2006 transatlantic aircraft plot

On 10 August 2006 the London Metropolitan Police announced that a terrorist plot to detonate bombs on a number of flights from the United Kingdom to cities in the United States had been disrupted in its final stages. High security measures were put in place at all UK airports, including a banning of all non-essential hand luggage. Security was also increased at many airports around the world, with a large number of flights into the UK being cancelled.


Plot

Paul Stephenson, Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, has said that it is believed that the plot had the aim of blowing up as many as ten aircraft in mid-flight from the United Kingdom to the United States, using bombs carried in the hand luggage of passengers. According to news reports, aircraft from United Airlines, Continental Airlines, and American Airlines departing from Heathrow and Gatwick to New York City, Washington, D.C., Miami and California were among those planned to be blown up. BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera said the plot was thought to have involved a series of "waves" of simultaneous attacks, targeting three planes each time.

Police stated that they had been observing this plot for months, and had to reveal the investigation after finding information which suggested an attack was imminent. Twenty-one British citizens were arrested, while the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) believes that there could have been as many as 50 people involved. According to ABC News, two significant arrests in Pakistan may have significantly increased the pace of the investigation, and many of the plotters appear to have been of Pakistani descent.

Paul Beaver, a UK terrorism expert, has said that it appears possible al-Qaeda was behind the plot, which comes only weeks after the group threatened to attack UK aviation. The US Department for Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff stated the plot was well advanced, in the final stages of planning before execution, and that it was "suggestive of an al-Qaeda plot".

According to news reports, it has been confirmed that 9 aircraft were planned to be blown up.

It has been reported that British officials found that the terrorists planned to use liquid explosives. Liquid explosive materials, based on hydrogen peroxide, possibly combined with sulfuric acid, were to be used to avoid detection by baggage screening devices designed to detect solid explosives.


Security reaction

The terror alert level was raised by Britain's Joint Terrorist Analysis Centre from 'severe' to 'critical', signalling an attack was believed to be imminent. Security at all UK airports was raised to the highest level, with all luggage having to go into the aircraft's hold (including books, newspapers and glasses cases). No hand luggage (carry-on luggage) is allowed except for very few essentials such as travel documents and wallets. Passengers travelling with small children are permitted to carry baby food but must taste it in front of staff. U.S. Homeland Security has banned all liquids and gels except baby food in carry-on luggage on all flights.

The DHS level in the United States was raised to 'severe' for all flights to or from the U.K. The terror level for all other domestic or non-British international flights in the United States has been raised to High. Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney has placed National Guard members in Boston Logan International Airport. He also has placed gate checkpoints, in addition to concourse checkpoints. The hightened security terror level was deemed "unprecedented". According to the press secretary of Homeland Security, security measures have been raised so that they may learn more about the situation, and so that they may avoid any additional terror plots.

It was confirmed by Paul Stephenson that 21 people were arrested in London, Birmingham, and the Thames Valley in an overnight operation. Two of the arrests were made in the Birmingham area, where firearms officers were not involved, and at least one arrest was made in High Wycombe. The BBC has reported that the key people involved in the plot are British born. In a press conference, UK Home Secretary Dr. John Reid stated that he believes the key persons in the plot are in custody but does not rule out additional arrests.

Reid claimed that this was a "very significant plot" with the aim of taking "down a number of aircraft through mid-flight explosions". "We are doing everything possible to disrupt any further terrorist activity," he said. "This will mean major disruption at all UK airports." This follows comments yesterday made by Reid concerning the need to take terror threats to the UK seriously.


Consequences for the public


Flight cancellations

Some inbound flights to London Heathrow Airport have been cancelled most notably the Thursday short-haul flights of British Airways. Some flights in and out of London Gatwick Airport have been suspended, although US Airways flights are flying as normal out of Gatwick according to the airline's helpline. An incomplete list of airlines either reporting cancellations, or about whom cancellations have been reported follows:

* Aer Lingus has cancelled 18 flights between Ireland and Heathrow, until at least 15:00 IST.[20] The airline has recommended that only absolutely essential travel is undertaken to the UK. The airline resumed flights between Ireland and Heathrow before 16:30 IST.

* Air France said it has cancelled five flights from Heathrow to Paris.

* British Airways has cancelled all short-haul (European) inbound and outbound flights to and from London Heathrow for the rest of the day.

"Customers due to depart from UK airports who do not wish to travel today [10 August 2006] or tomorrow can rebook up until 1 December 2006 or obtain a refund. Any customers whose flights have been cancelled can rebook or obtain a refund. "

* EasyJet has suspended all flights in and out of London Gatwick, Stansted and Luton. Flights from many other airports have also been cancelled.

* Spanish carrier Iberia has cancelled flights to the UK.

* Lufthansa has cancelled all flights to the UK.

* Greek airline Olympic Airlines has grounded all flights to London Heathrow. Late in the afternoon of the same day, it was announced by Greek television that an A340-300 would leave for London at 6:30pm with the passengers of the airline's two earlier flights that were grounded, while the 7pm flight would depart on time.

* At least 94 Ryanair flights from the UK or Ireland have been cancelled.

* SAS has cancelled all flights to the UK from Scandinavia until at least 15:00 BST.

" -Passengers who are booked to fly SAS up until 13 Aug 2006, may re-book their flights with the following rules:

* must be booked in the same class, or the next highest available class, within the same cabin.
* rule valid for up to a maximum of 3 months from the original flight date.

-All passengers on flights delayed more than 5 hours, will receive a full refund, if the passenger chooses not to fly."

* TAP Portugal is allowing passengers a full refund: "...flights from London are subject to severe delay. Passengers traveling today who wish to cancel their flight will receive a full refund of their ticket (irrespective of conditions) or be allowed to rebook for an equivalent flight at a later date."

* Virgin Trains are accepting plane tickets on London to Manchester routes.