Channel Tunnel under threat of attack: report

LONDON: The Channel Tunnel is under threat of attack from militants over the Christmas holiday period, British weekly newspaper The Observer said on Sunday, citing French and US security services.   

The alleged plot came to the attention of the French overseas intelligence service the DGSE, possibly via the US Central Intelligence Agency, and was detailed in a secret December 19 report to the Paris government.   

French and British intelligence services have since run checks of security systems protecting the the 50 km tunnel but the DGSE warned that the threat level remains high, the newspaper said.   

Even before the alleged threat, Britain's security services were on the second-highest alert -- "severe" -- following what police said was an attempt by militants to blow up transatlantic passenger planes in mid-air with liquid explosives.   

The newspaper quoted unnamed French sources as saying the tunnel plot was put together in Pakistan and was being directed from there.   

Those involved were said to be western European, possibly Britons of Pakistani origin, and the "chatter" between militants had "not been so high since 2001", it added.