UK terror threat now 'critical'

[MaineDem]

Source: BBC

The UK's national terrorism threat has been raised to its highest level after an attack on Glasgow Airport was linked to two car bombs found in London.

Two men were arrested after ramming a burning car into the airport's main terminal, a day after police thwarted two attempted bombings in the capital.

Police said one of the men wore a "suspect device" and the incident was being treated as terror related.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown urged the public to remain vigilant.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6257606.stm

---

I know the BBC changes headlines often so I hope this isn't a dupe.

[uppityperson]

1. call 911 if you smell gas.

I read that on one of the article about being vigilant. sigh

[Lydia Leftcoast]

2. I wonder about the timing of these "terrorist threats"

Tony Blair just left office, and it was reported that as he left #10 Downing Street, he was faced with a group of angry relatives of British soldiers who have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. The day I left England, The Independent, one of the national newspapers, had a headline about two soldiers from the home district of Gordon Brown (the new prime minister) being killed in Iraq.

The Iraq War is widely considered THE issue that finished Blair off.

So now, with a new prime minister and widespread public sentiment against the war, we suddenly get a new "terrorist threat," which may serve as the excuse to continue the war, whether anyone over there wants it or not.

[barb162]

11. It's also around the timing of the 7/7 subway bombings

[0007]

12. Perhaps junior is trying to deliver a message to Vladimir Putin

in regards to the visit to Maine this week-end.

junior's plan to build a missile defense system in Europe, based in the Czech Republic and Poland, has included threatening to aim missiles at Europe and inflammatory rhetoric denouncing the United States' ``hyper use of force'' in the world may have caused the recent alarm. Who knows?

junior's daddy will be there to help twist arms.

[dflprincess]

13. I've been wondering about the timing as well

And, Gordon Brown has appointed antiwar ministers to his cabinet as well as making it clear he plans to distance himself from Bush.

[marshall]

14. There's also Salman Rushdie in the mix

Isn't there unhappiness over his knighthood a couple of weeks ago?

[nevergiveup]

3. The news media

has not shut up about this all day. Meanwhile, Chimpy heard the news and went fishing. What am I missing here?

[Throwing Stones]

5. no one could have anticipated driving cars into airport terminals /nt

[DesertRat]

4. It didn't stop London's gay pride parade today

Saturday, 30 June 2007
Thousands of people have marched through the streets of central London for the annual Gay Pride festival.

Despite the rain, participants of the Pride London event walked from Baker Street to Trafalgar Square.

The march was followed by entertainment in the square which continued until 2000 BST. Presenters included TV host Graham Norton and actor John Barrowman.

The event's organisers had insisted the event would go ahead as normal despite Friday's car bomb alerts.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6256338.stm

[LeftyMom]

6. There's a lesson there.

As a community that's never really had the illusion of safety in most societies, GLBT people choose self-respect over safety every day in living out. Poor weather? They march. Bad government? They march. Insane religions? They march.

The rest of us should be so brave in the face of the much less likely dangers we face.

[DesertRat]

9. Well said

:thumbsup:

[Bitwit1234]

7. CNN reported the guy who was on fire died.

But then I did not hear anything more about it. They took it down.

[rollin74]

8. 2 additional arrests have been made according to cnn n/t

[dipsydoodle]

10. Maybe it should read

CYNICAL.

[Theduckno2]

15. I think greater vigilance is warranted.

Don't these events tend to bring out attention seekers and/or copycats? It would seem reasonable to beef up the ranks of law enforcement to handle an increase in persons coming forward with information, to reassure the public and to guard against reprisals aimed at the innocent.

I just wish they could have left it at just raising the alert level and leave the "terror" aspect on the back burner.