Timeline: UK 'terror plot' investigation
Key events in the alleged terror plot against the UK and the subsequent investigation. THURSDAY 10 AUGUST: 'PLOT' DISRUPTED Overnight : Police move to thwart a suspected plot to bring down as many as 10 planes travelling from the UK to the US. Twenty-four people are arrested at addresses in Birmingham, High Wycombe and Walthamstow in east London. 0200 : The Joint Terrorism Assessment Centre upgrades the UK security threat level to "critical" - the highest level, meaning an attack is imminent. 0600 : Queues start to build at major airports as new security measures come into effect. Passengers are not allowed to take any hand luggage except for certain items, including baby milk, prescription medicines and travel documents. Knock-on effects are felt at airports across the world because of London's role as a major interchange. It is believed the alleged plot involved liquid explosives which were to be detonated using an electrical device such as a mobile phone. 1000 : In an emergency statement to the public, Home Secretary John Reid said police believed the alleged plot was "a very significant one indeed" which would have caused a "considerable loss of life". <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/help/3681938.stm> John Reid's statement Later, US President George W Bush says the day's events were a "stark reminder" that the US is still at war with Islamist extremists. Mr Bush said it showed "Islamic fascists... will use any means to destroy those of us who love freedom". <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/help/3681938.stm> Bush statement FRIDAY 11 AUGUST: SUSPECTS NAMED Details begin to emerge about some of the arrested suspects. They range in ages between 17 and 36 and three have recently converted to Islam. The Treasury announces that the assets of 19 people have been frozen by the authorities and a list of their names is posted on the Bank of England website. One of those arrested is released without charge on Friday evening. Pakistan also names Rashid Rauf as one of the two Britons who are among the seven suspects arrested in the country. Severe delays continue at major airports and many flights are cancelled. SATURDAY 12 AUGUST: REID WARNING Home Secretary John Reid warns against "complacency or self-congratulation" at the apparent foiling of the suspected terror plot, saying the threat posed by extremists is "ongoing", as are efforts to combat it. SUNDAY 13 AUGUST: WOODLAND SEARCHED Police search King's Wood, an area of woodland in High Wycombe, near to the homes of some of the suspects. It is believed they are looking for detonators. MONDAY 14 AUGUST: SECURITY LEVEL DOWNGRADED The security threat level is downgraded to "severe", meaning an attack is still considered highly likely but not imminent. This leads to some hand luggage restrictions being lifted, although the large airports operated by BAA are unable to implement the new rules until the following day. Passengers are now restricted to a bag about the size of a small laptop case. They still must not take most liquids or gels but electronic equipment may now be carried. TUESDAY 15 AUGUST: SEARCHES CONTINUE A person is arrested in the Thames Valley area in connection with the investigation. Meanwhile, police say it will take several weeks to search King's Wood in High Wycombe. WEDNESDAY 16 AUGUST: US-BOUND PLANE ALERT A woman passenger sparks a security alert on board an aircraft from London Heathrow to Washington, causing it to be diverted to Boston's Logan airport escorted by fighter jets. There were reports that she was carrying a screwdriver and a note about al-Qaeda. It later emerges that she was carrying hand-cream - a banned substance - and some matches. She appears to have become claustrophobic on the flight and was restrained by cabin crew. A judge allows police an extension in order to question the 23 suspects remaining in custody. Detectives are given leave to question two of them until 21 August, and 21 of them until 23 August. The person arrested on Tuesday is released without charge. THURSDAY 17 AUGUST: MATERIAL FOUND IN WOOD A police source tells the BBC a suitcase containing "everything you would need to make an improvised device" has been found in King's Wood, which is near some suspects' addresses. Scotland Yard, which is not commenting on the nature of any finds, would only say officers were continuing to search the woods and 13 properties. Meanwhile, Pakistani authorities say that Rashid Rauf, one of the British nationals arrested in the country last week, had links to a banned militant group. FRIDAY 18 AUGUST: INQUIRY SPANS UK Unofficial police sources say officers have found several martyrdom videos on laptop computers in the course of their searches. Meanwhile, it emerges that every police force in the UK is now involved in the investigation into the alleged plot. A plane flying from London to Egypt is diverted to the Italian airport of Brindisi due to a bomb scare, apparently sparked by a threatening note found by a passenger. MONDAY 21 AUGUST: POLICE CHARGE 11 Met Police and the CPS reveal 11 people have been charged in connection with the alleged plot, one woman has been released without charge and 11 more remain in custody pending further investigations. Eight are charged with conspiracy to murder and preparing acts of terrorism. The other three are charged under the Terrorism Act 2000 - one, a 17-year-old, with possessing articles useful to a person preparing an act of terrorism, and the other two with failing to disclose information of material assistance in preventing an act of terrorism. TUESDAY 22 AUGUST: 11 APPEAR IN COURT Eleven people appear in court in connection with the alleged plot. They are all remanded in custody. The eight, charged with conspiracy to murder and preparing acts of terrorism, are remanded until 4 September, when they are due to appear at the Old Bailey. Another two, charged with failing to disclose information, are remanded until 19 September, while a 17-year-old - accused of possessing articles useful to a person preparing an act of terrorism - is remanded until 29 August. WEDNESDAY 23 AUGUST: SUSPECT RELEASED Tayib Rauf, 22, is released without charge from custody in Birmingham after being questioned for two weeks by detectives about the alleged plot. Meanwhile, anti-terror police began examining areas of a wood at Lane End overnight, the second area of woodland to be searched by detectives in Buckinghamshire. THURSDAY 24 AUGUST: 12TH MAN CHARGED A 12th man is charged in connection with the alleged plot. Umair Hussain, 24, from east London, is charged under the Terrorism Act with failing to disclose information which could help prevent an act of terrorism. WEDNESDAY 30 AUGUST: THREE IN COURT Mohammed Shamin Uddin, 35, Mohammed Yasar Gulzar, 25, and Nabeel Hussain, 22, all from London, appear before City of Westminster magistrates, accused of conspiracy to murder and preparing an act of terrorism. They are remanded in custody until 18 September, when they will appear at the Old Bailey. Police are given seven more days to question five suspects over the alleged plot. The lawyer for one of them, Muhammed Usman Siddique, criticises the conditions his client has faced since being arrested. MONDAY 4 SEPTEMBER: EIGHT REMANDED Eight men are remanded in custody after appearing in court over the alleged transatlantic bomb plot. Each is charged with one offence of conspiracy to murder under the Criminal Law Act 1977 and a second charge under the Terrorism Act 2006 alleging that they were preparing to smuggle the component parts of improvised explosive devices on to aircraft and assemble and detonate them on board. THURSDAY 7 SEPTEMBER: TWO MORE CHARGED Don Stewart Whyte, of High Wycombe, Bucks, and Mohammed Usman Saddique, of Walthamstow, east London, are charged with preparing acts of terrorism. Mr Stewart Whyte also faces three firearm charges. Three others being questioned over the alleged plot have been released without charge. Story from BBC NEWS: http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/uk/4801183.stm [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? 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