Terror Attack Thwarted: Jihad Denied

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 a number of people in London after a counter-terrorist operation lasting several months.

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

Scotland Yard said in a statement: "We would like to reassure the public that this operation was carried out with public safety uppermost in our minds.

"This is a major operation which inevitably will be lengthy and complex."

A terrorist plot has been uncovered to "commit mass murder on an unimaginable scale" by exploding up to 12 aircraft in mid-flight between Britain and America using liquid explosive, it was announced today by officials in London and Washington.

So far 21 suspects - believed to be British citizens, many of Pakistani origin - have been arrested under the Terrorism Act 2000 in overnight raids in London, the Thames Valley and Birmingham.

Muslim community leaders were contacted by the police and Government officials early this morning as the first statements were released to the press.

Khurshid Ahmed, leader of the British Muslim Forum was rung by a chief superintendent from the Metropolitan Police and a senior official from the Department for Communities and Local Government just before 7am to be told the arrests had taken place.

The police also contacted Dr Muhammed Abdul Bari, General Secretary of the Muslim Council of Britain, at 6.54am. He was told that a number of arrests had taken place "for the public’s safety" but given few details.

Mr Ahmed said that he felt the operation had been handled well but he warned that if the police failed to find any evidence to incriminate the people concerned then relations between the government and the Muslim community would deteriorate further.

**El BBC has still not used the word muslim as yet on its reporting on this either on air or on its biased website. Not likely to be happening any time soon either.

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