other garbage," said Daniel Jiron, spokesman for the Albuquerque International Sunport.

All the waste irked some passengers.

"I know they have to do this, but I think they went overboard," said Terry Asbury, an Ohio resident who flew from Albuquerque to Cincinnati on Thursday and had to throw out her cosmetics. "I literally lost about $50 or $60 worth of things we were told to throw out."

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport planned to give 11 boxes of surrendered items to the city's human services department, which will give the unopened bottles of shampoo, toothpaste and other items to homeless shelters, airport spokeswoman Lexie Van Haren said.

Officials at most airports, however, said safety reasons prevented them from giving away the discarded items because many were contaminated by other trash.

"It becomes trash once you put it in the bin. Inside that stuff is a lot of everything -- someone blows their nose and throws the hanky away," said Phil Orlandella, spokesman for the Massachusetts Port Authority.

In Pennsylvania, state officials were considering pulling some discarded items for a state program that resells on eBay any items of value relinquished at airport security checkpoints, said Edward Myslewicz, spokesman for the General Services Department. However, officials at the state's main airports in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh said they were discarding all the liquids and gels.

Airports reported no problems with employees taking confiscated goods home or people combing through bins for discarded items. Workers taking any of the items would face discipline, airport officials said.

By Friday, most passengers had adjusted to the new rule and put any liquids or gels of value in checked-in luggage. Half-full bottles of water and coffee cups made up most of the refuse collected at security gates.

Some travelers turned to impromptu gift giving just so their items wouldn't be wasted.

A woman left Gucci perfume for her hotel maid in Atlanta, and a tourist from Great Britain gave away two bottles of Napa Valley wine to people leaving the San Francisco airport's parking lot.

"Didn't like it, but I wasn't about to throw it away," said Keith McAllister, the wine giver, after his arrival in Atlanta.

At Manchester-Boston Regional Airport in New Hampshire, about 50 travelers were given postage-paid envelopes to mail their liquid goods home. A shop at Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City offered free shipping for souvenirs purchased there -- from barbecue sauce to snow globes.

Most travelers took the new rules in stride, including two Chinese tourists who asked Atlanta police officers to photograph them in front of a sign outlining the ban on liquids.

"I put everything in check-in and I'll get it when I get there," said Fan Wu, who was on his way to Shanghai.

Tisha Presley, bound for Fort Bragg, North Carolina, hurriedly sipped from her bottled water before going through security at the Atlanta airport.

"I assume before too long we'll be naked on the plane -- and that's fine with me," she said.

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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