WASHINGTON - The U.S. government raised its threat warning to the highest level for commercial flights from Britain to the United States early Thursday in response to a terror plot uncovered in London. Multiple flights to multiple American cities were put on alert, a western counterrorism official said.
In addition to the highest alert for flights from Britain, the alert for all flights coming or going from the United States was also raised slightly. The government said it was banning beverages, hair gels and lotions from flights, explaining only that liquids emerged as a risk from the investigation in Britain.
"We believe that these arrests (in London) have significantly disrupted the threat, but we cannot be sure that the threat has been entirely eliminated or the plot completely thwarted," said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff in announcing that the threat level for flights from Britain to the United States has been raised to the highest "severe or red" Level.
2006-08-09
22:43:46
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"To defend further against any remaining threat from this plot, we will also raise the threat level to high, or orange, for all commercial aviation operating in or destined for the United States," Chertoff said.
It is the first time the red alert level in the Homeland Security warning system has been invoked, although there have been brief periods in the past when the orange level was applied. Homeland Security defines the red alert as designating a "severe risk of terrorist attacks."
A statement issued by Chertoff said "currently, there is no indication ... of plotting within the United States."
A U.S. law enforcement official said there have been no arrests in the United States connected to the plot.
2006-08-09
22:45:26 ·
update #1
It was not believed to be connected to the Egyptian students who disappeared in the United States more than a week ago before reaching a college they were supposed to attend in Montana. Three of the 11 have since been found and the FBI has said neither they nor the still-missing eight are believed to be a threat.
The plan involved airline passengers hiding masked explosives in carryon luggage, the official said. "They were not yet sitting on an airplane," but were very close to traveling, the official said, calling the plot "the real deal."
Another Western counterterrorism official, also speaking on condition of anonymity about the highly sensitive investigation, called the investigation "very serious."
U.S. intelligence has been working closely with the British on the investigation, which has been ongoing for months, the second official said.
2006-08-09
22:47:00 ·
update #2
Now, this was in yahoo news. What do you think about this and what would you do if you had any say in what's going on? How do you feel?
2006-08-09
22:48:15 ·
update #3
WHO IS SICK OF THIS?????I AM!
2006-08-09
22:51:28 ·
update #4