BBC: 'Plot to blow up planes' foiled (new carry-on restrictions)

[Newsjock]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4778575.stm

A major terrorist plot to blow up planes in mid-flight has been disrupted, Scotland Yard has said.

It is thought the plan was to detonate explosive devices smuggled on aircraft in hand luggage, with flights from the UK to the US being targeted.

... Passengers will not be 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.

[maddezmom]

1. wow, my husband took a BA flight on Sunday and wasn't allowed to take his

normal carry on for the first time but he was allowed his laptop and cellphone. However on his return flight yesterday he was allowed to take all three.

[Scairp]

32. Mine flew back on Tuesday

He flies Virgin, and everything was normal. I am really glad he isn't still there.

This all seems really over the top. They want adults with babies to drink out of the baby bottles? This is really gross, and unless they plan to pour some of it into a separate container, then the formula or breast milk is no longer fit for consumption by the child. This happened here during the transition to the dubiously named TSA, and all finally agreed this was truly stupid. They are also allowing certain necessities on board, in clear plastic bags. It includes baby items like diapers and wipes, plus feminine hygiene products. Just what I want to do, put my tampons in a clear bag for all to see.

[rodeodance]

156. oh my gawd. No brainers !

[Name removed]

183. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[dkblogger]

247. Ain't this the biggest CO-INKEDINK ? BE VERY AFRAID! VOTE REP !

[Humor_In_Cuneiform]

389. Yep, of all the "bad" timing for our side. Gee whiz.

And we know that the Blair administration is as trustworthy as our own administration.

He does talk purty though (Blair).



Playing variations on a theme, since we already memorized the original theme. Raising the terror alert level at opportune times for them on the flimsiest of excuses.

Now they're teaming up with the UK to make it more believable, and don't mind inconveniencing travelers.

Cause it helps remind one and all that we are living in a dangerous world.

There was a study, maybe cited by John Dean, in which half the subjects were shown pictures of 911 (Hey, isn't there a movie out by that name as well? Amazing ).

Anyhow the ones shown the pictures were more likely to favor dub in foreign policy. But the statistic that was unchanged regardless of whether they saw the pictures or not was the feeling that the Iraq war was a mistake handled terribly.

[geomon666]

2. Ok...

"Everything had to be checked in and that includes mobile phones, ipods, wallets - even spectacle cases had to be checked in."

That is just freakin stupid.

Don't they know about x-ray scanners?

[leveymg]

257. CBS: "U.S. Aware of Plot for Days"

http://www.cbsnews.com/sections/i_video/videos500251.sh...

U.S. Aware Of Plot For Days

Jim Axelrod spoke with Press Secretary Tony Snow about the U.S.'s involvement in the British investigation of the alleged terrorist plot. Snow says President Bush has been aware of the plot for days.

They also knew about the 9/11 plot for 18 months

It was planned at an al-Qaeda summit in Kuala Lumpur that was attended by Atta's roommate and the Flt. 77 hijackers. The CIA videotaped the whole thing and then followed the Flt 77 hijackers as they entered the US on 01/15/00 - the FBI liason at the CIA Counter-Terrorism Center was ordered not to send a cable about their entry to the FBI National Security Office in NY.

The Agency and a couple foreign intel agencies illegally monitored the plot inside the US without obtaining FISA warrants. For some reason we don't understand yet, that surveillance was relaxed enough in the late summer of 2001 so Atta and the gang could carry off the plot that the Agency had told the Bushites about much earlier. See the link below for all the details, citations, sources, links.

See, Scoop: UQ Wire: THE CRIMES OF 9/11 (Part 4)In early summer 2001 , US officials received numerous warnings from domestic and foreign intelligence agencies that al-Qaeda terrorists planned ...
www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0310/S00257.htm

[index555]

350. I remember repeated warnings in the news

of possible impending terrorist attacks for several months before 9/11, why doesn't anybody else seem to remember?
now everybody on the right and the left seem more interested in "re-connecting the dots" to suit whatever political agenda they have.

[leveymg]

358. It's all on the public record. Make your own connections,

and don't let any interested party cut off lines of inquiry.

Something close to the truth is available to anyone with an open mind willing to do the work.

[samsingh]

384. you're right - there were many public warnings and discussions

before 911. people seem to have forgotton.

[leveymg]

360. UK Channel 4: Terror Raids brought forward due to US Intel

This just posted at another thread. Confirms that timimg of the raid came from U.S. side:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

CJCRANE (1000+ posts) Thu Aug-10-06 03:13 PM
Original message

UK Channel 4 News: Terror Raids brought forward due US Intel

Just heard on UK More4 (Channel4) News that the decision to stage the terror raids today was based on intelligence from the US. The US info apparently made it seem that the threat was immediate and that the terror attacks had been brought forward.

[TheWatcher]

3. Have to keep the Sheep Afraid.

[DemCapitalist]

144. If that were the case, they would have allowed the plot to go forward.

[plasticsundance]

152. I doubt it.

If they let it go forward, then they would be faced with failure in the eyes of the public. In addition, what do you think the US or the UK is going to do in response? Attack Pakistan? C'mon. If they only let out warnings and foiled attempts, they kill to birds with one stone. Not only do they look like they're acting tough in the war on terror, but they keep the public on high alert.

[primavera]

185. Give that man a cigar

Astute analysis and absolutely on the money, imho.

[The Stranger]

189. What "plot"? Has Jerkoff provided any evidence of the plot?

Or would that jeopardize "security" and "embolden the terrorists."

[mike_c]

280. who needs evidence when the sheep will bleat on command...?

[katty]

304. of course, see Terror. Red...Run!! herding the Sheeple as usual

[Virginia Dare]

190. Not to mention...

the airlines can't afford to take the hit right now, and Wall Street is tenuous at best.

[Tansy_Gold]

382. An airline boycott?

They are really on the financial edge right now, and methinks a one- or two-week boycott would put them over.

I'm scheduled to fly into O'Hare in mid-September. I'm thinking that if I can't take anything on the plane with me but what will fit in my pocket -- not a purse, mind you, but a pocket -- I may just strip off everything and fly naked, and then protest my boredom at not even being allowed to bring a book to read by singing show tunes for the whole three hours and seventeen minutes of the flight. And no, I will NOT pay five fucking dollars for their cheap-ass headphones so I can hear some stupid fucking movie shown on a screen smaller than my not-widescreen tv.

Fuck 'em. Fuck 'em, fuck 'em, fuck 'em.



Tansy Gold, normally a patient soul but becoming angry. Very angry.

[DemCapitalist]

243. Yes, they are brilliant, aren't they? What are we to do?

[katty]

307. indeed,they are: no Lamont win mention today-GOP in Danger Alert Mode

[savemefromdumbya]

286. You got it!

Blair would be a failure if they blew up

[The Stranger]

188. Interesting -- your statement assumes a plot.

Have you questioned that assumption?

[DemCapitalist]

245. Interesting -- your statement assumes a conspiracy.

Have you questioned that assumption?

[The Stranger]

274. The assumption of a plot comes before the assumption of a conspiracy.

If there had never been news of a "plot," there would not be any explanation based on a "conspiracy."

First things first.

[RaleighNCDUer]

205. Assuming there actually was a plot.

Anti war candidate defeats a major Bush supporter - next day, a terror plot is thwarted.

That's great timing.

[TankLV]

237. BINGO!

Just another AMAZING "lucky" "COOINCIDENCE" for the repukes - including that new repuke "holy" joe (R-Asswipe)...

[winter999]

287. By your logic

this news should have come BEFORE Tuesday's primary.

The 'theory' doesn't float.

[TankLV]

316. By my "logic" - THEY thought they wouldn't/couldn't possibly lose last

Tuesday.

NOW they KNOW they CAN possibly lose it all in NOVEMBER.

So my "logic" is rock solid.

[TankLV]

319. By my "logic" - THEY thought they wouldn't/couldn't possibly lose last

Tuesday.

NOW they KNOW they CAN possibly lose it ALL in NOVEMBER.

Sorry, but my "logic" is rock solid.

[muryan]

383. ...

[Name removed]

252. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[chascaz]

262. But they're playing it up to maximize the FEAR...

If they can overreact to every little thing, they'll keep their authoritarian followers in line (and maybe get a few more). It's the politics of FEAR, get used to it.

Peace -

[RaleighNCDUer]

339. ????

What's that supposed to mean? What's McKinney got to do with this?

And, even if there were not plenty of indications that Lamont would take Lieberman, what kind of lead up would they need? There has been NOTHING to this plot but accusations. Like the ones we've "thwarted" in the last couple years, you've got some disaffected Muslims who have been under surveillance for months, who may or may not have been talking among themselves about doing something, but when they are arrested they have no funding, no explosives, no capability of doing what they are accused of plotting. Lincoln Tunnel? Liberty Tower? Ring a bell? All they have to do is, when there is something that hurts the war effort, round up a few of the usual suspects and grab the headlines for a few days - then it disappears and the charges are quitely reduced to minor infractions. It goes away.

How many times can they pull this shit before we catch on?

[Stella_Artois]

340. I love these consipracy theorists

I can't wait to see what happens when these terror alerts continue to happen long after the republicans loose the whitehouse. Who are they going to blame, when Bush is gone ?

[Kailassa]

349. I love naive innocence. n/t

[fooj]

386. It's called taking responsibility for your actions.

I don't give a crap WHO is in the White House. Actions have consequences. Period.

[Efilroft Sul]

165. Sheikhs on a Plane! n/t

[a la izquierda]

177. rofl! n/t

[PurpleChez]

195. Yeah...it's sad, but my first reaction is "it's a sham"

I mean...they could have legitimate concerns for my wife's legitimate safety (she's taking off out of Hartsfield-Jackson literally as we speak), but my gut reaction is that it's all a PR attempt to prop up the chimp's numbers

[Protagoras]

249. A combination of fear and habituated compliance

They want us too scared to think but they also want us conditioned to reflexively comply with even the most absurd request/demands of authority.

We are being groomed to be the obedient prols they desire and most people don't even pause in the cattle line to think about it.

It's not going to stop till people make it stop.

[coalition_unwilling]

370. Classic Pavlovian conditioning technique, also used by

casinos in Vegas and farmers with electric fences. Stimulus to produce response -- you need to have a "hit" (slot machine payout or terrorist strike) every so often to keep the stimulus-response relationship chugging along.

After BFEE lied about Iraq, why believe anything further that they or their minions say?

[orleans]

4. we heard something about this on the radio, i googled and

found this headline

"Airline terror plot 'foiled'"

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,200815...

so what exactly is bush doing to stop this shit? lucky the british weren't asleep

[rfranklin]

175. Chertoff during his speech mentioned the "leadership" of Bush

when he was reassuring us how vigilant they all are.

[Midlodemocrat]

179. He's on vacation. Not his problem.

[The Deacon]

230. So's Blair

[Miss Chybil]

341. I think Blair canceled his vacation. nt

[davekriss]

244. :what exactly is bush doing to stop this"?

Whaddya' mean what is Bush doing?! He's repealing the estate tax, planning how to get his mitts on the Social Security Trust Fund, planning on invading Syria and Iran, rolling back environmental and occupational safety regulations, repealing the Constitution, torturing innocent civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan and Cuba, borrowing more money than the previous 42 President's combined, upping the military recruitment age to 42, planning his next fall disinformation campaign (as we all know, we don't roll out new product in the summer) -- I mean, like Captain Kangaroo, George Bush is a busy busy busy busy busy busy man.

[Up2Late]

291. DO NOT Drag Captain Kangaroo down to the Bush's level!

Captain Kangaroo was a GREAT man, loved my Millions of Children, including me! Unlike the Crawford turd we have in the White House.

[katty]

308. yup, they get alot done when MSM occupies 'the children' w/terror

[ananda]

311. It's haaarrdd work..

.. to destroy countries and cut brush in Crawford.

[NVMojo]

5. so was this related to those four people on that flight from London to

Boston a couple of days ago???

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[cal04]

6. didn't they just put in a system like ours

Britain says attack expected imminently
Britain raised its security threat level to "critical" on Thursday, which means it expects an attack imminently, after a police said they had foiled a plot to blow up aircraft.

The Home Office Web Site showed the rating had been raised to "critical" from "severe" earlier on Thursday. Britain has a five level rating for security threats, ranging from low to critical, which is the highest level.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L10254208.htm

All passengers must be hand searched, and their footwear and all the items they are carrying must be x-ray screened," a BAA statement said.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/europe/08/10/uk.terror/in...

[CJCRANE]

19. The British terror alert system

was introduced on 1st August this year.

[BooScout]

34. Yep....they did........and believe me.....John Reid......

....Acting poodle in chief while Tony working on his tan is having it blasted all over the tv.

[leftchick]

140. It is reminding me of V for Vendetta

the TV station blasting all of the terra alerts over and over.

[CJCRANE]

153. Same here..nt

[valerief]

182. TTN: Terrah Terrah Network. All terrah, all the time (except for

pre-emptive war coverage).

[Protagoras]

250. how many hundreds of times did people on DU

predict we'd suddenly re-find our TERRA alert in the days marching up to the election? Like shooting fish in a barrel it's so easy to see what's going to happen sometimes.

But then we're the nutty CT people who don't accept that our government is noble and good and that it's NORMAL AND NATURAL to accept body searches, shoe removal, and toothpaste paranoia in order to move from one place to another.

[fooj]

387. I wear my hat proudly...it hasn't failed me yet!

[MisterP]

393. they even had MORE scrolls on Faux last night:

two at the bottom (at different speeds), and one behind the BTN bimbette-and-mimbo 'team'

[uppityperson]

7. Do they x-ray cargo from there yet?

[Up2Late]

8. Notice how it was the BRITISH Police that found this, NOT the TSA, DHS...

...FBI, CIA, ETC.

[megatherium]

170. It was a British plot allegedly by second-generation British nationals. nt

[Snivi Yllom]

199. the Brits have much more lax rules in terms of surveillance

I wonder if the FBI/CIA/DHS would have uncovered this.

[dipsydoodle]

281. You should understand

We've got the Police here in the UK and that's it. Part of that is called Special Branch. We've never had anything else to my knowledge apart from the Home Guard during WW2.

[Kutjara]

288. Not sure if I understand your point, but...

...the UK also has MI5, MI6, GCHQ (for intercepting signals intelligence) and is also a participant in Carnivore/Echelon/whatever they call it these days, through close ties with the NSA. Their intelligence infrastructure is just as sophisticated and intrusive as ours (give or take a supercomputer or two), so it's not only the police who'd be involved in an operation of this type.

[dipsydoodle]

292. The other ones you mention

are not exactly "out on the street" as are your FBI, NSA etc.

[Kutjara]

294. OK, I see what you mean now. n/t

[Praetorian7]

295. The plotters were from UK.

It was buncha guys from UK - I doubt the Brits let our agencies operate there (not to mention I doubt we'd have the resources). Not sure I follow how FBI was supposed to figure that one out ?

[IndianaGreen]

9. It won't be the war criminal Tony Blair that will get his ass blown up

it will be innocent people that are being put at risk by the folly of the Blair government.

[HuffleClaw]

10. 'plot' ??? i'm dubious

i'm betting this is gonna turn out to be another 'thought criminal' case.

[OregonBlue]

218. Most recent polls found public trusts Dems more than Repukes on

homeland security. Think maybe Tony and his master are in trouble? Voila! A plot!

[951-Riverside]

11. What a bunch of shit

Unless they don't screen carry-ons why are they so worried?

This is reminiscent of Bush and his "Liberty Towers" bullshit which he never apologized for and the story quickly went away.

[Lucy - Claire]

12. This is the first I have heard of this

British Airports have had good security for decades but as my parents are flying into London today, I am happy that they are being extra vigilent today

[Rhiannon12866]

13. "Critical" level means an attack expected imminently... Yikes!

This sounds like it's damn serious! A "most significant" threat, "not finished," "pretty sure," strong words for the British press. But they also said that it "was foiled," and that they have made several arrests, but that the threat is "still critical..."

[Rhiannon12866]

14. They said that the aim was UK to US flights.

The naysayers may be right. I'd like to think that this is just another fizzy Pepsi can in the NY subways, but they still are calling this a "critical" threat...

[maddezmom]

15. Heathrow has suspended checkins as they call in more help

Other airports reporting check-ins taking upto 5 hours.

[Rhiannon12866]

254. I'm listening to CNN again right now. It sounds like a nightmare!

I can't imagine taking any trip without bringing shampoo...

[snappyturtle]

192. Exactly! If they've made the arrest and foiled the attack what's

with putting EVERY ticket holder through all this crap? I quit flying in May of 2002...I was in Duluth catching a feeder flight to Minneapolis to go on to Chicago and by the time THEY were done sticking their fingers in my shampoo bottle etc. I was sickened. Then I and a mother of an infant and a business man were singled out for another check at the gate.....meanwhile my purse, carry-on and shoes were in three different locations.....can't imagine what these folks in London are going through. Sorry for this little rant but I didn't feel any safer then after all this checking. Plain stupid. They went through both my carry-on and the bag I eventually checked through.

With this latest disclosure why can't they do their jobs and shut up like most of us do everyday and quit telling us how wonderful they are? I went on again, didn't I?

[Rhiannon12866]

263. You can rant to me, anytime.

I haven't flown since before 9/11. I've never been a big fan of flying, anyway, but I realize that you have to fly if you're going to get to certain places. I once had a panic attack on a non-stop flight from JFK to Helsinki. I told the flight attendant that I really needed to get off and asked her how much longer that it would be. She said six hours! Yikes! I wouldn't have survived that flight without her kindness. I highly recommend Finnair...

I'm sorry that you had to go through all that. The people who they single out make no sense to me. My cousin had to take off her shoes in the airport - and she was wearing sandals. And she's blonde and was traveling with her little boy. He was pretty freaked out when they took her away.

I tend to agree with much of the skepticism here. The more I hear, the more this sounds like another soda can in the subway distraction to me.

[index555]

323. as far as who they single out

It has to be "random",otherwise they would be "racial profiling" and that would "violate their civil rights."
on one hand it is a simple fact that a middle easterner right now is far more likely to try to blow up a plane than any other racial group.
on the other hand even among middle eastern people what's the likelihood that any one person on a plane will be a terrorist? 1 in a hundred thousand, a million?, 10 million?

[Rhiannon12866]

380. Both good points.

But how many hijackers have been women, anyway? Like SnappyTurtle and my cousin? And she said that they chose a woman with an infant, as well. I suppose that she could have hidden explosives in her baby's diaper...

And my cousin is blonde, hardly Middle Eastern looking. It's true that most people from the Middle East are as terrified of hijackings as we are. My veterinarian is from the Middle East and he flies a lot, but doesn't seem to have had a problem. In fact, he was a big hero on a flight back from Russia because he saved a man who collapsed after having had a stroke.

But if you take a look at the footage of the 9/11 hijackers before they got on those planes, wouldn't you have been suspicious of those men? The look on Mohammed Atta's face makes my blood run cold, no matter where he was from...

[LivingInTheBubble]

16. The UK government mostly lie about these things.

So i'll wait and see what actually is going on.

What does "foiled" mean anyway, obviously it hasnt been foiled as they have these restrictions in place.

[flyarm]

17. a thought here....

all the carry ons..add weight to a flight ..more weight.. more fuel consumed..

now with BP oil shut down..could Blair being holding back fuel for the british airlines..and US carriers..in preperation for a air strike on Iran?

i believe Blair shut down the oil fields of BP to reserve oil..in case of a oil shortage in the event of air strikes on Iran!

think about it..its a self imposed reserve of oil...

fly

[Name removed]

27. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Polethebear]

51. I wish pepole would stop being so skeptical

You know,it might have been the real thing.


You know,one of these days we are gonna cry foul and..............


I can understand that doubting of bush and blair.


But.........

[Frank Cannon]

178. Oh, yeah, like our skepticism is OUR FAULT?

Blame the victim, why don't you? These guys have lied about EVERYTHING.

[Southsideirish]

203. We learned it from the masters of cynicism - the bush administration.

[followthemoney]

232. The U.S. needs a provision for a vote of no confidence like Canada...

I believe this emergency is in response to the Lamont victory and the upcoming elections. Bush cries wolf again. Bush and his cronies have demonstrated their total incompetence in dealing with anything other than PR.

Still the question remains, what if there is a real emergency? We are stuck with these substandard officials and departments.

After 9/11 laws were violated by u.s. officials because "the constitution is not a suicide pact."

By leaving these incompetents in charge to muddle about in the mess they have made we continue to act as if the constitution is a suicide pact.

The elected Democrats will not act even to censure Bush but prefer to maintain pretentions of normalcy.

[FormerDem06]

248. and the black helicoptors are landing in your back yard as we speak

n/t

[fooj]

388. I've got black helicopters that fly over my house...

No joke.

Things are NEVER as they seem with these treasonous, rat bastards. You should have figured that out by now.

[Megahurtz]

361. People do have to realize that

either two or more situations can happen at the same time, or,
maybe it was the real thing, it's possible!

Seems to me that some people from the Middle East could find plenty of reason
these days to blow up a few things around here........

[mirandapriestly]

55. Interesting, I wonder what is behind all the restrictions, too

because it has been proven not to make much difference on airport security. Maybe you've got something there.

[CJCRANE]

105. It's more to do

with Blair trying to use the same tactics the neocons use on America: keep the populace in a permanent state of fear to drown out any critical thinking.

[GCP]

136. WHAAAA?????

How can adding the carry-on to checked baggage increase the total weight being carried? Does it magically add mass when it goes into the cargo hold instead of the passenger cabin?

[DemCapitalist]

139. Okay, I thought about it...

[Thor_MN]

150. They become massless if you check them?

Banning carryon luggage will not change the mass of the plane, as all of the junk you take to the airport will be still going into the aircraft.

What I would like to know is the nationality of the people they have arrested - no mention of that on the news.

As far as petroleum shortages, how much petroleum is being consumed by the Bush Wars? The production lost due to BP's negligence probably pales in comparison to Bush's addiction.

[flyarm]

191. not today..or yesterday ..but now they will advise passengers

to leave all carry-ons home..this is for the days ahead...you don't save the days you implement this, but in the preceding days ,weeks and months
there will still be the weight restrictions on luggage in the coming days, weeks and months.

[flyarm]

194. gee i guess i am so skeptical..oil prices down...already..

and on msnbc... oil to continue going down with less airline fuel being needed and used..
supposedly American & United involved ..but you go about your flying and summer trips now..

oh and by the way..parliment was demanding to be back in session soon ..announced a couple days ago... way prior to their next scheduled meetings in Oct ..wasn't it??

am i skeptical..you bet i am!

fly

[Zynx]

224. Give me a freakin' break.

You are talking about very marginal amounts of fuel. Quite simply put the combined available forces of Britain and the U.S. cannot go after Iran right now. We have neither the raw military nor the logisitical backing to do it.

[IronLionZion]

Whether its in the cargo bay or in the cabin, it's still the same weight!

This has fuck all to do with fuel. This is the real shit.

[huskerlaw]

309. ...

Except that they can still CHECK all the carry-ons. So the planes weigh the same.

[ButterflyBlood]

333. Hey, I see Elvis getting out of that black helicopter over there nt

[Codeine]

351. Don't be ridiculous.

They're still putting the stuff on the plane, just not in carry-on.

[Snivi Yllom]

363. LOL. How about some basic physics

Quick quiz.

If you move the luggage from the cabin to the cargo hold, does it weight more, less, or the same?

[flyarm]

369. AND AS OF TOMMORROW THEY ARE TOLD NOTHING TO BE BROUGHT THROUGH

SECURITY BUT PLASTIC BAG..AND STILL THERE IS A WEIGHT LIMIT ON CHECKED BAGS..THATS NOT CHANGING!

200+ PAX WITH CARRY ON WHEELIES NO LONGER ON BOARD...BUT THAT WILL NOT BE ABSORBED IN CARGO ..BECAUSE THE WEIGHT OF BAGS CHECKED WILL REMAIN WHAT THEY WERE PRIOR..

and if you read my post i said,,..a thought..i wrote at 230 am when the story was just breaking..

but you might find this interesting!!


Oil Prices Drop by Almost $2 a Barrel


Full story: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20060810/D8JDN7H00.htm ...

Oil Prices Drop by Almost $2 a Barrel
Email this Story

Aug 10, 1:58 PM (ET)

By MADLEN READ

NEW YORK (AP) - Crude oil prices fell nearly $2 a barrel Thursday as thwarted airplane attacks led many carriers to cancel flights, which could mean dampened jet fuel demand and weaker consumer confidence.

Light, sweet crude for September delivery dropped $1.95 to $74.40 a barrel in early afternoon trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

[Snivi Yllom]

371. You really think this is about saving fuel?

I don't know which is kookier, TAKE YOUR PICK!:

The conspiracy theory that is to hurt Ned Lamont in a CT Primary

OR

The conspiracy theory that Airlines want to make more money by banning their toiletries/carry ons and pissing off their passengers.

OR

Tony Blair invented the terrorist plot to give an excuse to Airlines to restrict luggage to save fuel for air strikes on Iran.

[flyarm]

373. read:

WH Official: "Weeks before September 11th, this is going to play big"

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060810/pl_afp/britainatta ...

<snip>

But Bush's Republicans hoped the raid would yield political gains.

"I'd rather be talking about this than all of the other things that Congress hasn't done well," one Republican congressional aide told AFP on condition of anonymity because of possible reprisals.

"Weeks before September 11th, this is going to play big," said another White House official, who also spoke on condition of not being named, adding that some Democratic candidates won't "look as appealing" under the circumstances.




according to the Guardian, they've been monitoring this for several months:



http://www.guardian.co.uk/uklatest/story/0,,-6006659,00 ...

<snip>

Details of the plot only emerged for the first time in the early hours. But police later revealed the arrests followed an "unprecedented level of surveillance" - stretching back to December last year - involving meetings, movements, travel, spending and the "aspirations of a large group of people".

[flyarm]

374. read more:

Lamont’s campaign manager: "Did Karl Rove write this attack line for Joe?"

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/10/washington/10cnd-lieb ...

<snip>

Mr. Lamont’s campaign manager, Tom Swan, responded to Mr. Lieberman today by continuing the Lamont strategy of highlighting Mr. Lieberman’s past support for President Bush’s war policy in some instances.

“Did Karl Rove write this attack line for Joe?” Mr. Swan said, referring to the president’s senior adviser. Mr. Rove told reporters this morning that he called Mr. Lieberman, whom he described as “a personal friend,” on the primary day on Tuesday to wish him luck against Mr. Lamont.

Lieberman's comments here:

Lieberman uses the foiled UK terror plot to attack Lamont


http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local/state/hc-101 ...

<snip>

Lieberman also compared the terror plot to the Iraq war.

"If we just pick up like Ned Lamont wants us to do, get out by a date certain, it will be taken as a tremendous victory by the same people who wanted to blow up these planes in this plot hatched in England. It will strengthen them and they will strike again."

[flyarm]

378. how the hell do i know..i said "a thought here!! "

have you never had just a thought??

but as a 33 yr flight crew ( and now retired) with one of the airlines that was involved in 9/11
and mentioned in this so called plot..i think i have seen crap like this before!

and after calling many of my flight crew friends last night and finding out none of them had gotten any warnings..

it was just supposition...

have you never made one of those??

i said .. a thought here..as in, i was thinking and trying to connect dots.. ....did i say it was actual?? did i say it was fact??

no i did not.

stop putting words in my mouth please!

fly

[muriel_volestrangler]

18. 18 arrests of "British nationals" were made overnight

and they say Bush and Blair both knew about the operation in the past few days (just as well Tony did manage to get out to Barbados in time, huh?) Despite the arrests, and the "critical" alert level thingie, there's also been word that they weren't actually expecting the bombing attempt today. The bad news therefore is that the restrictions may last some time.

Some airports are in chaos - at Heathrow, passengers are being told they may be better of going home, and they can't get people into the building - they're waiting outside.

[dipsydoodle]

38. 18 - all named Emmanuel Goldstein

Odd that

[Megahurtz]

366. Lol!

[Wonk]

20. Great. Just great. My brother is flying transatlantic to London next week,

So now he has to put his laptop, books, iPod, etc in his stowed suitcase for the entire flight over this? He'll be so happy to hear this news :/

[tenshi816]

45. We're flying on holiday

out of the UK next Wednesday and I've had the exact same thought about our laptop and ipods. I wonder how many items like these will mysteriously disappear from people's bags.

I'll have to take a book on board the plane though, or else I'll have a meltdown mid-flight. I don't travel well if I can't read.

There was another time like this in the UK. I'm sure DUers remember the PanAm flight that blew up over Lockerbie, Scotland as the result of a terrorist bomb just before Christmas in 1988. Well, my husband and I were flying PanAm from London to New York two days later. It took us 6 hours to check in and then the plane sat on the ground for another 2 hours after we boarded. While I appreciated the extra safety measures (we had to go through a full security check before even being allowed into the terminal building), it made an already stressful experience many times worse.

[INDIA]

216. Tell him to switch to Virgin Air...

About 300 movies, complimentary drinks, attractive British flight attendants. The flight'll be over before he knows it!

[Kutjara]

293. Tell him he can save time by...

...throwing all his high-value items in the trash before he leaves the house. It'll have the same effect as checking them in and letting the baggage handlers get their mitts on them. Heathrow isn't nicknamed 'Thiefrow' for nothing.

It'll be a bumper Christmas at the homes of baggage handlers and airport security staff all over the world this year.

[pitohui]

336. since he hasn't departed, he should not bring the laptop etc

airlines are not responsible for valuables placed in checked bags, considering the rate of baggage theft and loss it would be most unwise to bring along anything of real valuable such as a laptop or digital cameras, airlines don't have to compensate you when these are lost

go to the airline's website and read the rules for his airline but i'm correct on this matter for the airlines i've flown

[SoCalDem]

21. Issue in-flight jumpsuits..strip all passengers down

lock all carry-on stuff in a duffle and give passengers a key to unlock at the destination..

I actually like the idea of no carry-ons

or just build (set up) a HUGE baggage terminal in each airport, and fly baggage separately from passengers once or twice a day a la Fed Ex..

No glory in blowing up a plane full of suitcases..

With only baggageless passengers to contend with, security could be enhanced..

[Wonk]

23. Thongs and pasties, not jumpsuits :/ nt

[saigon68]

24. Just G-Strings-- No pasties

[SoCalDem]

25. Remember folks, not all of us are "g string-worthy"

on some of us, the whole thing would be "hidden"..

Limbaugh comes to mind...but wait... he flies on private planes

[saigon68]

33. LOL

I used to love to fly

Now its a real hassle

[The Deacon]

239. Trust Me - The Sight Of ME In A Thong Would Qualify As

A terror weapon in ANY country. I'll keep my jeans & baggy sportcoat (because I respect other people.)

[Kailassa]

151. Thong and pasties .... right ...

Now how do I arrange them?

[Megahurtz]

367. Hahahahahahahahaha!

[Snivi Yllom]

258. naked-air.com

http://naked-air.com/

[Snaggletooth]

320. Americans are the most obese people on the planet, per capita

followed closely by Great Britain. Thongs and pasties? Argh...help, my eyes, my eyes!

[regnaD kciN]

68. It would be IMPOSSIBLE for me...

I actually like the idea of no carry-ons

or just build (set up) a HUGE baggage terminal in each airport, and fly baggage separately from passengers once or twice a day a la Fed Ex..

No glory in blowing up a plane full of suitcases..

I do photography for a living. I'm not going to entrust my equipment to the gorillas in baggage handling, in the hopes that nothing will turn out damaged when I pick it up at my destination.

Think of it this way -- if I'm on assignment, and my equipment is ruined by the baggage handlers in transit, I have to purchase replacements for every damaged piece of equipment upon arrival. That could run well into four figures right there. If it's a time-critical event I'm covering, and I'm unable to get the equipment in time, not only would I lose any payment (which includes reimbursement for travel expenses already paid for out of my own pocket -- including the airline flight on which my equipment was damaged!) but I'd be legally liable to the client for non-performance, and could wind up losing my business.

The only way I'd travel with my equipment is if it was in my possession the entire time. Otherwise, forget it!

Fortunately, it seems these restrictions are only temporary.

[NashVegas]

149. You'll Need Hard Cases

A friend of mine has to pack up tens of thousands of dollars' worth of equipment fairly often, and that's what he uses.

[Betty]

160. I'm in the same boat, I have to travel with my violin

and there is no way in hell it leaves my sight for even a second. I am sure if it were put in cargo, it would be in splinters by the time I'd pick it up. Very expensive splinters.

[Tight_rope]

235. Standard Uniforms for airflights....hummm...Sounds like a great idea!

Hell some of the shit I've seen people wear on flights should be band from the clothing industry.

[muriel_volestrangler]

22. US Homeland Security may be banning liquids from hand luggage too

BBC Radio said the Dept of Homeland Security just made an announcement; they didn't have it live, but it seemed to say liquids (eg shampoo) would be banned from flights from the US too - not sure if that's flight to the UK, or all flights.

[muriel_volestrangler]

26. BA and other carriers now starting to cancel flights from the UK

They say check on websites for which flights are cancelled.

[muriel_volestrangler]

28. Heathrow now closed to any flights not already in the air (n/t)

[Haole Girl]

29. Really?

Just f'ing great...just great.

[muriel_volestrangler]

31. Yeah - they're full.

The security has made outgoing flights so chaotic that almost no flights are leaving on time. The terminals are described as "a wall of people"; British Airways say no-one can count on a flight leaving Heathrow today.

[evox]

30. Obviously...

Tony Blair's ass is on fire for being America's dogtail - as they like to call it in the UK. Stories like this are sponsored by his government and are planned way ahead and are designed for times like this to distract people from what's really going on and to try and cover his ass.

[Ghost Dog]

59. Help justify no real ceasefire or withdrawal in Lebanon

no deal in UN Security Council --> escalation of ME War.
cf. here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

& here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

Seriously, when you read this kind of decription of events: http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,200815...

"Sky said the Metropolitan Police arrests were the culmination of a big covert counter-terrorist operation lasting several months.

"It followed a pre-planned intelligence led operation by the Met's anti-terrorist branch and security service."

... You wonder about the timing of this 'security' action (causing huge disruption) right now.

[DemReadingDU]

138. Exactly, Why NOW

Why is this major disruption being discussed NOW. What else is going on? This sounds lke another Bush diversion tactic...Get the media to discuss terror, because there is something else that they don't want us discussing. Bait & Switch technique.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

173. its needed to keep the Lamont win out of the headlines

otherwise, all we would hear about today is how
Lamont swept the floor with Lieberman's butt.

Cant have good headlines for Dems.
Rove plan A.

[muriel_volestrangler]

206. If that was their concern

then Rove wouldn't have been offering to help Lieberman. The White House press secretary wouldn't have given quotes on the primary claiming it meant Democrats were weak on terror. They wouldn't have the right wing talk shows talking about Lamont and Lieberman.

Face it, the Republicans want people talking about that primary - they think they can use it to paint Democrats as 'extreme'. To think they would order British police to do an entire operation, and completly screw up British airports, just to provide an alternative lead story (when there's nothing else going on in the world, is there, such as , umm, Israel, Palestine and Lebanon, perhaps?) is absurd. Get some perspective. The world doesn't revolve around Democrtaic senate primaries.

[Ghost Dog]

282. (Sheesh) n/t

[TankLV]

242. We have a WINNER!

If I would be inclined to bet, I'd put money on your theory...

So color is now RED - never seen before!

How CONVENIENT!

[paparush]

228. 'Cause Lieberman lost.. 'Cause the PEOPLE spoke..so, gotta get the

PEOPLE back under their rocks..'fraid of terruh..

[Pert_UK]

35. I was supposed to fly to Glasgow from London today...

I am somewhat glad that we decided to drive up tonight instead.

All a bit worrying really...Hope it all clears up without incident ASAP.

P.

[BooScout]

37. That's a long drive.....

Have a good trip.

[Pert_UK]

47. Cheers Booscout...

It is indeed, but we're breaking it half way and staying in a hotel overnight. It worked out cheaper and easier than flying and then hiring a car.

It's a long drive, but there's a lot of whisky waiting for me at the other end, so it's worth while!

[BooScout]

50. Pack your woolies and your brolly.....

Glasgow is a wee bit chilly.

[Pert_UK]

61. Not as chilly as a farm on the coast nearer to Stranraer!

Brrrrrr!

P.

[RebelOne]

58. Take the train. Faster than driving.

[Pert_UK]

Yes, if I was actually going to Glasgow....but it's more expensive...

I looked into the train, but it was something like £100 per person, versus £90 in petrol between us.

That and the fact that I'm actually going to an isolated farm somewhere nearer to Stranraer mean that the car is a better option.

[TankLV]

246. Amazing how UNPROTECTED trains and busses are, isn't it?!

But no one would ever envision them blowing up a train!

This was mentioned more than a few times by the BRITISH journalists last nite...

hmmmmm...

[Tinfoil]

276. You're f'ing joking, right?

But no one would ever envision them blowing up a train!


hmmmmm...

I think there are some people in Madrid and London that would disagree with that ridiculous statement.

[TankLV]

315. I suppose I should have used the sarcasm smiley, but I thought intelligent

people would realize my intent...

Oh well...

[0007]

72. It will only get worse

[BooScout]

36. All breast milk must be sampled.......seriously.

If you are carrying expressed breast milk ya gotta have a sip before you can board.

[dipsydoodle]

39. You should maye change your name

to BoobScout as you managed to find that gem.

[BooScout]

40. Haha.......

It wasn't hard to find.........the BBC is having a field day with it on the news.

[dipsydoodle]

48. Forgot you were here

I also got the impression that there will now be a ban on taking drinks / liquids onto flights within the USA. Wording is in here : http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4778891.stm

The extra security measures adopted by the US authorities were due to come into effect at 0400 local time across the country.

The measures include a ban on liquids - such as drinks, hair gels and lotions - being carried on to planes. Mr Chertoff said this was a response to the nature of the threat.

Travellers in the US have also been told to expect extra security measures at airports.

[BooScout]

52. I hope they change that by November......

I was hoping to head to the States for a visit then and I like to wear my contacts (contact lens solution mind you)to see where I am going.

*sigh*......they better not ban the drink trolly too.

[dipsydoodle]

70. No contact lens solution !

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4778615.stm

Was supposed to be going out to a banjo collecors gathering in Williamsburg VA 2nd Nov. for a few days but don't think I'll bother now.

[Snivi Yllom]

200. 1994 airliner bomb was disguised as contact solution,you can bring it

but you gotta check it

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Bojinka

[Haole Girl]

41. Anybody catch the Scotland Yard news conference?

Any additional info...oh...it's on now.

[BooScout]

53. 21 in custody and remain calm.....

That's about it.

Well done Scotland yard........they didn't shoot anyone this time.

[savemefromdumbya]

289. have the 'patsies' all got long beards?

[Placebo]

42. The sad truth is that the masses don't know WHAT to believe.

The party in power has abused the threat-level system, and terror warnings in general, to their political advantage so much that we can't even be sure with any level of certainty whether or not this is a real threat or a political ploy.

[evox]

43. as always

political ploy

[Breeze54]

49. That's fucked up...

so cynical.. sometimes things are real, believe it or not.

[Haole Girl]

46. While it may be fashionable to believe everything is a lie

if it originated from government sources, Scotland Yard doesn't simply hype news.

[BooScout]

56. No.......the police act in good faith...BUT...

They are acting on intelligence from MI5 which has proved to be wrong before.........witness Forest Gate when they shot an innocent man in the arm........destroyed his house and THEN said OOPs.

[CJCRANE]

66. Exactly -

the problem is always the "intelligence". It seems like this has been planned to coincide with the new terror alert system that came into effect on 1st August.

[Spider Jerusalem]

130. The UK isn't the US.

It's kind of ridiculous to say 'the party in power has abused the threat level system', etc., when the UK didn't even HAVE a threat level system until recently, and the UK has ALSO experienced fairly recent terrorist-related activity (Tube bombings of July 2005).

Blair may be a disgusting lickspittle who toadies Bush relentlessly, but the Labour government in the UK haven't been given to using paranoia as a political tool, for the most part. Attempting to make direct comparisons of the actions of the US government and the US Department of Homeland Security under the Bush administration to what's happening in the UK (which is, I remind you, much more accessible from the Middle East...it's about the same distance from Baghdad to London as from New York to Los Angeles) is, quite frankly, blatantly ignorant and ridiculously paranoid.

[CJCRANE]

135. I remind you

that Blair told us that Saddam could blow up British cities with WMD within 45 minutes.

Blair is every bit as bad as the neocons, he hasn't quite got the kind of power they have in the US but he's doing everything he can to get that kind of power over the British people.

[Spider Jerusalem]

145. Well, yes, there is that...

but then Blair is a slimy opportunist; he was all too willing to go before Parliament with those absurd assertions (that he knew to be false, because MI6 were telling him Iraq had no WMD capability). Mustn't jeapordise the 'special relationship', after all...the sad thing is that Blair probably actually thinks he's a statesman of consequence, and not just Bush's poodle.

And keeping the public cowed via intimidation and fear seems a less successful tactic in the UK thank it is in the US, in any case (witness for instance the widespread, although probably doomed, opposition to the proposed identity card and database scheme).

[Pert_UK]

44. Well the BAA websites seem to have crashed...

Nice going guys. Nothing like making info available when it's most needed.

http://www.baa.co.uk/

[BooScout]

60. I have it up....can I check a flight for you? n/t

[Pert_UK]

64. Thanks anyway.....

I was just going to check out the delays in general, plus my boss is flying out of Stansted this morning and I was wondering if she'd managed to get away before the delays kicked in.

Not to worry though, I'm not that interested!

Thanks.

P.

[BooScout]

65. I checked flights from Gatwick ...

The one I usually fly on is due in early.....hopefully the other airports are coping.

[muriel_volestrangler]

63. I wonder how many sites have a "bare minimum" mode to run in?

Just as DU has - restricting the non-essential stuff. Seriously, I think the guys here at DU could become consultants on how to cope with sudden spikes in website activity. It's something you'd need planned in advance.

[Haole Girl]

54. "Intended to be mass murder on an unimaginable scale."

I can't believe they worded it like that. How horrible.

[muriel_volestrangler]

57. Did he really say "unimaginative"?

Or was it "unimaginable"?

[Haole Girl]

62. edited

thanks. going to bed now.

[Nye Bevan]

219. It actually *is* fairly unimaginative

to kill people by blowing up planes, which has been done dozens of times.

Now if Al Queda had been planning to release a herd of specially trained lethal rhinocerouses on the streets of London, *that* would have been imaginative.

[Briar]

180. I bet

the Lebanese and Iraqis can imagine mass murder on such a scale.

[Pert_UK]

67. Update on all UK airports + "carry on" / hand luggage restrictions

"HEATHROW

The airport has been closed to all incoming flights which are not already in the air.

BELFAST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Passengers are being advised to check in at least two hours earlier. No hand luggage is allowed to be taken on, with only the barest essentials in transparent plastic bags.

BIRMINGHAM INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

In a statement, Birmingham asked passengers to turn up for flights as normal.

CARDIFF INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Security at all Wales' airports has been stepped up.

At Cardiff, managers said extra staff had been drafted in to implement new security measures and to "minimise delays".

GATWICK

Richard Hawkins, of Scenes Hill, told the BBC News website: "I have just come back from Gatwick North Terminal having given up trying to take the early morning flight to Amsterdam.

"The added security precautions are causing absolute chaos as everybody is obliged to check in and all passengers are being hand searched."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4778771.stm

Hand luggage restrictions:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4778615.stm

[dipsydoodle]

69. Guessing this will be applied to USA too

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4778615.stm

Note - no car alarm keyfobs to which I would guess mobile phones will be added too.

I reckon list will be made to apply to the USA as well.

[Breeze54]

71. banned items: Laptop computers, mobile phones, iPods, and remote controls

http://abcnews.go.com/International/Terrorism/wireStory...

snip-->
British Airways said some flights were likely to be canceled.
Laptop computers, mobile phones, iPods, and remote controls
were among items banned from being carried on its planes.

"I'm terrified really, I'm really scared," said Sarah Challiner, 20,
who was waiting to board a flight from Manchester's airport.

Hannah Pillinger, 24, seemed less concerned by the announcement.
"Eight hours without an iPod, that's the most inconvenient thing,"
she said, waiting at the Manchester airport. <--snip


You can't even bring toothpaste on any flights!

[dipsydoodle]

106. Did you notice

in the link you gave - the following which referred to Lockerbie :
"The explosive was hidden in a portable radio which was hidden in checked baggage."

[Breeze54]

117. I didn't but I've heard it on the TV...

that they apparently caught someone with explosives in a carry-on!

Thanks for the tip.

[smb]

271. Followup

banned items: Laptop computers, mobile phones, iPods

Items that tripled their eBay listings an hour after the baggage handlers got off shift: Laptop computers, mobile phones, iPods

[Kutjara]

302. Yes indeed.

It's going to be a bumper Christmas at baggage handlers' and security staff's homes this year. They don't call Heathrow 'Thiefrow' for nothing.

[HuffleClaw]

73. can you IMAGINE how they are treating every passenger who isn't

lily white? what a horror.

[Pert_UK]

108. Utter, utter, utter bollocks....

For fuck's sake, this is a serious story that doesn't need random nonsense spouted about it.

"Oh the horror, the horror! Imagine how they're treating the ethnic minorities!!!"

For you information, I use British airports a lot and I reckon that the majority of security screeners are from an "ethnic minority", so I suspect that the treatment they give out will be pretty much the same as always.

I fail to see what we gain from ill-founded and pointless accusations of racism at this point. Why don't we talk about what we actually know about the story, rather than introducing fiction into it?

[dipsydoodle]

110. Some would disagree with me but

in general it isn't like that here in the UK .

[BooScout]

118. Oh Bullshit....

I fly out of the UK 2 or 3 times a year. Your post is utter nonsense.

[Name removed]

121. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Newsjock]

74. Reuters: Britain says attack expected imminently

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L10254208.htm

LONDON, Aug 10 (Reuters) - Britain raised its security threat level to "critical" on Thursday, which means it expects an attack imminently, after a police said they had foiled a plot to blow up aircraft.

The Home Office Web Site showed the rating had been raised to "critical" from "severe" earlier on Thursday. Britain has a five level rating for security threats, ranging from low to critical, which is the highest level.

[Tsiyu]

75. just heard this as well

Terror terror?

or something real since Pigboy's hunkered down on the farm?

[saigon68]

82. BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID

BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID
BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID
BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID
BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID
BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID
BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID
BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID
BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID
BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID
BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID
BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID
BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID
BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID
BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID
BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID, BE AFRAID

[mirandapriestly]

99. yep.eom

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

104. Not so much.

Most people here see it as a pretty big inconvenience, nothing more.

[kryckis]

158. Maybe we have reason to?

Blowing up planes is not a far-fetched movie plot. It's happened before. What if they hadn't stopped it? What would be said about it then? It may be exaggerated, it may not be. Frankly, after the London bombings and 9/11 I would rather they be safe than sorry.

[Phrogman]

76. "When in trouble or in doubt, run in circles, scream and shout..TERRORIST!

E0M

[truthisfreedom]

101. and then shoot your friend in the face with a shotgun while hanging out

with a sexy ambassador (Pam Willeford).

[don954]

77. all the terrorists know shrub dosnt like to interrupt his vacation

no matter what happens on Tuesday (or Thursday in this case)....


Wonder if NORAD has some "wargames" planned for the morning...

[mogster]

85. They're on the move, remember

Too much to do.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[MiniMe]

146. I thought they were in their last throes. Oops, thats insurgents

/sarcasm off

[McKinneyIsAHero]

78. I wouldn't doubt this is all real

After all the chaos in the Middle East and the US/UK being the only parties who want to keep the bloodshed going (by vetoing UNSC) is likely to be fertile ground to those wishing violence.

[CJCRANE]

79. Note: the terror alert system

was introduced in Britain on 1st August this year.

[Matilda]

80. Do they have colours too?

What fun!

[CJCRANE]

84. No colours

that would be frivolous!

However the number of levels was reduced from seven to five to match the American system.

[tuvor]

81. Thanks for that bit of interesting information.

I was just trying to recall the last time I heard of a British terra-"threat level" meter, and was coming up empty.

The terra-threat-level meter in the USA hasn't budged for, what--a couple of years, now? So what suddenly made Tony think it was such a hot idea?

I smells bullshit.

[CJCRANE]

83. The terror threat may be real

but Blair and co will milk it for all its worth.

I saw a Labour apparatchik on the BBC giving a public announcement about the new terror precautions and I felt like I was watching a scene from V for Vendetta.

[rooboy]

86. Are there any military/police exercises or drills scheduled?

If so, stay the fuck away from them.

[phrenzy]

87. Not Cool

Dis the fear mongering all you want - but my girlfriend was about to get on a plane at heathrow. She's now stuck there. Better that than the alternative.

[girl gone mad]

90. I saw Heathrow on CNN international.

Looks like she could be stuck there for a while. The expert they were just interviewing said that this was the closest that London has been to total aviation collapse.

[Ghost Dog]

102. Take a train to Paris or, say, Amsterdam

and fly out of there.

[lebkuchen]

88. I thought the coalition attack against Iraq was supposed to make us safer

Every coalition member that has substantially contributed militarily to the Iraq assault has been hit by a terrorist attack. Today's attempt would have been a two-fer for the remaining members.

[CJCRANE]

95. It's the gift that keeps on giving for Blair.

His foreign policies cause the muslim radicals to target Britain and he uses that as an excuse to further scare and control everyone. He can't lose.

[paparush]

231. Remember, remember the 5th of November!!

[dipsydoodle]

89. BBC News posting

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4778575.stm

There will no longer be any hand luggage whatsoever on any flights under any circumstances on UK flights. Apparently it's complete and utter chaos at all of our airports as I write and all incoming fligths have been diverted until lunchtime.

[Rhiannon12866]

266. It sounds like a nightmare!

Thanks for the link...

[Tsiyu]

91. I've pretty much laughed off most of the terra!terra! crap

but the situation in the ME is growing darker and more menacing.

There are some real pissed-off Arabs and Persians right about now. Afghanistan was strike one, Iraq was strike two, now Lebanon is getting pummeled and the US is not trying to restrain Israel.

There are people who think terrorism is the only way to wake up the west, just as the west thinks bombs and endless wars can solve the problems in the east. So i don't doubt that this threat has some validity to it.

But we're all so conditioned to ignore the Terra!Terra!Terra! alerts, when something big is coming down the pike who the hell is going to pay attention?

[soup]

93. I know what you mean.

Half of me wants to make a Samuel L. Jackson joke, the other half says it's been a long time comin'.

[Tsiyu]

96. Aw, go ahead and make the joke

But as soon as you're finished, go hide in the closet.


And make sure you have plenty of plastic sheeting, duct tape, tuna and powdered milk!

[Breeze54]

97. I don't think New Yorker's share your blaze' attitude, dude!

Can you say 'denial"? You seem to be in it!
You don't think this is possible!
Wake up! 9-11 wasn't the first attack in the USA!

[Tsiyu]

107. hey, my SIL was in the WTC the first time they tried to blow it to

smithereens so I'm aware. I'm a native New Yorker myself, and I'm not trying to diminish your fears, but I'm not living in constant fear myself.

Still, my gut is in knots right now.

It's just that we tend to grow blase when our government declares an alert every time they need a boost in the polls.

[Breeze54]

113. I understand that.... My sister

was boarding at gate 9(?), next to where the hijackers were boarding, that morning out of Boston.
But with all the shit going on in the ME, we shouldn't just dismiss this as more BS from B*!
JMO!
There have been attacks before that awful day... I know, you know, what I mean...

I haven't heard about ANY alerts for quite awhile now!
I don't get cable TV but MSNBC took over my TV this morning!
THAT made me think this was more than a ploy!

[Tsiyu]

I'm with you

There's something about the current state of affairs that has me on edge...as if we're all about to get pushed off a cliff and there's not a dmaned thing we can do about it.

But then the logical mind takes over and says, "Oh, hell! They do this whenever they need some love." It's hard to know what's true and what's bullshit anymore, eh?

Hang in there Breeze54. Might be a bumpy ride. Or not.

[Breeze54]

143. *big smile*

I'm hanging! lol! You hang too! We're okay!
Change is 'uneasy' sometimes but I see good things coming down the line for us!
I see big changes, in our favor, come November!

The 'skeptics' are on the TV now...argh! I can't listen, as it's all supposition.
If this was 'the real deal' then those in power did their jobs! That's a good thing!
Right? --> Will wonders never cease?

You'll be ok. I know it! So will I. We're all going to be just fine.

Take a deep breath and go make some coffee or tea or whatever it is you like in the AM!


All is well! Lamont won!!!

[Puglover]

166. I disagree. Don't use New Yorkers as an example here.

My family and many many friends are from Brooklyn, and BELIEVE me they don't sit around soiling themselves thinking of the next terror attack. New Yorkers are known for their resilience and quite frankly many of them think it funny that so many people are freaking out about every terror alert this criminal administration concocts.

[Drum]

227. ditto nt

[ReadTomPaine]

284. Agreed.

Most NYC'ers find the entire sorry situation contemptible. They have plenty of reason. The last thing I'd call them is afraid.

[TankLV]

256. not the first where bushco IGNORED the warnings, milked it for all it's

worth, blew POSITIVE news about Democrats and negative shit about REPUKES AND THEIR APPEASERS off the front pages, was all a LITTLE TOO CONVENIENT and TIMELY...

and ALL later on proved to be quite less if NOTHING as originally hyped by the whore media and their repuke masters...

Just noticing is all we're doing...

[Snivi Yllom]

238. I bet the family of Haruki Ikegami is not laughing

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Bojinka

In 1994, Yousef and Khalid Sheik Mohammed started testing airport security. Yousef booked a flight between Kai Tak International Airport in Hong Kong and Chiang Kai Shek International Airport near Taipei. Mohammed booked a flight between Ninoy Aquino International Airport near Manila and Kimpo International Airport near Seoul.

The two had already converted fourteen bottles of contact lens solution into bottles containing nitroglycerin, which was readily available in the Philippines. Yousef taped a metal rod to the arch of his of foot in place of the detonators. Yousef and Mohammed wore jewelry and clothing with metal to confuse airport security.

On December 11, 1994, Yousef built another bomb, which had one tenth of the power that his final bombs were planned to have, in the lavatory of the aircraft and left it inside the life jacket under his seat, 26K, after he got off the plane from a flight that arrived in Cebu. Yousef had boarded the flight under the assumed name of Armaldo Forlani, using a false Italian passport. The aircraft was Philippine Airlines Flight 434 using that aircraft on a Manila to Narita route. Yousef had set the timer for four hours after he got off the aircraft. The bomb exploded while the aircraft was over Minami Daito Island, near Okinawa, Japan. A Japanese businessman named Haruki Ikegami was killed after the bomb detonated. The Boeing 747-200 safely made an emergency landing in Naha, Okinawa. None of the aircraft's other 272 passengers or any members of the crew were killed, although 10 passengers in front of Ikegami were injured. Yousef then planned which flights to attack for Phase I.

[krispos42]

92. Terror alert increases in summer in an election year...

Okay, let's check and see who won the "When will the government start using the terror rainbow to scare people into voting Republican?" office pool...

I don't doubt the attack attempt was real, BTW. I do wonder if they pulled a Zarquawi on the public, where they could have stopped the plot earlier but let it develop until foiling it would occur at a politically-favorable time.

[mirandapriestly]

100. Yes, Thom Hartmann said "something's afoot" today

Some rethug was on Sean Hannity and told him"not to worry" about the elections and he TH was speculating some terror event or, (I think), bioterror is being planned.

[krispos42]

123. Thom Hartmann's pretty savvy...

I've heard him on Air America Minnesota when he subs for people. You're lucky... you get to hear him all the time!

Well, I sure am glad that DHS increased their port security screenings by 20%. Now they are scanning 6 containers in 100 instead of merely 5.

I have a transparent disposable plastic rain poncho and a roll of duct tape (the good stuff, 3M) in my car, so I'm all ready for a bioterror attack. I have one of those dust-filter masks someplace as well. And a welder's mask for when the nuke goes off, so I'm ready for the full spectrum of NBC warfare.

[magellan]

94. If this is real

...and I believe it is, then it's a very clear sign that actions in the middle east are serving to radicalize more people. Just what the neocons ordered.

The Long War, indeed.

[Ghost Dog]

103. "Just what the neocons ordered."

Indeed.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

[CJCRANE]

98. This better be legit

because if it's based on the usual crappy "intelligence" Blair relies on the British are going to be very, very angry.

[BooScout]

111. Going to be?

Hell they already are....this is disrupting summer holidays! Damned big inconvenience.

[CJCRANE]

115. Blair made it out im time...nt

[Matilda]

114. From what I'm hearing on BBC here, it's legit.

And the probable targets were three US aircraft. No surprises there.

When are Bush and Blair and their sycophants going to realise that
until there is a just peace in Palestine and now in Lebanon, these
attack threats will continue, and it's only a matter of time before
another one is successful.

Trouble is, all these so-called leaders can think of is their own
short-term self-interest. They don't care about the people, and they
certainly don't care about the Middle East, except for what they can
get out of it.

[regnaD kciN]

119. So, they "foil" a terror attack...

...and then go on to declare that one is "imminent."



It sounds like they didn't quite do a thorough job of foiling it, if you ask me.

"I have good news and I have bad news. The good news is that we stopped a major terror attack. The bad news is that we weren't able to stop the upcoming one."

[drduffy]

124. 9/11 was an inside job... anyone who believes the next

will be any more legit is kinda livin in la la land.

As was said above: terrah, terrah, terrah.....be very afraid.

Humans are really pathetic. And Amerika has a greater proportion of sheeple (fat, lazy, TV addicted, uncritical sheeple) than any other locale on earth.

[Kailassa]

236. But being frightened is sorta fun, and addictive.

There is nothing fun in knowing that the group most likely to blow you up
is your own government.

That knowledge doesn't just cause fear. It causes a nauseating disconnect
from the insanity of the sheep surrounding you.

[western mass]

109. Damn, only 2 months since the LAST fake terror plot...

A blast from the recent past:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/terrorism/story/0,,1794438,00...

Two brothers held in armed raid on home released without charge

More than 250 police officers, some of them armed and wearing biochemical suits, burst into the house at 4am last Friday after receiving intelligence claiming that a chemical or biological weapon could be inside.

But as the week drew on, senior officers came under increasing pressure and were forced to concede that there may never have been such a weapon in the house.

[BooScout]

112. At least they haven't shot anyone yet.....

British Police like to shoot first and cover it up later.

[Breeze54]

116. What did they think it was? A 'Cookers House'?... n/t

[Kip Humphrey]

141. Its an election year.

[Name removed]

120. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[BooScout]

126. And the whackos have landed.

[distantearlywarning]

131. Um....

I didn't see any of that in this thread except for your post. And I doubt that too many of the other posters believe much of that. But hey, don't let me come between you and your stereotypes about how the "other side" thinks. And enjoy your stay here at DU, such as it will be.

[BooScout]

133. I predict the stay will be a short one. n/t

[BooScout]

137. And he tried so hard to fit in here.......

LMAO

[humbled_opinion]

122. For Gods sake just put a bridge up....n/t

[Name removed]

125. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Kailassa]

253. I don't much like people using "'tard" as an insult.

I have a delightful intellectually handicapped son who is more intelligent
than any of the freeper types who post here, and better mannered.

And insulting a poster for making a joke is rather odd behaviour anyway.

So if your post is deleted, you'll know who to blame.

[Nihil]

134. Ah, but remember this is Britain ...

... so after a month or two we'll be digging the road up again ...

(Mind you, we've probably got more than enough traffic cones to put
a contra-flow all the way across the Atlantic ...)

Luv from Sunny London (with remarkably quiet skies ... for some reason )

[Eugene]

127. AP: Security Increases at U.S. Airports

Security Increases at U.S. Airports

The Associated Press
Thursday, August 10, 2006; 6:37 AM

NEW YORK -- Passengers in the United States coped with heightened security and
flight cancellations at airports Thursday after authorities in London uncovered
a terror plot aimed at airlines traveling from Britain to the U.S.

Specifically, the airlines included United Airlines, American Airlines and Continental
Airlines Inc., two counterterrorism officials said Thursday, speaking on condition
of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.

-snip-

The cancellations were due to scheduling delays and not a result of possible threats
to the flights, he said.

-snip-

The government said it was banning beverages, hair gels and lotions from flights,
explaining only that liquids emerged as a risk from the investigation in Britain.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...

[dipsydoodle]

167. From your link

"The government said it was banning liquids including beverages, hair gels and lotions from flights, explaining only that liquids emerged as a risk from the investigation in Britain."

They missed out the other important bit - anything which uses batteries including car alarm fobs and mobiles.

[Kip Humphrey]

128. Is it 8/11?

[BooScout]

129. No.........it's 10/08

UK dates don't ya know?

[Festivito]

211. There is a pattern with day 11 of a month. Board today, hit tomorrow.

A report I heard did say the event might happen tomorrow, the eleventh. They might have been boarding today in order to hit tomorrow morning.

Madrid, I think was 3/11?

Thanks for reminding.

[Ghost Dog]

305. "Madrid, I think was 3/11?"

(or 11/3 (international format) - 11th March). That is correct.

[Roland99]

132. Good thing Bush made the world safer by taking out Saddam!!

[Southsideirish]

204. Excellent point. Yes, I sleep much better knowing he's locked up!

[Kip Humphrey]

142. Well... Rove did tell Lieberman GW wanted to help anyway he could.

[Southsideirish]

209. And this happened right after Joementum's defeat....hmmmmmm

[Biernuts]

353. Defeat? I'll bet you $20 he is reelected in Nov when the whole

state can vote on the same ballot.

[Vinca]

147. This is all probably quite legit, but with Tony's close ties to

King George of Crawford, you can't help but be a bit suspicious. Be afraid, be very afraid.

[pcboss49]

148. Is it just me or does anyone else see a pattern emerging....

First 7/11 saw the India bombs, then 8/11 was apparently the date of these new terror attacks. I wonder what will be in store for 9/11? I am so glad we are fighting terror abroad so we don't have to fight terror on our own shores - what a bunch of bull. I keep thinking back to all of the experts that stated that the invasion of Iraq would only increase the terror attacks by making our country the most-hated country in the world.

[rosesaylavee]

154. No liquid is to be allowed as that

was how the explosives were to be carried on board. That's why no carry on luggage.

My teenage son is in the UK this week with a youth group and scheduled to fly home in a few days. Without that connection to this, I may have had some skepticism about it all too. But not now. I want him home safe.

[dipsydoodle]

164. Probable specific on Yahoo News

Neumann said the plot appeared similar to a 1995 plan to blow up 11 planes using nitroglycerine mixed in contact lens solution and a battery powered detonator.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/10082006/325/police-foil-mass-...

[confludemocrat]

155. My skepticism alert level is at red

everything is going wrong for these two gvts, the Bush gvt has displayed a pattern in 2004 of bogus terror alerts
if the plot was foiled, why the restrictions NOW?
If plot in Britain was "foiled" why are these restrictions now applying here to US domestic flights?
Is this the same terror agency in UK that couldn't stop a real plot there before and murdered an innocent man and lied about everything?

[KayLaw]

157. Right

I think it's all a crock.

[CJCRANE]

159. It's hard to tell

what's really going on. The govt lie and manipulate events so much I don't know what to believe any more.

The trick is to wait for the follow-up stories/investigations in the next few days, weeks and months. Before that I'm not coming to any conclusions either way.

[Control-Z]

162. right now on NBC

ladies and gentlemen - there are bad people everywhere - since 911 - trying to hurt you - plotting to kill you - terrorist have been plotting and lurking - since 911

but enjoy your vacations -

[Puglover]

168. Yeah and don't forget

to GO SHOPPING!

[pcboss49]

193. and don't forget to fill up the gas tanks of your SUV's

[0007]

326. Mine too!

[noel711]

161. Why NOW? We know why...

This Terror Alert is totally necessary... coz freaking Leibermann lost his senatorial bid..... and The Left Wing candidate got a toe in the door.

Every time there's a criticizm of the Bush Embargo on Freedom, every times there's an election that might change the writing on the wall... they haul out another sinister 'plot.' Every time.... it's been ages since they had to play the "Color Alert" on us.. but now... when its obvious to the rest of the world that the Emperor and all his courtiers have no clothes (metaphorically speaking)... they trump us again.

When I heard this, I was livid! Why in LOndon? Well, don't we all agree that Tony Blair is bush's bitch..?

What's next? I have had it.

[savemefromdumbya]

290. yep

[alarimer]

163. Guess I won't be traveling there anytime soon

I could not stand a long flight without being able to listen to music with my MP3 player. I would hate to have to listen to all the brats screaming and people talking. Plus not having anything to read for 8 hours or so would drive me batty.

So I won't go to the UK if it means this kind of hassle or even travel through there to get somewhere else. Haven't they heard of X-Ray machines? I know it's sort of 20th Century and all, but still.

[Woolwich]

169. Don't Worry

US sending air marshals to UK for security help

Thu Aug 10, 2006 1:40 PM BST

Email This Article | Print This Article | RSS <-> Text <+>

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is sending air marshals to Britain to provide expanded security coverage after a foiled plot to blow up flights to the United States, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said on Thursday.



Aren't we lucky in little old UK that we can tap into this kind of expertise..........

[Patiod]

201. Nice you have that option

I have to fly for my job and have 12 flights booked between now and Sept 15. I can't do my job (here or at any other employer) if I couldn't fly, so anything that screws up air travel makes my life freakin miserable.

I heard this story this morning and just wanted to be sick.

If they insist that from now on, certain items go in "checked luggage", then I'll just have to buy that stuff when I land, charge it to the job, then leave it behind. I haven't checked my luggage (except on vacation travel) for 4 years, and have no intention of starting now. Philadelphia has the WORST LOST-LUGGAGE STATS IN THE ENTIRE US.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

171. Darn those lever machines in Connecticut - must distract

George Bush must thank poodle Tony Blair for his help in
trying to distract the American public from the victory of a
real democrat yesterday.

How dare the voters speak.

Its so damn hard to rig the lever machines to flip the vote
enough when voters turn out in mass.

[Rockholm]

174. Very Well Timed Indeed

At dinner last night, I was commenting that there would be an elevated terror alert soon. Elections are coming. A BIG primary just happened and BushCo needs cover.
My BULLSHIT detector is going off. WAY OFF.
Naturally, the media will spin this for Boosh. How awesome would it be if his poll numbers went DOWN as a result of this?

[valerief]

184. Yeah, the timing was soooooo predictable. Right out of their playbook.

[Snivi Yllom]

215. WTF does this have to do with CT?!

Absoultely nothing.

Only in the most feverish conspiracy laden brain can the ridiculous leap be made to link this to Ned Lamont winning. Pure childish bullshit.

[TankLV]

260. Well, let's review the known facts: LIEberman is the repukes' favorite

Democrat.

LIEberman has been whining about how "now the "Democrat" party will look weak on TERRA.

Bushco and the repukes parrot the EXACT SAME LINE.

The "anti-war" (weak on security) crowd is MAINSTREAM and not "fringe", "kooky" or "far left" as many tried UNSUCCESSFULLY to paint it...

I could go on, but I'm sure an "intelligent" person such as you can figure out the rest now...

[Snivi Yllom]

267. paging the nice men in little white coats

ding ding ding

[TankLV]

314. They're looking for YOU...

We've NEVER been sorry for ASSUMING THE WORST about the repukes who control our government, NEVER.

[Snivi Yllom]

322. uuummmm, this was in Britain

....oh, nevermind

[TankLV]

375. THEY have already proved me RIGHT. You're WRONG.

Sorry honey, you're argument just failed, BIG TIME.

Try spouting repuke spin again next time around.

You still won't win, but it sure is fun seeing you go down in flames!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.ph...

And they are now cumming fast and furious:

http://thinkprogress.org/2006/08/10/cheney-ct

Better have some rice with that crow you should be eating about now...

[woo me with science]

222. Keep that thinking cap on, Gomer. nt

[plasticsundance]

172. As this relates to the current situation in the ME

If there is any veracity to this latest threat, it would have been months in the planning. Although I believe the actions of the US, UK, and Israel in the ME have strengthen the recruitment of Islamist causes that only add to an already volatile situation, I still believe that the current news of a threat would have been planned months prior to Israel's invasion of Gaza and/or Lebanon.

This of course does not excuse or validate the war crimes that Israel is perpetrating in Gaza and Lebanon.

[outofbounds]

176. The last three days

Lets see, 11 Egyptian Students fail to report to class.
Al Queda announces a new branch resurrected in Egypt. Zwhari named.
Egypt denies this.
I heard this actually on Rush yesterday. I know, but you have to keep up with the enemy.

Alaskan pipeline closes for repairs. Possible target? Possibly (mentioned before) storing fuel?

Now this.

It leads me to wonder if they are connected. Or am I just be e e e e e ing a sheep?
Could it be Ahmedenijads answer to the UN's resolution regarding Nuclear weapons?
Either way it's not reassuring.

With so many enemy's the questions are limitless.

[galadrium]

181. Fighting them over there [Iraq] so we dont have to fight them over here...

Looks like that stupid theory just got disproven.

[a la izquierda]

186. i love that...

we're not supposed to worry about these Egyptian students. WTF?
I don't like flying to begin with, but this doesn't bother me too much--I'll still fly from OKC home to California without thinking much about it (except that I can't watch a movie or take my anti-anxiety drugs on board with me). However, the prospect of my husband going to Japan in September and Europe for a month in November makes me a little ill. He'll go berserk without his DVD player for a 12 hours flight...I wonder how long this will last.
And I have to say, this does seem legit. I'm as critical and suspicious of the government to begin with, but Scotland Yard seems a lot more credible.


I had a strange dream last night that I was in London and I decided to take a bus home to the states. Weird, huh?

[Pierre.Suave]

187. WHOA...

I just realized something, tomorrow is the 11th. All the subsequent terrorist attacks have been on the 11th of the month...


has there been one on august 11th yet?

[MadHound]

196. I'm going to withhold judgement for now on this one

It could be the real deal, but too many things don't add up. The news media is having a field day here in the US, scaring the shit out of the sheeple. Even the more moderate, less propaganda minded NPR has devoted virtually their entire morning news show to TERROR TERROR TERROR, as are the other more sensationalistic TV and radio outlets.

This also provides convient cover for the ME debacle which continues to grind on. Provides political cover to both Bush and Blair.

In addition, the explosive that the authorities are saying were to be use is highly unstable in either solid or liquid form. TriAcetone-TriPeroxide(TATP) is nicknamed "Mother of Satan" because it is so dangerous to work with, being so highly heat, friction, and shock sensetive, more so even than liquid nitro. I find it hard to believe that anybody would attempt either to get this through an airport, or as the media is speculating, mix it up in an airport. One misstep, one bumped bag, and boom, it all goes up. Rather foolish notion if you ask me, especially since there are much more stable explosives out there.

So I'm going to wait on this one. My gut is telling me that this is just another cynical political ploy to scare the sheeple witless. And sadly, it's working.

[AndrewJacksonFaction]

223. Wasn't TaTp used in the London bombings.

[MadHound]

226. Yes it was

In fact it was used in its solid, powder version. I find it rather suprising that they chose it for their explosive, for while it is less volitile as a powder, it is still dangerous. Using it in its liquid form, as the reports claim, is just plain stupid. The person would most likely wind up blowing himself up on the ride to the airport.

[plasticsundance]

269. I'm also skeptical ... but a question

Could they being using a less pure form of the liquid, thus the detonator? Reuters reports:

Neumann said the plot appeared similar to a 1995 plan to blow up 11 planes using nitroglycerine mixed in contact lens solution and a battery powered detonator.

more ...

[MadHound]

279. All I can say is YIKES

If they're cutting a solid form of TATP with nitro, then they really are playing with fire, since nitro is another very unstable explosive. One bump going through checkin and boom, there's a big hole in the floor.

I think that this is sounding more and more contrived. Going to have to give my bio-chem friend a call and see what his take is.

[oc2002]

197. It must be close to November elections, need more TERRRORR!

Fear mongering has worked in the past, and will continue to work on the sheaple.

[RCinBrooklyn]

198. Fear propaganda - I don't buy it. n/t

[leesa]

202. Yadda, yadda, yadda, Please be afraid at all times so that we may conduct

our phony wars against Muslims at will. Thank You.

[Felix Mala]

214. Not to mention conducting the re-election of Republicans

[evox]

296. no doubt about that

[Ghost Dog]

312. Straight to the point, thanks.

I, for one, feel an earthquake, the big one (BIG (unconventional) WAR) coming.

[mikeyj84]

207. alleged plots

Bushie boy and his band of Bozo's have brought out the Bogey man again, ooooooh! be afraid now, Why is it every time it gets close to an election, the pukes bring out these alleged plots? what a joke, I'm more afraid of Al- Busha and company than I am of Al-Quada. Nikita Crushev back in the sixties said don't worry about Russia, America will destroy itself from within. Georgie boy and his clowns seem to be doing a pretty good job of it!!!!!!!!! The bought and payed for corporate media is really playing this shit up , as usual!

[insleeforprez]

208. I applaud whoever busted this plot

It sounds pretty serious. I'd like to think that this plot was busted by good ol' fashioned detective work, and not by using torture or illegal surveillance.

[Kailassa]

261. I'd like to send the fiction writer who made up this plot

back to school to learn to write a better one.

[Love Bug]

210. US corporate media trying to link this to Al Queda

The news of this woke me up this morning on my radio alarm clock. I decided to watch the BBC to see what was going on and in all the time I did I didn't hear "Al Queda" mentioned once. In fact, they said they didn't know yet who or what group (if any) was responsible and since it was an ongoing investigation it was too soon to say. However, when I switched over to Amercian media in the space of a half hour I'll bet I heard the term "Al Queda" 6 or 7 times. Always, of course, stated as "possible link to Al Queda," or "suggestive of Al Queda." Once again our media can be counted on to try to ratchet up the fear level. May God DAMN them all to hell.

[Snivi Yllom]

212. In 1994 Ramsey Yousef killed a passenger w/ a liquid nitro bomb

You can imagine this would be readily easily to achieve, it has been done before.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Bojinka

In 1994, Yousef and Khalid Sheik Mohammed started testing airport security. Yousef booked a flight between Kai Tak International Airport in Hong Kong and Chiang Kai Shek International Airport near Taipei. Mohammed booked a flight between Ninoy Aquino International Airport near Manila and Kimpo International Airport near Seoul.

The two had already converted fourteen bottles of contact lens solution into bottles containing nitroglycerin, which was readily available in the Philippines. Yousef taped a metal rod to the arch of his of foot in place of the detonators. Yousef and Mohammed wore jewelry and clothing with metal to confuse airport security.

On December 11, 1994, Yousef built another bomb, which had one tenth of the power that his final bombs were planned to have, in the lavatory of the aircraft and left it inside the life jacket under his seat, 26K, after he got off the plane from a flight that arrived in Cebu. Yousef had boarded the flight under the assumed name of Armaldo Forlani, using a false Italian passport. The aircraft was Philippine Airlines Flight 434 using that aircraft on a Manila to Narita route. Yousef had set the timer for four hours after he got off the aircraft. The bomb exploded while the aircraft was over Minami Daito Island, near Okinawa, Japan. A Japanese businessman named Haruki Ikegami was killed after the bomb detonated. The Boeing 747-200 safely made an emergency landing in Naha, Okinawa. None of the aircraft's other 272 passengers or any members of the crew were killed, although 10 passengers in front of Ikegami were injured. Yousef then planned which flights to attack for Phase I.

[GrumpyGreg]

220. Thanks for that information-----clears up a lot for me.

[mike923]

213. Google "bojinka"

The plot uncovered today is a replica of the 1995 attempt.

[Vogon_Glory]

217. But Bojinka Wuz Durin' Clinton's Watch, So It Don't Count

But the Bojinka plot was detected and foiled during former president Clinton's watch, so it has vanished off the conceptual radar screen. Ask any so-called "conservative" or Beltway lackey-pundit, they'll tell you. Only plots detected and foiled during George the Lesser's glorious reign are to be mentioned.

[54anickel]

272. I caught Richard Clark discussing that on GMA. There's a link way

up thread to the wikipedia entry on bojinka as well. The first thing that I thought of was how "successful" (or maybe lucky) the world tended to be on thwarting plots in the past without our constantly being informed by the media-types and their fear hype. Sure they terrorists got a few good hits in, but it wasn't until it affected the US "personally" on 9-11 that caused a "war on a noun" to be proclaimed, the constitution to be flushed, an unrelated country to be destroyed and war crimes to start becoming insanely justifiable and considered the norm. Not to mention the mayhem created in the ME.

What's been the result of our "escalation" in this cat and mouse/whack-a-mole game? We've increased the strength and number of the "moles", given them even greater resolve and "justification" (in their minds anyway) and even more power in destroying our freedoms and way of life.

Great strategy Bushco. Nothing like burning the house down to get rid of a few rodents instead of building a better mouse trap. Meanwhile, the damned thing have relocated, multiplied and infested your barn out back.

[Dubiosus]

221. So are they stupid

or intelligent? WHY WOULD THEY TRY TO GET 20 BOMBS ON PLANES WHEN THEY
KNOW THAT AIRPORTS WOULD BE HIGHLY CONTROLLED?

It smells so bad, it stinks so lousy! This could be the beginning of the scam
that leads to the cancellation of the elections in November. And Blair has to
stay longer and longer in office because these two bastards are the right MEN in the right
place to save the "FREE WORLD" and prepare it for is going to come...

Could plainly vomit.

[Tight_rope]

241. Bingo Dubiosus! You are a winning... Welcome to DU!

[Dubiosus]

394. Thank you Tight_rope

could you or anybody tell me something about the fear of terror in the USA?
I don´t get it. In my eyes it is like the over reaction in the 70th in Germany
to the RAF.

The government cultivated this inner enemy for so many things, some say they have been
misused to get political rivals or thinkers out of the way.

I would suggest to the Democratic party something like: Don´t jump on the fear bus.

To make politics with fear is the worst. It is fascist

[EC]

225. Gee, and it was good old investigative work that got

these guys...we didn't have to go in and bomb Great Britain to flush them out...Hummmmm, I wonder if they put it together that war doesn't stop terrorists, but that law enforcement and cooperation with other countries does?

[Ghost Dog]

321. .

[AngryAmish]

229. This is a distraction

Bush is Hitler.

[LSK]

233. 1 day after the Lamont win

HHHHHHHHHMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM..........................

[TankLV]

234. Call me extremely skeptical.

How totally totally CONVENIENT for bushco and LIEberman - the "strong on security" buffoons...

If anybody listenend to the reports from the UK as it was first happening/announced, more than one journalist expressed skepticism...

Just sayin...

[Dubiosus]

240. just call you at least normal intelligent

that is what is proposed. Make normal people sick and get for the rest...

[FormerDem06]

259. I'm skeptical too....

But I really don't think that Bush in all his extremely dim and limited glory has the power to control:

1) The British version of the FAA
2) Scotland Yard
3) MI5 or is it MI6?
4) Pakistanis living in Britian who just happened to go home to Pakistan and get some training at one of those crazy mosque schools.
5) etc.
6) etc.
7) etc.

I think sometimes that Idiot is given WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY too much credit.

[Kailassa]

273. I agree; I don't believe he knew anything about 9/11, either.

There's no way Cheney, Rumsfeld and Perle would have told
that spineless idiot what they were up to.

[evox]

299. He didn't know anything about it

He only knew what to expect

[winter999]

300. You conspiracy NUTS -

If this were a BushCo ploy, wouldn't it have been MUCH more effective (err.. I mean effective, period) if this were "uncovered" BEFORE the friggin Primary? Ahhh Duh?

[fooj]

390. Uhhhhhhh...NO!

How wonderfully convenient for them. Now they have their FAVORITE little martyr to shove in front of the camera and say...

Look Connecticut! See what a MESS you've made by voting AGAINST your security!

Desperation. Period.

[janetle]

306. CNN and MSNBC

They are making me sick to my stomach. "This is when Bush is at his best--times like this. This is why we need strong leadership...etc." This is the theme on both channels. I'm not buying it. Bush has been too low in the polls and everything Karl has tried recently has not worked to bring up his numbers. Then Joe loses and Karl calls him and tells him to relax--the news will be good.

This crowd in the WH has turned me into a complete skeptic. Yes, a plot may have been discovered but the MSM is being told to play it up big time.

[mike923]

318. So these 21 British guys are going to end up serving life sentances....

all because they thought they could bump off the news the results of a senate primary election in Connecticut?

[Imagevision]

251. The plaot - The Plot, keep your eye on the plot, right thru November!

Code Red? I'll call my father up now and tell him...

[drdtroit]

278. That's right, keep your eyes on the plot

and off of the Diebold machines eroding yet another national election!

[fudge stripe cookays]

255. Oh joy.

I have to fly out to San Jose next Friday. I'm wondering how much this will affect us here. I always travel with a mess of stuff, including a laptop and scanner (for my genealogy),

In addition, I'll have to have a week's supply of MS drugs (which include dry material and sodium chloride solution.)

Wonder if I'll have to stock up on Ziploc bags.

[dtavitia]

264. Only GOP Gov's in on the plan?/Media

ok, ok, umm..

why are we only hearing from GOP Govs (NY/MA) on this in the media? Is it their "leadership" or their previously agreed to participation in "the plan". Oh lookie, now MSNBC is at LAX @ 7am PDT (Is Arnold AWOL now?)

Let's see now, how many Democratic Gov's have Int'l airports with lots of Heathrow flights, ummm..

Yes, go figure....

[transeo]

265. Now you're forced to buy refreshments from the airlines

How handy for them.

[Kailassa]

268. Tasting the baby's milk isn't so bad,

but what if I'm planning to use artificial insemination
to improve the livestock on my stud farm back home?

That stuff costs the earth. Would I have to sample the thermos
at $5000 per gulp?

[Name removed]

270. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[johnlal]

275. A win-win for Bush

UK did all the work in uncovering the plot.
Bush gets a national security crisis right after Lieberman's loss.
Fox News gets to show hours of footage of people waiting in airports.

[johnlal]

277. BTW, What color is the threat level?

Is it Code Orange? Oh please tell me it's not code orange!

[dipsydoodle]

285. In the UK...................

We don't use colours - we got a scale that runs from Wassup ? to What the fuck !

[pitohui]

335. it is code red on usa airlines

first time "red" has been used -- attack imminent -- would imagine if there is no attack it should be down to orange shortly if not already

[Riverman]

283. Gets Lieberman off the front page - Carl affraid Joe has No Momentum?

[Algorem]

297. this is just their new way of taking people's Sierra Mist

they're tired of faking those metal detector noises

[evox]

303. and to force people

to use their entertainment systems - since you can't have an ipod anymore.

[creeksneakers2]

298. Probably turn out to be a bunch of big talk

by another gang of nobodies. Just like last time.

[mvd]

301. And Snow says..

"While Snow called the plot a serious threat, he assured Americans that "it is safe to travel." Usual pattern of be scared, but we need your money!

[evox]

310. Blair just gave it away, didnt he?

"There has been an enormous amount of co-operation with the US authorities which has been of great value and underlines the threat we face and our determination to counter it," he said in a statement.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4778575.stm

[Ghost Dog]

327. BINGO!!! Compare with:

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,200815...
"Sky said the Metropolitan Police arrests were the culmination of a big covert counter-terrorist operation lasting several months.

"It followed a pre-planned intelligence led operation by the Met's anti-terrorist branch and security service."

/...

And note that now the spin is (eg. Guardian):

http://www.guardian.co.uk/terrorism/story/0,,1841140,00...
"There were no firm indications of plans for an attack to have been carried out today, but the US homeland security secretary, Michael Chertoff, said it was a "well advanced" scheme. He said the plot was based in Britain but was "international in scope".

"The US attorney general, Alberto Gonzalez, said it was "suggestive of al-Qaida tactics".

"British officials were slightly more circumspect about the background to the plot than their US counterparts, stressing that they had to be careful about what they said because there could be trials in future.

"Mr Reid would not comment on claims that the detainees were British-born Muslims of Pakistani descent."

/...

[Kutjara]

313. It's a great money-saving idea by the Blair government.

Several big government departments in the UK recently put out tenders to upgrade their IT infrastructures. Among the items to be bought were thousands of laptops. Now they can just harvest what they need from all the machines we check-in, gratis. The rest can be 'repurposed' by baggage handlers in lieu of a pay rise. This will save the UK taxpayer a fortune. Hurray for Tony!

[InkAddict]

317. Might this be related?

http://www.daytondailynews.com/localnews/content/localn...

Deputies stopped Osama Sabhi Abulhassan, 20, and Ali Houssaiky, 20, both of Dearborn, Mich., on a traffic violation Tuesday and found the flight documents along with $11,000 cash and 12 phones in their car, Washington County Sheriff Larry Mincks said.

It wasn't clear what significance the airline information might have. Assistant County Prosecutor Susan Vessels declined to comment on whether the manifests were for upcoming flights or those that already flown. She also would not give the origin or destination of the flight or flights.

FBI spokesman Mike Brooks in Cincinnati said his office was notified about the arrests and had an agent investigating.

[Initech]

324. There was no terror plot. They're just fucking with us at this point.

Bad news for the Bush administration (re: Lieberman?!) = more terror "alerts".

[mike923]

325. Again....why would these 21 British guys...

care about a primary election in Connecticut?

[Initech]

328. Exactly.

Once again, our freedoms are being taken away one by one. It sucks that we're not even allowed to watch a fucking movie on a laptop or DVD player on the plane anymore.

[Kailassa]

337. You've tried them and found them guilty already?

I'm getting a bit skeptical of the terrorist label
being slapped on so many swarthy citizens lately.

[mike923]

343. Most likely they aren't going to be set free....

and when convicted, you'll be able to check back on them through the records for the next 50 years+, that they are still behind bars. Just like you can check the records on the shoe bomber guy. He is in fact, sitting in a cell in Colorado right now, and will be for decades.

How he was convinced by the Bush administration to give up his life for some positive Bush headlines for a few days, i'll never know.

[RaleighNCDUer]

352. Huh? I mean HUH??!!

They've been under surveillance for months. If there was really something to this, wouldn't they have been picked up before now? And did these guys plan for when they were going to be arrested?

The government ordered the arrests on the day it did FOR A REASON.

Has there been any indication that they had any funding? Any explosives? Anything, other than talk?

This was on the government's timetable, not theirs.

Come on. Think about it.

[mike923]

354. what i'm saying is....

if this is one big conspiracy, than the guys who were picked up were also part of the conspiracy. Those same guys are going to probably spend the rest of their lives in jail.

That's an awful big personal cost to spend in order to get the story of a senate primary in Connecticut off the front page (if it was ever on it to begin with).

[RaleighNCDUer]

355. Why would you think the supposed plotters are in on an anti-Lamont

conspiracy? That's just nuts.

You've got a few disaffected muslims who are being followed by british intelligence. Maybe they're plotting, maybe not. The US calls in a favor, and british intelligence drops a dime to scotland yard, and these guys are rounded up, knocking the president's humiliation off the front pages.

this gives the prez a boost in the polls (just watch) and it chastises those who voted against Lieberman/Bush saying "you forget we got enemies out there". The same shit was pulled with the "Liberty tower terrorists" who had nothing but words; the "Lincoln Tunnel terrorists" the week of the Dem convention, who had nothing but words. Every time something goes wrong for this administration, there is a surprise thwarting of a terror attack.

Some surprise.

[mike923]

365. I certainly don't....

but if you look at the conspiracy theories listed in this thread, the main idea is this was done to remove the Lamont victory off the front page. Of course this is idiotic, but it is repeasted dozens of times in this thread alone (not to mention the number of times it is brought up in the similiar other threads).

I certainly think it is crazy talk. And my point is, if you believe that this is a conspriacy, then can you justify that the people arrested are not apart of the conspiracy? Or were these just random guys picked up off the street?

If they were part of the conspiracy, just like those that believe the shoe bomber was a similar conspriacy cooked up by the Bush administration, what would cause them to go along with it? Richard Reid is going to be locked up for decades. That's a terrible price to pay to help President Bush get some positive headlines.

[Megahurtz]

372. You have a point......

I never gave a shit about or even knew about any
primary election in Connecticut either, and I'm in California.
Why should anybody else? It's just a bunch of small-town shit to me.

[mike923]

376. It's as is there is no common sense anymore...

everything now is a conspiracy. Are there any rational thinking Democrats left that still believe the sky is blue? Or am i without a party?

[Megahurtz]

381. Probably the latter......

when you think about it, what Democratic Party?
They've all sold themselves out it seems, and most of the candidates
totally suck on both sides anyway (in my opinion) so that's why
I'm really not interested in any Connecticut Primary.
I'm sure there are many, many other people who aren't interested in it either!
Especially people in other countries, their news is different over there.
They don't have a lot of the Bullshit-Hype that U.S. news has.

Like I said before, people in the Middle East have plenty of reason to be pissed-off at the U.S.,
so why wouldn't this plane threat be real? Why not???

Looks totally possible to me!

[Haole Girl]

329. I'd be interested to hear if

Heathrow is open now...and what about Gatwick?

Anybody hear?

[pitohui]

334. last i heard heathrow, gatwick, luton etc. are still closed

hope to hear updates soon

[Autonomy]

330. These people should be shot

for inconveniencing me on the day I am to fly to an anti-death penalty conference!

[daveskilt]

331. I will be getting a call from homeland security any minute now

As a foreigner in the US with plans to fly from LAX to JFK to Edinburgh next week on Continental Im sure I'll flag somewhere.

15 hours without any toys or snacks for my 3 year old should be fun.

remember this what happens when you vote for ned lamont! terraterraterra freedomfreedomfreedom 911! vote GOP

[Haole Girl]

332. I guess you could make origami out of the in flight magazine!

Good luck!

[NastyDiaper]

338. %30 of America is confused..

..how did Saddam do this from jail?

As for the other %70, we're glad that some real detectives still have their jobs.

[Tight_rope]

357. Your Right! "HOW DID SADDAM DO THIS FROM JAIL"?

[KamaAina]

342. At this rate we'll all be flying Tom Friedman's Naked Air

http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-...

December 26, 2001
Naked Air
By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
<http://www.nytimes.com/2001/12/26/opinion/26FRIE.html?t... >

In the wake of the attempted bombing last week of the American Airlines
flight from Paris by a terrorist nut with explosives in his shoe, I'm
thinking of starting my own airline, which would be called: Naked Air. Its
motto would be: "Everybody flies naked and nobody worries." Or "Naked Air -
where the only thing you wear is a seat belt."

Think about it. If everybody flew naked, not only would you never have to
worry about the passenger next to you carrying box cutters or exploding
shoes, but no religious fundamentalists of any stripe would ever be caught
dead flying nude, or in the presence of nude women, and that alone would
keep many potential hijackers out of the skies. It's much more civilized
than racial profiling. And I'm sure that it wouldn't be long before
airlines would be offering free dry-cleaning for your clothes while you fly.

Well, you get the point: if the terrorists are just going to keep using
technology to become better and better, how do we protect against that,
while maintaining an open society - without stripping everyone naked? I
mean, what good is it to have a free and open America when someone can
easily get on an airplane in Paris and bring a bomb over in the heel of his
shoe or plot a suicide attack on the World Trade Center from a cave in
Kandahar and then pop over and carry it out?

Some of the flight attendants from recently folded Hooters Air may still be looking for work... plus that solves the problem of having to taste the baby milk: breastfeeding on board!

[Kailassa]

347. No, even that won't keep you safe.

The terra-ists will jump on board first
and bounce around all the seats with genital herpes ...

forevermore to be known as the Islamist Itch
in the Capitalist Crotch.

[mitts]

344. Its one thing to conviscate a lighter

but an Ipod(some worth 3-4 hundred dollars). I'd be telling TSA (thousands standing around) to go to hell and then asking the airline for $$$ back. If they're already not allowing any liquids....WTF is there to detonate????

[Vidar]

345. Rampaging poodle saves the world; terrorists sent to phantom zone.

[ArmchairMeme]

346. Boston going all out on terra terra terra

Looking presidential Governor Romney has called in the Mass National Guard and security has been escalated on the subway. They are stopping and searching busses headed into the airport. TV has repeated advertisements in place on terra plot. People at airport shown going through their luggage throwing away their shampoo, etc.

I thought that the plot was "thwarted" that they had arrested the suspects. Now we are supposed to believe that there are more suspects that are here in Boston taking the bus into the airport?

I am reminded of the idea of shutting the barn door after the horse has run away. Now that the terra plot was been foiled it is time to set up security.

It makes more sense that it is a political tool which makes it a win/win for GOP.

[ramapo]

368. Are you serious?

If true, we're headed down a very unpleasant path.

Flying has become a chore. It might now become something to be avoided if at all possible.

[stepnw1f]

348. Bullsh*t!

The ironic part, is if this is true, it proves that "fighting them there instead of here" is bullshit too!

[Tight_rope]

356. "Ban on all liquids and gels from carry-on luggage!" WTF

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060810/ap_on_re_us/us_terr...

Long wait, armed guards in U.S. airports

By NATHANIEL HERNANDEZ, Associated Press Writer
1 hour, 15 minutes ago


CHICAGO - Growing lines of irritated travelers snaked through U.S. airports Thursday as people waited hours to reach security checkpoints, then had to dump their water bottles, suntan lotion and even toothpaste following the discovery of a terror plot in Britain.


Guards armed with rifles stood watch in several airports, and the governors of California, New York and Massachusetts said they were sending National Guard troops to bolster security.

The hours-old ban on all liquids and gels from carry-on luggage left little option but to throw away juice boxes, bags full of makeup, perfume and bottles of liquor and wine. Baby formula and medicines were exempt but had to be inspected.

Oh!...I see some major problems already. Telling those beauty queen to throw away their liquor make up and that wino to get rid of that bottle of whiskey could cause major fights for the National Guards. I don't want to be around when the fighting does break out.

[LuckyLib]

359. Another Thing about the liquid...

now, they can charge us $3.00+ for bottled water behind the
checkpoints, im sure the vendors and big drink companies are
loving this...and if this continues, all airlines must
provide drinks on their flights no matter how short the
flight time..

[BrokenBeyondRepair]

362. more BS

[Voltaire99]

364. "Freedoms"? No. The terrorists hate us for our Liebermans.

Not to mention our Bushes, Rumsfelds, Hillarys, Kerrys, etc.

Replace the professional warrior class with decent public servants, respectful of national sovereignty. Then watch the terrorism, real and simulated, decline.

[Eugene]

377. AP: British Say Plot Involved 10 Airliners

British Say Plot Involved 10 Airliners


Thursday August 10, 2006 9:01 PM

AP Photo LON126

By DANICA KIRKA

Associated Press Writer

LONDON (AP) - British authorities said Thursday they thwarted a terrorist plot
to simultaneously blow up 10 aircraft heading to the U.S. using explosives
smuggled in hand luggage, averting what police described as "mass murder
on an unimaginable scale."

-snip-

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said the terrorists planned
to use liquid explosives disguised as beverages and other common products and
set them off with detonators disguised as electronic devices.

An American law enforcement official who was briefed on the investigation said
it appeared the liquid to be used was a "peroxide-based solution" to be detonated
by an electronic device that was not specified, but could be anything from a
disposable camera to a portable digital music player. The official spoke
on condition of anonymity because British authorities had asked that no
information be released.

-snip-

A U.S. intelligence official said the plotters had hoped to target flights to major
airports in New York, Washington and California. A counterterrorism official said
the plot involved 10 flights.

-snip-

Full article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6006848...

[6000eliot]

379. Fuck these "plots!"

Where is the actual evidence? People can SAY anything; that doesn't mean they're capable of DOING it.

[GeorgeGist]

385. I don't think anybody could have predicted ...

that these people would try to use liquids as a bomb.

[williesgirl]

391. I don't believe a friggin word they say on anything especially this

[They Live]

392. Unfortunately

none of this will stop some individual that hides something inside of himself (unheard of!), is proficient in any number of martial arts, or has a pencil he can cram into a target's skull or heart. The next step: strip search/cavity search? You couldn't pay me to fly at that point.

on edit: oh, and also, ink is liquid. and gum type material would work, just like in that there MISSION IMPOSSIBLE movie with Tom Cruise - "Red Light, Green Light!"