The US has decided to send additional air marshals to the UK to beef up mid-air security measures.
WASHINGTON, DC: US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Michael Chertoff has said that there is no evidence of any plotting within the US, while reacting to the arrests of 21 suspects in London in connection with a terror plot to blow up to 10 airplanes simultaneously in mid-air.
“Currently, there is no indication, however, of plotting within the United States,” Chertoff said. “We believe that these arrests have significantly disrupted the threat, but we cannot be sure that the threat has been entirely eliminated or the plot completely thwarted.”
The DHS raised the threat level for commercial aviation originating from the UK coming into the US to “Severe” or “Red”, the highest in the Homeland Security’s Advisory System. “This adjustment reflects the Critical, or highest, alert level that has been implemented in the United Kingdom,” Chertoff said. For all other commercial aviation - domestic and international - the threat level has been raised to “Orange” or “High”. The Code Red was implemented for the first time since the Advisory System came into force in January 2003. He said that the al-Qaeda may be behind this plot, but cannot make a definitive conclusion until all the evidence is rounded up. A White House statement said “this was a direct attack on the US.”
Robert Mueller, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation said though there have been 21 arrests made in connection with the plot, “it does not mean that there are others out there who are planning something else.” US Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez said: “We are fighting a vicious and determined enemy. We are investigating the connection to al-Qaeda.”
Almost every legal and security agency in the US has called the plan “the most significant plot since 9/11.” Chertoff said, “The arrests do not mean that we can assume that the threat is over.” Other officials said the terror plot targeted flights landing in New York, Washington, and California. The airliners included Continental, United and American Airlines.
The US has decided to send additional air marshals to the UK to beef up mid-air security measures.
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