We are at war with Islamic fascists, Bush declares

US PRESIDENT George W Bush said yesterday that a plot to blow up multiple flights between Britain and the US shows the “nation is at war with Islamic fascists”.

“This country is safer than it was prior to 9/11,” Mr Bush said from the airport tarmac in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where he was appearing at events focused on the economy. “We’ve taken a lot of measures to protect the American people but obviously we’re not completely safe.”

US counterterrorism officials had earlier said the threat was aimed at United, American and Continental Airlines and aimed at flights to New York, Washington and California, all major summer tourist destinations.

The plotters envisioned setting off mid-flight explosions on multiple aircraft using bomb components brought on board in a benign state and combined once the planes were aloft.

The president laid the blame for the foiled attack squarely on al-Qaida-type terrorism.

He urged Americans to be patient with the many inconveniences that will result from the increased threat level that the plot prompted him to approve.

White House press secretary Tony Snow said that Mr Bush on Wednesday approved raising threat level for all flights from Britain to red, designating a severe risk of terrorist attacks.

Still, despite what he called the serious nature of the threat, Mr Snow said: “It is safe to travel.”

Mr Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair held a lengthy teleconference on the matter on Sunday and spoke again on Wednesday by phone, Mr Snow said.

“This is an ongoing investigation that will play out over several days and weeks,” Mr Snow said. “We will constantly evaluate the nature of the threat and adjust our measures.”

It is the first time the red alert level in the Homeland Security warning system has been invoked, although there have been brief periods in the past when the orange level was applied.

Homeland Security defines the red alert as designating a “severe risk of terrorist attacks”.

There were no commercial passenger planes in the air from Britain to the United States when the red alert was issued, FAA Administrator Marion Blakey said.