British Airways Cancels 3 U.S. Flights - Terrorist Concerns

[southerngale]

British Airways (BAB) has canceled three flights from Heathrow Airport to Washington, D.C., and Miami because of government security concerns, the airline said Saturday.

Flight 223 to Washington's Dulles airport will not fly on Sunday or Monday, but is to depart on schedule at 3:05 p.m. local time Saturday, said an airline spokeswoman. U.S. officials said Friday that new intelligence indicated Flight 223 and Air France flights from Paris to an unspecified U.S. city could be terrorist targets.

Flight 207 to Miami will not fly on Sunday, she said, but had departed Saturday morning.

The spokeswoman, who declined to be identified, said BA had canceled the flights on the advice of the British government. She cited security fears but gave no further details.


"The safety and security of our operations is our absolute priority and will not be compromised," the airline said.

BA's Flight 223 drew concerns in early January, when it was canceled twice because of security fears and then delayed for hours several more times.

Six Air France flights between Paris and Los Angeles were canceled during Christmas week.

"We remain concerned about al-Qaida's desire to target aviation, especially international aviation," U.S. Homeland Security Department spokesman Brian Roehrkasse said. "The U.S. intelligence community continues to gather specific credible threat information on international flights, as we have done in an ongoing basis in the past few weeks."

A British Department for Transport spokesman said the decision to cancel the flights was made "in the light of information received."

"Aviation security measures are adjusted from time to time, and occasional cancellations may be necessary," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "The first priority is always the safety of the traveling public."

[nystate]

BA 223 again...very odd. Didn't BEER and other posters say something about an increased threat in early Feb. a while back?

[BEER980]

Yep, I was going to post the possible cancelations last night but held off thinking it was a streach. Just another puzzle piece surfacing. I would stay alert at least until the end of the year on Feb 21. The next few days are put up or shut up for some sources. The countdown clock is almost at the end. It could be smoke and mirrors as well.

[TexasStooge]

Here we go again!

[Anonymous]

From http://homelandsecurityus.com/

31 January 2004-- A confluence of information and events appear to be making the next 72 hours perhaps the most critical time for terrorist attacks in the US since the attacks of September 11th, 2001. The next 72 hours is the IMMEDIATE window of concern, although our short-term concern extends through the end of the Islamic year 1424 (February 21st, 2004). In order to fully comprehend the nature of the threat against and within the US, it is important to look at what is currently taking place in Saudi Arabia, as events are likely to begin with the attack and planned toppling of that fragile regime unless thwarted by Saudi forces. Details to Saudi situation here. We have previously reported in detail that it is the intent of al Qaeda operatives and their terrorist lackeys to dethrone the royal family, take over that country and in so doing, launching a major terrorist offensive against and inside of the United States in the process. Note that the reference (link) above appears to indicate a two-fold attack in Saudi Arabia - those who take part in the overthrow, and those who martyr themselves in other arenas, such as the countries of their origins.

While some consider the Super Bowl to be an "enviable" terrorist target, we are looking at the possibility that it is not the primary or intended target. Rather, the vast viewing audience of the Super Bowl provides an interesting platform - a day when most Americans will be at home watching their televisions. As presented by analysts on this site before, the terrorists want to insure that they have the eyes and ears of the American people, watching the next attack or the start of the next "series of attacks" unfold. What better American audience can there be?

Based on a review of numerous communications from a number of sources, it would appear that the primary threat against one US city is nuclear in nature. What is less clear is the type of device. One possible scenario indeed involves New York City as illustrated in this analysis and graphic.

Airline Threats

Airlines originating from London and Paris to Newark, Washington, DC, Miami, Houston and Los Angeles are being grounded as this is being written. What is the exact nature of this threat? Analysts have found three separate threats that coincide with the grounding of these flights, from the most obvious to the lesser known:

1. Terrorists using airplanes in the manner as they did on September 11, 2001, against targets in the cities named above;

2. The use of airplanes against specific NUCLEAR REACTOR SITES in the US; (see Steve Quayle's Terror Alert Update for the full details of threats against the nuclear reactors).

3. Exploding the aircraft over populated areas through the use of nitrocellulose hidden in everyday products.

Additional Threats

1. Targeting of US Embassies

2. Additional use of car bombs (VBIED'S), kidnapping of journalists, and assassination (attempts) against political and high profile individuals.

3. Analysts have found interesting and quite disturbing references to the use of biological weapons, most originating from outside the US. In one instance, it was referenced that the "pilgrims of the Haj" might be purposely infected with a biological agent through the water supply and be asymptomatic until their return to their respective homelands.

4. Previous Intelligence & Data; Pentagon referenced... MORE


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

31 January 2004-- NOTICE: This is a "dynamic" situation - we are following a number of threats in real time and will post updates as they are needed.


more info here as well http://homelandsecurityus.com/SOsborne.htm#Clock

disturbing pic too...

[vbhoutex]

This is very disturbing to me. We have the biggest party in the world going on in our city right now and everybody who is anybody seems to be here in Houston. I think Hollywood has moved to Houston and they are expecting 600 of th etop 1000 CEO's in the country to be here also. Talk about prime target!!!!!!!

[timNms]

Lest we all forget.... Bin Ladin and his croonies may have some power BUT WE have the ultimate power. PRAYER!!! We should all be praying that God will place his hand on America and protect her against the forces of evil that are coming against her.
I am not afraid of anything that bin ladin may try to do to us because I believe that we serve the same God that led the children if Israel out of the land of Egypt... A cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night... When they came to the Red Sea and were seemingly trapped by the Egyptians, God, in the form of a pillar of fire, moved between the enemy and His people, parted the sea, allowing the children to cross on dry land, and ultimately destroyed the enemy before the eyes of His people!
If He did it then, He can surely do it now!

[BEER980]

Well if you are going to thread drift then you had better hope your god is better then their god. Right now they have a holy party going on in Mecca with a million plus. Oh and weapons are allowed this year at the event.

[timNms]

BEER980, I'm not about to get into an argument with you over "my God vs their god". Just suffice it to say that there is ONE true God and it ain't allah.

[janswizard]

Actually, I think it IS the same God. Christians believe that Jesus is the son of God, while Muslims believe that Muhammad is the true prophet.

http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamental ... ofgod.html

(edited to change Abraham to Muhummad)

[GalvestonDuck]

Agreed, Janswizard.

Tim...it IS Allah...and God and Jehovah and Padre and Heavenly Father and Dios and so forth. It is the same God. But just like with those who follow the Jewish faith, Muslims and Christians practice a different religion and read a different book, but pray to the same God and use different names for the same Divinity.

[Anonymous]

CNN:Continental Flight 1519 Dulles to houston just cancelled for security... Unsuperbowl related though they say

[BEER980]

Umm ok, sure nonsuperbowl related.

[timNms]

Duck and Janswizard,

In my opinion (and you can take that for what it's worth ), the God I serve is not the same God they serve as my God has never told me to start a holy war against anyone else.
Now I'm not saying that there are some Muslims who worship the true God. However, I don't think Bin Ladin's god is the true God.
Is that clear as mud now? LOL

[stormchazer]

Quit worrying. Ask John Kerry, Bush is playing up this terror threat stuff. YEAH RIGHT!

[GalvestonDuck]

Tim,

I understand what you're saying to an extent. David Koresh and Jim Jones were in some ways the same as Bin Laden, in that they twisted the faith of their followers. Our God is the same as the Jewish God and the same as the Muslim God. True followers of the Muslim religion should be following the same God we do. True followers of the Muslim faith can pray for peace and safety in the same way we do. But instead, some of them are following a demented leader who tries to tell them what "God" wants them to do and bases it on his twisted perception of what the truth is.

[southerngale]

CNN:Continental Flight 1519 Dulles to houston just cancelled for security... Unsuperbowl related though they say

Feb. 1, 2004, 4:49PM

'Credible threat' cancels flight to Houston
By RAD SALLEE
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle

A Continental Airlines flight from Washington, D.C., to Houston was canceled today after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security advised the airline of a "credible threat" that terrorists might target the flight.

Flight 1519, which never departed, was scheduled to leave Dulles Airport at 5:44 p.m. and arrive at Bush Intercontinental Airport at 8:10 p.m. while the Super Bowl was in progress. However, a homeland security official said the threat does not appear to be related to the Super Bowl.

Special Agent Bob Doguim with the Houston office of the FBI also said the cancellation was not based on any specific or corroborated information that the airliner was part of some potential Super Bowl-related attack.

"What we do have out there is (intelligence) that is sometimes vague, and in bits and pieces, that we try to string together to come up with some kind of a picture," said Doguim.

"And I'll be honest with you: I don't know that we're always coming up with an accurate picture," he said. "But when you paint that picture, and it's not too clear, we pass on that info. And based on that, specific steps are taken such as the canceling of a flight.

"Now, does that suggest we have any information about a threat against the Super Bowl? No," Doguim added. "But when you tie all these things together, better to be safe than sorry."

Homeland Security Department spokeswoman Suzanne Luber said Continental officials canceled the flight after being advised of the threat. She would not discuss the nature of the threat.

Continental spokesman Dave Messing said the agency and airline made a joint decision to cancel. Other arrangements were being made for the estimated 40 passengers booked on the flight, whose capacity was about 130, Messing said.

It was the second flight the airline had canceled in two days because of a terrorist risk. On Saturday, Continental canceled Flight 17 scheduled for today from Glasgow, Scotland, to Newark, N.J., and Los Angeles.

Also canceled Saturday because of security concerns were flights from England and France to the United States on British Airways and Air France.

"We continue to receive threat reporting that indicates al-Qaida's desire to target international aviation," Brian Roehrkasse, spokesman for the Homeland Security Department, told the Associated Press.

U.S. officials have been concerned for some time that al-Qaida wants to use chemical, biological or radiological weapons aboard an airplane.

However, the threat information that led to the canceled flights this weekend did not indicate a specific method to bring down a plane or spread an illness such as smallpox, said a U.S. official speaking on the condition of anonymity, the AP said.