COULD BE “BIGGER THAN 9/11″

Short post, but it just came across the newswire at 1:25AM EDT.

From the BBC initially:

UK police say terror plot thwarted

LONDON (CNN) — British police have disrupted what they believe was a major terrorist plot to blow up aircraft in flight, likely between the United Kingdom and the United States, a statement from Scotland Yard said Thursday.

“It is believed that the aim was to detonate explosive devices smuggled on board the aircraft in hand luggage. It is believed that the attacks would have been particularly targeted at flights from the UK to the USA,” the statement said.

Arrests were made overnight in London by the Metropolitan Police Department’s anit-terrorist branch and security service.

“Today’s arrests are the culmination of a major covert counter-terrorist operation lasting several months,” Scotland Yard said.

“We would like to reassure the public that this operation was carried out with public safety uppermost in our minds,” the statement said.

“This is a major operation which inevitably will be lengthy and complex. We will provide further information as soon as possible.”

More from SkyNews:

Police say they have disrupted a major plot to blow up planes in mid-flight with explosive devices smuggled aboard as hand luggage.

Sky News has been told the plan was to hit around a dozen planes over UK and US cities.

Police are said to have arrested 20 people in London - the culmination of a major covert counter-terrorist operation lasting several months.

Passengers trying to board international flights from the UK are not being allowed to carry on hand luggage.

The Home Office’s level of security - indicating public risk - has been raised from ’severe’ to ‘critical’.

Sky News’ Crime Correspondent Martin Brunt said he understood the threat was imminent and those arrested were mainly young, British-born Asian men.

He said the alleged plan involved people boarding flights and detonating explosives on planes over UK and US cities.

The swoop followed a pre-planned intelligence led operation by the Met’s anti-terrorist branch and security service.

A police statement said: “This is a major operation which inevitably will be lengthy and complex. We will provide further information as soon as possible.”

Lengthy queues at airports have been reported and a Transport Department spokesman said delays were inevitable.

“Passengers are being asked to allow themselves plenty of extra time and to ensure that other than the few permitted items listed above, all their belongings are placed in their hold baggage and checked in.

“These additional security measures will make travel more difficult for passengers, particularly at such a busy time of the year.

“But they are necessary and will continue to keep flights from UK airports properly secure.”

2:10AM EDT from BBC:

A terrorist plot to blow up planes in mid-flight from the UK to the US has been disrupted, Scotland Yard has said.

It is thought the plan was to detonate explosive devices smuggled on aircraft in hand luggage.

Police have arrested about 18 people in the London area after an anti-terrorist operation lasting several months.

Security at all airports in the UK has been tightened and delays are expected. MI5 has raised the UK threat level to critical - the highest possible.

According to MI5’s website, critical threat level means “an attack is expected imminently and indicates an extremely high level of threat to the UK”.

Scotland Yard said in a statement that their investigation into the alleged plot was a “major operation” which would be “lengthy and complex”.

“We would like to reassure the public that this operation was carried out with public safety uppermost in our minds.”

Home Secretary John Reid is due to make a statement early on Thursday morning.

There’s going to be more on this tomorrow (er, today) - I’m certain. A proven method is one you stick with, so more planes don’t surprise me. And, we’re getting closer to Aug. 22nd. I wonder where the other missing Egyptian students are now? Are they here waiting for orders? I don’t trust any of them anymore. And I’m damn pissed that 20 Egyptians were allowed into the country on 30-day student Visas in the first place! Yes, go ahead and call me names. I’d rather be a living war-monger than a dead profiling racist.

Video here from CNN, and video from Fox/Sky News to come.

Additional news links here, here, here, here, here, here, and here, and there will be more to come.

…. Developing since 1:40AM EDT.

Also seen over at HotAir.

Update (opinion) 3:30AM EDT: You peace-at-any-price demotard, fricking idiots need to take heed and pull your heads out of the sand and then your asses. We HAVE been, ARE, and always WILL be under threat from Islamofascists until we annhilate these asshole sub-humans from the face of this goddamned planet! Do you not get it? What is your fricking problem, Kos Kids and MoveOn.org asshats? What will HuffPo post tomorrow? Or will she? Will they all be hiding in bunkers waiting for our Armed Forces to protect their sorry asses? By God, I want our military men & women to arrange those meetings with Allah and their 72 Virgins A.S.A.P.! They want to go? Then let our military men and women make the accommodations - and NOW - not LATER! So Murtha, Kerrry, Kennedy, Sheehan, Sarandon, Moore, and the rest of you candy-asses, get the HELL OUT OF THIS COUNTRY IF YOU DON’T LIKE IT! As Herman Cain says, “get on the wagon, or GET - OUT - OF - THE - WAY,” because Americans who give a damn and have some backbone are sick of this crap.

The time for appeasement and negotations is OVER! GET IT???? BECAUSE IF YOU DON’T, AHMADINEJAD AND NASRALLAH SURE THE HELL DO! SO SUCK IT UP!

Right now you do NOT have to register to comment, but if you’re a bed-wetting “can’t we all just get along” liberal whining about American Imperialism or “diplomacy,” your comments WILL BE SUMMARILY DELETED, and I don’t give a damn if you cry because I’m ‘censoring’ your comment. You’re damn right, I am!

***UPDATE 4:10AM EST***

Any passengers with infants carrying bottles of formula or any liquid, must first taste that liquid before it’s allowed on. Liquid explosives are feared.

Now it’s apparently 6 planes - up to 20 arrests have been made.

… more to follow later……

***UPDATE 6:55PM EDT***

Plotter’s Martyrdom Tape

Updated: 23:36, Thursday August 10, 2006

Police probing an alleged plot to cause “mass murder on an unimaginable scale” by blowing up jets flying from the UK to the US may have discovered a martyrdom tape.

Sky sources also suggest those involved had been planning to carry out a practice run in the next few days.

The real thing would have followed “within days”, the sources suggested.

Meanwhile, more details have emerged about those thought to be being held by anti-terror police.

Sky sources said the 24 people held are aged between 17 and 35 and that most come from east London.

Two of those held are said to be Muslim converts with British-sounding names and one is believed to be a young mother.

According to reports in the US, 22 of them are of Pakistani origin, one is Bangladeshi and the other in Iranian. Officials say all of them are British citizens.

Other reports, from the ABC network, say up to 10 of the would-be bombers may still be at large.

Scotland Yard has not commented on these claims.

Terrorists had apparently planned to smuggle explosives on board 10 airliners run by American Airlines, Continental Airlines and United Airlines, as hand luggage.

The devices could have been missed during x-ray screening.

The planes would then have been blown up in flight, possibly targeting five US cities that include New York, Washington and Los Angeles.

Speaking at Scotland Yard, Deputy Commissioner Paul Stephenson said the plot would have caused “mass murder on an unimaginable scale”.

Arrests were made in London, High Wycombe and Birmingham and searches are still being carried out on a string of properties in these areas.

British officials have said the investigation began several months ago, included an “unprecedented level of surveillance” and the plot had a “global dimension”.

I can’t possibly keep up with all the developments. Allah over at HotAir is THE source! Follow their coverage closely.

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