UK threat level remains critical

Page

144398

Hibernated

Posted: 19 years ago

UK threat level remains critical

Armed police have been out in many UK airports

The UK security threat level is to stay at "critical" following a suspected plot to blow up passenger planes, Home Secretary John Reid has said. He said he believed the main suspects were in custody but it was right to "err on the side of caution". Everyone faced the threat and everyone "should respond with a common purpose and common solidarity", Mr Reid added. Nineteen of 24 people arrested have had their UK assets frozen. The names have been published by the Bank of England. Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has paid tribute to the way the UK has reacted to an "extraordinary" past 36 hours "in the efforts to protect this country". He expressed his "deepest appreciation" to the "real dedication" shown by security services, police, transport staff and aviation companies and praised Mr Reid and Transport Secretary Douglas Alexander. The British public had also acted "calmly, sensitively and with great patience", he added. Pakistan arrests It is thought that the group of suspects were planning to blow up several planes by using liquid explosives carried in soft-drink bottles, and detonators disguised as electronic equipment. UK police said the explosions could have caused "mass murder on an unimaginable scale".

Suspect Don Stewart-Whyte changed his name to Abdul Waheed

Who are the suspects?

Police examine threat

Officials in Pakistan said security forces in the country had arrested two British men of Pakistani origin in connection with the alleged plot, who were picked up in Lahore and Karachi last week. The Pakistan Foreign Ministry has identified one of the men as Rashid Rauf. "There are indications of Afghanistan-based Al-Qaeda connection," a spokesman said. Pakistan has previously said it had made a number of arrests in connection with the investigation. The Home Office has refused to confirm reports that Thursday's anti-terror operation in the UK was triggered by the interception of a decoded message sent by a suspect in Pakistan, which gave the go-ahead for the attack to take place. At a news conference, Mr Reid said he was "grateful" for the help of the international community, in particular Pakistan, in disrupting the suspected plot.

NEW THREAT LEVELS

Low - an attack is unlikely

Moderate - an attack is possible but not likely

Substantial - strong possibility of an attack

Severe - an attack is highly likely

Critical - an attack is expected imminently

The home secretary also made a plea for all communities to work together to face the danger. "More than ever we need to draw on the tolerance and resilience of all parts of our community in the days ahead," he said. "This is a common threat to all of us and we should respond - all of us - with a common purpose and common solidarity. "This is in the nature of the British people and that common solidarity and common cause is, I believe, now our most precious asset and we should foster it in all sections of our community." Later on Friday afternoon, Mr Reid chaired a meeting of Cobra - the government's emergencies committee. Mr Alexander, who was at the meeting, reiterated that the security threat level would stay at its highest level while the investigation continued. And hand-baggage restrictions would also remain in place for the foreseeable future, he told BBC News. "I don't think we will be able to return to what we had in the past," he added. Flights from UK airports are still being delayed as passengers go through strict security checks. Services are returning to normal, but travellers are being warned to check with airlines before they set off. Computers seized Meanwhile, the FBI in America say they are following "new leads" in their investigation into the suspected plot, according to the BBC's North America business correspondent Guto Harri.

HAVE YOUR SAY

Our security services need to be lucky all the time, the terrorists only need to be lucky once

Ian Storrar, South Shields, UK

Send us your experiences

Readers describe disruptions

At-a-glance: Travel advice

They were working on "a fresh new wave" of material provided by UK police and secret services, he added. The suspects were rounded up in raids in London, High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire, and the West Midlands. All are being held in London. Searches continued at several addresses and people were evacuated from some homes in High Wycombe. Thames Valley Police say they seized computer equipment during a search at an internet cafe in Reading on Thursday, but that no arrests were made. Following the police operation, airports throughout the UK issued strict new security measures. Armed police have been deployed in many airports and passengers are no longer allowed to take their hand luggage into the cabin.

Ed Balls, economic secretary to the Treasury, said in a statement that the decision to take financial action was taken on the advice of the police and security services and done under the terms of

Quote

Frequent Posters

Megha

@mango-frost

Stunner

+ 2

Posted: 19 years ago

itz all just sick...

all the dutyfree shops here in the pearson airport have been closed...we cant take nething in handbags...no shampoo..no gells...no toothpastes...nothing...onli in suitcases..

in a way itz good...less chances...but ppl are sooooo sick..wat do they get from all this!!!!

Quote

Looks like you are new here. Register for free, learn and contribute.

Sahima Arif

@Sahima1

Inactive

Posted: 19 years ago

Bein an Asian, or shud I say Muslim of Pakistani origin n livin in the UK is really startin 2 frighten me now. Even tho I was born here, lived here all my life, and consider it my home.......when stuff like this happens, I think sum ignorant ppl think every1s the same.

I am shocked by all this, esp as sum of the arrests made were not 2 far from where I live, but there is 1 thing. Innocent until proven guilty, I have no idea wat these ppl have/haven't done, but I don't think it's fair their names, adddresses n pics r plastered everywhere when nuthin has been proven. Jus take those 2 brothers in East London a cpl of mths ago, 1 was shot, their families terrified, pushed 2 the ground.......turns out they were totally innocent.

Terrorism is sick in any way or form, but I do think it's important 2 have enuff proof abt sumthin b4 makin it big news.

Quote

Huzaifa Kaderbhai

@kothra

Inactive

Posted: 19 years ago

I hope everythng will b cleared soon...

Quote

faiza

@iluvabhijeetsaw

Inactive

Posted: 19 years ago

woah this is really bad and getting really scary
y all this terrorism 😡
i just hope everything soon is ok and it is all cleared all innocent ones not hurt or accused or anything

Quote

Saba

@*Sweet.Sabz*

Inactive

+ 2

Posted: 19 years ago

Originally posted by: Sahima1
Bein an Asian, or shud I say Muslim of Pakistani origin n livin in the UK is really startin 2 frighten me now. Even tho I was born here, lived here all my life, and consider it my home.......when stuff like this happens, I think sum ignorant ppl think every1s the same.

I am shocked by all this, esp as sum of the arrests made were not 2 far from where I live, but there is 1 thing. Innocent until proven guilty, I have no idea wat these ppl have/haven't done, but I don't think it's fair their names, adddresses n pics r plastered everywhere when nuthin has been proven. Jus take those 2 brothers in East London a cpl of mths ago, 1 was shot, their families terrified, pushed 2 the ground.......turns out they were totally innocent.

Terrorism is sick in any way or form, but I do think it's important 2 have enuff proof abt sumthin b4 makin it big news.

i agree wid u totally ....

i know bout da 2 broz ..... i fink da police wants 2 give dem compensation but all dey want is an apology from tony blair

infact 2day 3 houses near my area got raided ...da police didn't find ne fing ...but still dey stood outside da house...keeping an eye on everyfing (near a Masjid)

u rememba wen da police shot n killed da inncoent Brazilian guy afta da train bomb attackz😕...dat was just plain SAD .....poor innocent poeple r being punished 4 no reason cos of dez sick terroristz

Edited by ~Mrs.P Gill~ - 19 years ago

Quote

username88

@username88

Sparkler

Posted: 19 years ago

Originally posted by: Sahima1
Bein an Asian, or shud I say Muslim of Pakistani origin n livin in the UK is really startin 2 frighten me now. Even tho I was born here, lived here all my life, and consider it my home.......when stuff like this happens, I think sum ignorant ppl think every1s the same.

I am shocked by all this, esp as sum of the arrests made were not 2 far from where I live, but there is 1 thing. Innocent until proven guilty, I have no idea wat these ppl have/haven't done, but I don't think it's fair their names, adddresses n pics r plastered everywhere when nuthin has been proven. Jus take those 2 brothers in East London a cpl of mths ago, 1 was shot, their families terrified, pushed 2 the ground.......turns out they were totally innocent.

Terrorism is sick in any way or form, but I do think it's important 2 have enuff proof abt sumthin b4 makin it big news.

exactly, totally agree wid u

a muslim convert, who lives on my street was arrested....i dun kno him, but i kno his wife, n shes pregnant at the moment

well his in laws live on my street...n da police moved da family in 2 sum hotel...n now dey hav been searching da house since yesterday...der r ova der day n nite...i can c them thru my window rite now, der jus standing outside, makin sure no1 comes inside

it was kinda shocking, cus i wasreading da newspaper, n da guys name was mentioned n his wifes name was mentioned, n da street wer i live on was mentioned....n i was like ohh gosh, wth is happenin

n well, i totally agree wid u on da innocent until proven guilty

Edited by xmuqix - 19 years ago