US claims al-Qa'eda planned to crash planes in UK

[Batgirl]

(Filed: 22/06/2006)

The US administration has claimed al-Qa'eda planned to hijack aircraft and crash planes into Heathrow airport and London's Canary Wharf.

The British landmarks were among a number of targets around the world being considered by terrorist operatives, a report from the UK Department of Homeland Security suggests.

In one plot, the terrorists planned to use cameras to conceal bombs and stun guns as part of an "ingenious" plot.

Using the converted weapons, it is thought it would have been possible to access the cockpit and even bring down the plane.

These weapons were to be used against targets in the east coast of the US, the UK, Italy and Australia, but were thwarted in 2003, according to the report.

In the same year, Prime Minister Tony Blair was criticised for deploying the armed forces to Heathrow.

A separate plan to fly a plane into a skyscraper in east London's Canary Wharf was brought to light in 2004.

Details of the al-Qa'eda plots come from a report by the US Department of Homeland Security, obtained by the US television channel ABC News. There are no details on where the information in the report comes from.

It said a total of nine hijack plots since September 2001 had been uncovered "demonstrating a continued commitment to attack aviation-related targets".

Telegraph