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BBC Reports UK-U.S. Terror Plot Foiled
j823777 was one of several readers to point out a BBC report that "A terrorist plot to blow up planes in mid-flight from the UK to the U.S. has been disrupted, Scotland Yard has said. It is thought the plan was to detonate up to three explosive devices smuggled on aircraft in hand luggage.
Police have arrested 21 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 reported. MI5 has raised the UK threat level to critical — the highest possible."
spo0nman adds a link to the Associated Press's coverage.
Update: 08/10 12:57 GMT by T : Several readers have pointed out new restrictions imposed as a result of this plot on passengers' carry-on luggage. In the UK, nearly all possession (including laptop computers) must be carried in the cargo hold; while their rules don't yet go quite as far, U.S. airlines are stepping up their enforcement of carry-on-restrictions, including banning substances like toothpaste.
I wonder if the mousse in my hair will get me a trip to gitmo...
Not if your airplane breaks the time barrier and lands in 1986.
WHY do these terrorists specifically hate those of us who are scared of flying??
Whence? Hence. Whither? Thither.
They better ban snakes too
Security at airports is not 'tightened' it's fucking impossible. Anyone travelling from the UK to the USA will find that it's quicker to walk.
Ed Almos
The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws. - Tacitus, 56-120 A.D.
One can only wonder how long it will take some bright airport security guard to realize that blood is a liquid and insist that all passengers be cryonically frozen before boarding.
Don't blame me; I'm never given mod points.
As for sex, most of us don't find it all that difficult you know...
I joined the half-mile high club. It is like the mile high club, but has half as many people.
Seriously, I heard that they were not even allowing books - that would be shit. Having to actualy watch those stupid emergency announcements.
friends of mine are flying home from UK to Australia soon. With two small kids. And under the restrictions, no kids toys. 18 hours with two kids and nothing to keep the occupied.
I suspect the rest of the plane would prefer a terrorist attack.
Wonder what they were planning to use? Pop Rocks and soda or the new hotness of Mentos and soda?
At the risk of being accused of covert racism, it's perhaps worth pointing out just how much of the UK government is controlled by Scots, from the Prime Minister down. The Scots have something of a reputation for violence and aggression, and if you want to point out that the Rt Hon Anthony Blair, MA, Barrister-at-Law is an upper class Scottish lawyer, it was just such an upper class Scottish lawyer that organised the Glencoe massacre, for his own advantage.
Actually, I think our police and security services on the whole do a pretty good job, especially outside London (where there is a lot of institutional corruption.) But they deserve better politicians.
Pining for the fjords
Monday: The thread level has been raised to level 5
Tuesday: The thread level has been raised to level 12.
Wednesday: The thread level has been raised to level 25.
Thursday: The thread level has been raised to level 148.
Friday: The thread level has become a super-sayan.
This is REALLY depressing.
I landed in Haiti yesterday on a 3 month work assignment. My baggage is missing so all I have are the gadgets (including laptop) cloths (Hains Tagless shirts fold real small) and toothpaste, toothbrush, comb etc... that I carried in my hand luggage.
If these rules were in place I would be the stinkiest engineer in Port-Au-Prince.
PS: It takes 6 to 10 hours to fly from Jamaica to Haiti. KIN to MIA then MIA to PAP with enough time tacked on to clear Baggage check, Security screen, customs and immigration... Twice.
--= Isn't it surprising how badly I spell ?
The only thing left for the terrorists will be explosive clothing. They'll find a way to weave C4 right into their shirts in a visually pleasing plaid pattern. But instead of actually carrying out their mission of martyrdom, they will simply mail a sample to CNN, have Bin Laden make a vague recording about it.
I can picture the result now: planeloads of people sitting wide-eyed and paranoid while shivering in little paper gowns - the kind with the backsides missing like you get at the hospital. The terrorists will not be able to stop laughing.
I think the problem there is that we have been at level 'severe' for some time. The danger is believed to have gone up, and they need to show this.
Perhaps there aren't enough steps in the scale.
We need 'like, really severe', and 'almost critical -no really!' as well.
> Makes you wonder where they'll be trying to hide explosives next. Every time I take my shoes off going through security I'm reminded how grateful I am that it was the "shoe bomber" not the "underpants bomber"
What we need is a scale that goes all the way up to eleven. You see previously they'd be at level 10 and thinking they need a little bit more but with no where to go ...
Eclectic beats from Leeds, UK
handmadehands.co.uk
Trumped up nonsense, generatetd by our "gurdians".
:-)
And the U.S. will have t' do without toothpaste, emulating the dental characteristics that make us in the UK world famous.
"Speaking the Truth in times of universal deceit is a revolutionary act." -- George Orwell
Then it won't come as a surprise that 300 people seems too much while you're on the plane as well.
Perhaps seat 12C's cold drink is Binary Part A (which is reasonably safe to drink) and seat 20D's cold drink is Binary Part B (which is also reasonably safe to drink, although it tastes worse than Part A).
... ...
Terrorist A: Praise Allah! Are you ready to do this?
Terrorist B: God is great! Yes, I'm ready. Bring on the virgins.
Terrorist A: (pours a bottle of green liquid into a large cup) Okay, pour yours in here, too.
Terrorist B:
Terrorist A: What's the matter?
Terrorist B:
Terrorist A: Dammit! You weren't supposed to drink the whole thing!
People who bring kids onboard a plane still aren't considered terrorists?
Lars T.
To the guy who modded me down from perfect to terrible Karma - Apple haters still suck
Reduce, reuse, cycle
Nobody's asking you to drink a big foamy glass of piss here.
;-)
Please don't change the subject. We're talking breast milk, not American beer.
'Your brain is God.' -- Dr. Timothy Leary
If it will burn their esophagus out on the spot and cause them to cough up blood on the screener, that might just be a clue for the screeners that the substance isn't really toothpaste.
Apparently you're not using a very good toothpaste. You wouldn't believe how white my teeth are. (My gums are a little red though.)
paintball
It looks like most of those arrested are Pakastani's so I am guessing the U.S. will be bombing Iran shortly.
I'm not a Troll, it's reverse psychology.