Brits brake aircraft bomb plot

Washington Post:

British authorities said today they had disrupted a "major terrorist plot" to blow up flights between the United Kingdom and the United States, prompting a security clampdown at British and U.S. international airports and a cascade of delays in trans-Atlantic flights generally.

The U.S. government elevated its terrorism alert to the highest level for commercial flights from the U.S. to Britain and on international flights generally, though Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said officials had no indication that the plot included attacks based in the U.S.

In Northwest Washington, a tight cordon of police security was thrown up around the British Embassy compound on Massachusetts Avenue.

Paul Stephenson, Deputy Police Commissioner at London's Scotland Yard, said at a news conference that the conspirators had planned "mass murder on an unimaginable scale." Home Secretary John Reid said the operation was aimed at bringing down "a number of aircraft through mid-flight explosions, causing a considerable loss of life."

The plot, he said, "was a very significant one indeed."

...

The Telegraph describes the plot:

...

John Reid, the Home Secretary, said the alleged plot was "very significant" and was designed to "bring down a number of aircraft through mid-flight explosions, causing a considerable loss of life".

It is believed that the aim of the plot was to detonate "liquid chemical" devices smuggled on board aircraft in hand luggage.

Sources said terrorists may have been planning to attack up to 10 aircraft flying from Britain to America, but there was no official confirmation from Scotland Yard.

MI5 has raised the UK terror threat level to critical. A statement on its website said: "This means that an attack is expected imminently and indicates an extremely high level of threat to the UK."

Overnight, police arrested a number of people in London. The arrests are the culmination of a major covert counter-terrorist operation lasting several months.

...

The BBC describes sime of the security measures:

...

Passengers are not allowed to take any hand luggage on to any flights in the UK, the department said.

Only the barest essentials - including passports and wallets - will be allowed to be carried on board in transparent plastic bags.

...

The Guardian reports on the arrests:

...

Police said 21 people had been arrested in London, the Thames Valley and Birmingham. Sources said those arrested were British-born and were held as part of an operation, involving the security services, that has been ongoing covertly for several months.

At 2am, the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre raised the UK terror alert from severe to critical - its highest level - for the first time. The Home Office website defines that as meaning an attack is expected "imminently".

There were fears that individuals linked to the alleged plot may still be at large.

...

The Daily Mail and the Times report on the airport chaos. The Independent story on the plot is here.

What you will not see in any of these stories, including this AP story is a description of the ethnic origon of the plotters or their religious affiliation. I am going to go out on a limb and say they were not Methodist.