US Air Travel Alert
Public AlertPart of UK Foils Transatlantic Bombings
 | Primary Organization | UK-US airline bomb plotters | |
 | Other Organization | Al-Qaeda | |
| Warning Agency | Department of Homeland Security | ||
| Possible Means of Attack | Smuggled liquid peroxide explosives | |
| Possible Target(s) | Domestic and U.S.-bound overseas commercial airline flights | |
| Area alerted | United States | |
| Alert issued | 0800 local, Aug. 10, 20061 | |
| Narrative and Notes (Reliable) | Following the arrests of suspected terrorists in the United Kingdom in connection with a plot to bomb transatlantic airliners, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff announced he was raising the threat level to "red" for U.S.-bound transatlantic flights originating in London and "orange" for all other flights. It was the first time Homeland Security implemented a "red" level threat, its highest. The British similarly raised their treat level to "critical." The plot appeared to involve the use of liquid explosives to be smuggled on board planes; aviation security personnel were confiscating liquids from many air travelers. Authorities described the plot as close to execution. The U.S. lowered its UK-oriented threat to "orange" on Aug. 13, matching it with the rest of the threat to airlines.1,2 | |
Sources and Notes | |||
| 1Press release, Department of Homeland Security, Aug. 10, 2006. | |||
| 2Press release, Department of Homeland Security, Aug. 13, 2006. | |||
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| Page maintained by John Lumpkin | |||
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