Alleged plot 'could have killed unprecedented numbers'

Had it succeeded, a major terrorist plot to allegedly blow up aircraft flying from the UK to the US in mid-flight could have killed unprecedented numbers of passengers, terrorism experts suggested today.

Professor Paul Wilkinson of the Centre for the Study of Terrorism and Political Violence (CSTPV) at St Andrew's University said nothing on this apparent scale had succeeded before.

“This is really a very ambitious plot indeed. It is the kind of spectacular potentially lethal attack which the al-Qaida network has been particularly interested in carrying out,” he said.

“I would be very surprised if it was found that they were not involved as a movement.

“It is possible, I suppose, that some other movement could have copied the kind of techniques that had been used by the al-Qaida network, but I think that’s unlikely.

“I don’t think we should in any way underestimate it. It’s a significant and serious development and the authorities are right to be responding with exceptional measures.”

He said that the only close comparison could be with the foiled Bojinka plot to blow up 12 Western airliners simultaneously in Asia in the mid 1990s.

The plot, which would have killed thousands in the Asia Pacific region, was scuppered when plans were found in the Manila, Philippines, base of terrorist Ramzi Yousef, who also planned the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.

“We know from the investigation of the 9/11 commission that the original plot for the 9/11 attacks was to attack 10 cities and not just New York and Washington, as happened. It really does show that this is a movement which is intent on causing massive death and destruction.”

Prof. Wilkinson said that Yousef’s career added credibility to suggestions that plotters may have been planning to take liquid bomb “ingredients” on board.

He said that Yousef was known to have developed techniques for liquid-based devices which, crucially, could be assembled quickly on board an aircraft making it very difficult to detect beforehand.

He said that the experience of the use of suicide bombers on planes made such threats likely.

“There are people who would be looking for the recipes and that is the reason any information on this is very dangerous to put around,” he said.

“What I think is the real worry is that sufficient plotters are prepared to take the necessary ingredients on board the plane and assemble the device, which would then be used there on the plane.”