Threat levels raised for U.S. airports following arrests in United Kingdom

No liquids aloud on board U.S. flights

By Ari Burack, Bay City News Service

August 10, 2006

In response to arrests in the United Kingdom in the past few hours related to "a substantial plot to destroy multiple passenger aircraft flying from the United Kingdom to the United States,'' the U.S. Department of Homeland Security late Wednesday night raised the nation's threat level to Severe, or Red, for commercial flights bound for the United States from the United Kingdom, according to a statement by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff.

The Department of Homeland Security has also raised the nation's threat level to High, or Orange, for all commercial flights operating in or destined for the United States, Chertoff said.

Bay Area airports have not yet announced any flight delays or security changes.

San Francisco International Airport spokesman Mike McCarron said SFO has three or four flights arriving from London each day, but there have been no delays or security changes implemented yet.

A dispatcher with Oakland International Airport's airport operations center reported that there are no direct commercial flights from the United Kingdom to Oakland.

Oakland airport officials expect to have further information later today, the dispatcher said.

Homeland Security Secretary Chertoff said, "We believe that these arrests have significantly disrupted the threat, but we cannot be sure that the threat has been entirely eliminated or the plot completely thwarted.''

Chertoff reported that the Transportation Security Administration, working with federal and airport authorities and commercial airlines, has expanded security requirements.

Effective at 4 a.m. local time throughout the country, officials are prohibiting any liquids, including beverages, hair gels and lotions from being carried on to airplanes.

Additional security measures within airports and at screening checkpoints can be expected, Chertoff said.

Copyright © 2006 by Bay City News, Inc. -- Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.

####