There are quite a few questions we may ask after reading the below article -
1) have they made it clear where the UPS plane was about to head off to?
2) the nationality, ethnicity, and religion of the perpetrators was? or was most likely?
3) how many other such attempts have been made in the very recent past (the article indicates a possible number). I have also posted part of a 2nd article by the Los Angeles Times.
4) England (and Europe less specifically) is at the highest state of readiness and alert. The US is ...
5) All targets known have been against ?
Theresa May's statement on cargo plane bomb
Full text of the home secretary's speech on the explosive device found on a UPS plane at East Midlands airport
guardian.co.uk
Saturday 30 October 2010
"Earlier today, I chaired a meeting of Cobra to review the progress of our investigation following the discovery yesterday of a suspect package at East Midlands airport.
Our preliminary examination of the device is now complete. I can confirm the device was viable and could have exploded.
The target of the device may have been an aircraft and, had it detonated, the aircraft could have been brought down.
But we do not believe that the perpetrators of the attack would have known the location of the device when they planned for it to explode.
Our investigation remains sensitive. We will continue to work very closely with international colleagues to develop our understanding of what was planned and of course to bring to justice those responsible.
I will be speaking again to my US counterpart, secretary for homeland security Janet Napolitano.
At this stage, we have no information to indicate another attack is imminent.
The threat level is already at severe, meaning that a terrorist attack in this country is highly likely. We do not plan to change that threat level at this stage.
Now we must take further precautionary measures. I have agreed with the transport secretary to take immediate action to stop the movement of all unaccompanied air freight originating in Yemen and moving into or through the UK. We are in contact with the transport sector about this.
Direct cargo and passenger flights from Yemen were suspended for security reasons in January this year, following the earlier attempt to bomb an aircraft destined for Detroit.
The police and the security and intelligence agencies are working tirelessly to increase our understanding of the case. I would like to publicly thank them for their work.
We are also grateful for all the assistance provided by other countries, notably the US.
I have briefed the prime minister after our Cobra meeting. He has been following events closely. The government's primary aim is to keep the UK safe.
I shall be monitoring progress and further statements will be made as necessary."
**************************************************************
Q Just a quick follow, you said you’ve identified two. What about reports that there are up to 15 packages out there that you’re looking for? Is that possible?
MR. BRENNAN: What we are doing is making sure that we take a close look at other packages that might also have some type of materials in them of concern. Both of these packages that we’ve identified to date originated in Yemen, and so I think it is very prudent for us to make sure that other packages that might be coming in similar routes or from Yemen, as well, are looked at very carefully. And that's what we’re doing right now. But there are only two packages right now that have materials of concern.
Q The President described this is as a credible terrorist threat against the United States. Can you say whether this was actually an attempted terrorist attack, or some sort of practice run for something down the line?
MR. BRENNAN: I think, as the President noted, it is -- does appear that there were explosive materials in both of these packages, that they were in a form that was designed to try to carry out some type of attack. The forensic analysis is underway. We are relying heavily and working closely with our partners in this regard. But clearly, from the initial observations, the initial analyses that's done, that the materials that were found and the device that was uncovered was intended to do harm. Chip.
[...]
Q There’s been a lot of concern about threats against European targets. Is this at all related to any of that chatter that was picked up in recent weeks?
MR. BRENNAN: Well, as you well know, we issued the travel alert because of concerns about al Qaeda carrying out attacks in Europe; that one package was uncovered in East Midlands Airport in the UK. We are looking at all the parts of the puzzle that we have been piecing together over the past several weeks from al Qaeda. But we're not presuming that this is part of that plot. We're not presuming that we've disrupted that plot. We need to maintain our vigilance. And that's the message that we share with our European partners.
Q Considering what the targets were in Chicago, the Jewish places of worship, any extra precautions that you're putting out for synagogues?
MR. BRENNAN: The FBI, Department of Homeland Security and other domestic agencies are looking at that very carefully and have reached out to the appropriate private-sector entities as well as organizations to ensure that any other potential targets of such attacks are alerted. So we’re working very closely with state and local officials.
[...]
Q John, the other packages that are being looked at, were they also addressed to destinations in Chicago or also to Jewish organizations?
MR. BRENNAN: There were two packages, as I said, that we identified -- one in Dubai and one in East Midlands. Both of them were addressed to synagogues in Chicago.
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