 (CNN) -- Terrorists planned to concoct an "explosive cocktail" using MP3 players and sports drinks to blow up as many as 10 jetliners bound for the United States, authorities said Thursday.
| "All right, Mo'gyver! Drop the hairpins and the Pledge!" |
| “... intelligence officials said the plotters hoped to stage a dry run by Friday. The actual attack would have followed days later” |
U.S. intelligence officials said the plotters hoped to stage a dry run by Friday, The Associated Press reported. The actual attack would have followed days later, the officials told AP.
| Dry run on 8-11, with maybe the blowoff on 8-22, assuming they're coordinating with Terrorhran. |
A senior congressional source said it is believed the plotters planned to mix a British sports drink with a gel-like substance to make an explosive that they would possibly trigger with an MP3 player or cell phone. The sports drink could be combined with a peroxide-based paste to form a potent "explosive cocktail," if properly done, said a U.S. counterterrorism official. "There are strong reasons to believe the materials in a beverage like that could have been part of the formula," the official said.
| I suppose. I knew there was a reason I won't drink that stuff. |
British and Pakistani authorities joined forces to block the plot to bomb the airliners, officials said. British police acted urgently overnight, arresting 24 people in what U.S. government officials said privately could have been the biggest terrorist attack since September 11, 2001.
| “Among those arrested were a Muslim charity worker and a Heathrow Airport employee with an all-area access pass...” |
| Figure 250 people on 10 planes = 2500 dead innocents. Or 2500 more "little Eichmanns" if you're a fake Indian... |
Among those arrested were a Muslim charity worker and a Heathrow Airport employee with an all-area access pass, according to Britain's Channel 4. Five suspects in the plot are still at large, ABC News reported on its Web site, citing U.S. sources.
| Which is why they're still on alert. They're probably back in Bajaur or Wana by now, muttering in their beards as they vow Dire Revenge™... |
Information gathered after recent arrests in Pakistan convinced British investigators they had to act urgently to stop the plot, sources told CNN.
| No telling which of the continuing trickle of perps was the one that gave the tipoff. The Paks barely bother reporting such anymore... |
Pakistani authorities also made arrests in coordination with Britain, said a spokesman for the Pakistani Foreign Ministry. He did not say how many arrests were made.
| I notice Hafiz Saeed's under house arrest again, though. I'm sure it won't be for long, but we do have to go through the motions, don't we? |
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said the plans were "suggestive of an al Qaeda plot," and President Bush said the arrests are a "stark reminder" that the U.S. is "at war with Islamic fascists."
| “President Bush said the arrests are a 'stark reminder' that the U.S. is 'at war with Islamic fascists.'” |
| As lotp observed yesterday, that'll cause the old undies to bunch. It's kind of like a verbal wedgie in some sectors, not all of them Islamic... |
Bush thanked British Prime Minister Tony Blair for "busting this plot." Authorities immediately banned all passengers headed to or departing from U.S. airports from carrying any liquid in their carry-ons. The massive lines that resulted at security checkpoints made chaos of air travel worldwide as flights were delayed or canceled.
| Quick multiple choice quiz here: Fill in your answer using blue or blue-black ink or crayon. You have your choice of a.) flight delay b.) cancellation or c.) KABOOM! ___________ |
The effects of the plot rippled across the globe Thursday. The U.S. raised the terror threat level to "severe" for all flights leaving Britain for the United States. Britain raised its alert level to "critical."
"Reginald, how critical is 'severe'?"
"Severely critical, Nigel. Critically." |
Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney ordered the National Guard to Boston's Logan Airport, and California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger ordered the National Guard to airports in his state. Besides banning liquids, British police are also banning passengers from carrying electronic key fobs, which have the potential to trigger bombs.
| What's technology coming to? USB detonators? |
A U.S. administration official said the plot targeted Continental, United, British Airways and American Airlines flights to New York, Washington and California. As many as 10 flights were targeted, and the plot may have involved up to 50 people, U.S. officials told CNN.
| “at least 21 of those arrested are British citizens and some were of Pakistani ethnicity.” |
| Not counting the potential victims, of course... |
U.S. and British officials said some suspects could still be on the loose and their investigations were continuing. Indications are that at least 21 of those arrested are British citizens and some were of Pakistani ethnicity, a senior U.S. intelligence official said.
| My guess would be that all of them were. |
In a sign of the heightened security, Chertoff said the U.S. was dispatching extra air marshals to Britain. The plot was "intended to be mass murder on an unimaginable scale," London's Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Paul Stephenson said.
| Maybe to an over-civilized western man. Back in Peshawar it's merely 'death to infidels.'" |
Chertoff said the plan was reminiscent of a plot by September 11 coordinator Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, who in 1995 had envisioned detonating bombs on 11 airlines possibly traveling over the Pacific Ocean.
| Sounds like a replay, actually. Only the ocean's been changed. |
The plot was "as sophisticated as any we have seen in recent years as far as terrorism is concerned," Chertoff said. CNN terror analyst Peter Bergen said two factors pointed to the influence of al Qaeda. He said al Qaeda was "obsessed" with commercial aviation and that the timing of the plot was "very interesting."
| “... the plan was reminiscent of a plot by September 11 coordinator Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, who in 1995 had envisioned detonating bombs on 11 airlines possibly traveling over the Pacific Ocean.” |
Their "obsession" lies with public transport, where you're likely to find large numbers of people in confined spaces, preferably unable to resist the actions of the Islamic sooperdoopermen sent to dispatch them. Public transport is also essential to commerce, so they're hitting us in the economy even if the plot's not successful — see today's airline stock quotes. What surprises me is that they haven't yet hit on sports. A big enough bomb at an Ohio State homecoming game would take out 100,000 people. But maybe the Big Turbans don't see sports fans as economically essential. |
"It's not clear when this was going to be implemented ... but we are coming up on the fifth anniversary of 9/11. They do want to make a big statement," he said on CNN's "American Morning."
| They appear to be big on the number "11", but they're not particularly big on anniversaries. And a high enough corpse count is all the statement they need. |
"Due to the nature of the threat revealed by this investigation, we are prohibiting any liquids, including beverages, hair gels, and lotions from being carried on the airplane," a DHS statement said.
| "Please leave Vaseline, KY Jelly, Dippety-doo, and similar substances in your luggage." |
Increased security means airline passengers around the country should show up at least two hours early for all flights, an official with the Transportation Security Administration told CNN. British and U.S. security agencies quickly moved to impose strict limits on carry-on items in the wake of Thursday's arrests, causing extended delays at airport security checkpoints.
| I still think passengers will eventually be required to fly naked and/or be allowed firearms up to .32 caliber. |
The British Airports Authority said no hand luggage would be allowed onto planes leaving British airports until further notice. British Airways canceled all short haul flights in or out of Heathrow Airport for Thursday, and delays were stacking flights up at airports across Europe. |