Intelligence

Intelligence 'Tenuous' But Terror Threat Cannot Be Ignored

Scotsman.com News - Latest News - Intelligence 'Tenuous' But Terror Threat Cannot Be Ignored

By Tom Whitehead, PA News

Intelligence over terrorist threats that has left six transatlantic flights grounded is “tenuous to say the least”, an expert said today.

But no airline can risk ignoring even the slightest of dangers, no matter how weak, terrorism specialist Simon Reeve warned.

His comments come on the day four US-bound flights from Britain and France were cancelled and a further two will not fly tomorrow amid a security alert.

British Airways has cancelled three flights exactly a month after grounding two services because of similar threats.

Air France has stopped two services to Washington and Continental Airlines cancelled today�s flight from Glasgow to Los Angeles.

Senior Government sources and the air operators have not commented on reports the moves follow a threat from al Qaida.

But fresh American intelligence emerged, warning of potential terror threats to British Airways and Air France flights to US destinations.

Reports speculated that terrorists were planning to hijack a plane leaving London or Paris and crash it into a high profile US target in a September 11-style attack.

Mr Reeve, author of book on al Qaida, The New Jackals, said: �I think some of the evidence, some of the intelligence surrounding these threats is tenuous to say the least.

�But nobody in the intelligence community or airport security will want to take the chance of sending a plane in to the air if there is even a whisper of a threat.�

�The Government is clearly right to be worried. For al Qaida, or groups influenced by it, airlines remain a very useful attack target.�

Constitutional Affairs Secretary Lord Falconer said sometimes security information was received �that we have got to act on�.

He said he could not give details of the intelligence that had led to the suspension of the flights.

�We have always made it clear that we must be vigilant. That will lead to inconvenience from time to time but we think it is the right course,� he told the Sunday with Adam Boulton programme on Sky News.

BA cancelled its London to Washington flight BA223 for both today and tomorrow, based on security advice from the British Government.

The same flight was cancelled on January 1 and 2 after America stepped up its security alert.

The company�s flight BA207 to Miami today, Air France flights AF026 from Paris to Washington for both today and tomorrow, and Continental Airlines Flight 17 from Glasgow to Los Angeles had also been grounded.

A BA spokesman said safety and security was of �absolute priority and will not be compromised�.

He refused to rule out the possibility of further cancellations in the future saying flights were always on �continuous review�.

Continental spokesman David Messing said his company cancelled its flight �because we were unable to obtain the necessary security clearance from the Department of Homeland Security and its international counterpart�.

The company said it hoped to get the 150 passengers affected on to its other transatlantic flights today.

Yesterday, the Department for Transport said the cancellations came �in the light of information received�.

BA Flight 223 arrived in Washington yesterday as scheduled and passengers were unaware of the latest security alert.

But other passengers at Heathrow said they were �worried� or �petrified� by the cancellations.

The decisions come as the debate continues over whether armed sky marshals should travel on passenger flights thought to be potentially at risk.

Mr Reeve said the threat of terrorism was here for �the long term�, adding: �I think we are going to face cancelled flights and increased concerns about airline security for generations to come.�

He said Britain allying itself with America during the Iraq war has increased the likelihood of al Qaida targeting British interests.

Paul Wilkinson, professor of international relations at the University of St Andrews, said the nature of the cancellations suggested a �specific threat�.

He added: �The Government would only advise the airline to take such action if there were intelligence reasons for believing there is a threat. Intelligence from the US is clearly being analysed by the British authorities."

February 1, 2004 at 11:07 AM in Current Terrorism | Permalink | Top of page | Blog Home