2006 transatlantic aircraft plot
The measures were gradually relaxed during the following weeks, but passengers are still not allowed to carry liquid containers larger than 100 ml onto commercial aircraft in their hand luggage in the UK and most other countries, as of 2024[update].
Inside they found a powdered soft drink—Tang—and a large number of batteries, which raised suspicions; in the following weeks the police mounted the UK's largest surveillance operation, calling on an additional 220 officers from other forces.
[11] British authorities performed a total of 69 searches of residences, businesses, vehicles and open spaces, which found possible bomb-making equipment and chemicals including hydrogen peroxide, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Peter Clarke said on 21 August 2006.
"As well as the bomb-making equipment, we have found more than 400 computers, 200 mobile telephones and 8,000 items of removable storage media such as Memory Sticks, CDs and DVDs," he said.
According to NBC News, a senior British official contended that an attack was not imminent, noting that the suspects had not yet purchased airline tickets and some did not even have passports; he had urged that the investigation continue to collect more evidence.
"[16] In Ron Suskind's book The Way of the World (2008), Vice President Dick Cheney is reported to have "ordered" the arrest of Rauf in Pakistan in August 2006, as an attempt to provide "good news" prior to the US 2006 mid-term elections.
[17] The plotters planned to use peroxide-based liquid explosives;[9] the Metropolitan Police said that the plot involved acetone peroxide, (TATP),[18] which is sensitive to heat, shock, and friction, and can be initiated with fire or an electrical charge, and can also be used to produce improvised detonators.
[citation needed] The use of liquid explosives with dissolved powder is similar to the composition used in the 21 July 2005 London bombings, using hydrogen peroxide and chapati flour, activated by a detonator.
There was speculation in the UK that the militant Islamic organisation al-Qaeda could be organizing the plot, which, it was claimed, was scheduled to occur only weeks after the group threatened to attack British aviation.
[24] In their martyrdom tapes, the suspects quoted from the Quran, claimed they were seeking revenge for the foreign policy of the United States, and "their accomplices, the U.K. and the Jews" and hoped God would be "pleased with us and accepts our deed."
[26] Pakistan and international press also reported that Rashid Rauf had links with the Jaish-e-Mohammed, a Kashmir militant group banned by several countries.
[29] In Pakistan, law enforcement authorities interrogated Rashid Rauf, a Briton of Pakistani descent, over his alleged key role in the plot.
Pakistani Interior Minister Aftab Khan Sherpao said British police were conducting inquiries in Pakistan but were not involved in questioning Rauf.
BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera said the plot involved a series of simultaneous attacks, targeting three planes each time.
[37][38] In a press release, the United States Secretary of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff, said "multiple commercial aircraft" were targeted.
[47][48] Many mentioned the Forest Gate raid, the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes and the Iraq War, all based on intelligence that turned out to be wrong, as reasons for their doubts.
[51] Technology news website The Register explored the practicalities of producing TATP on board a plane from constituent liquids and concluded that, while theoretically possible, the chances of success would be extremely low.
[56] Following the raids, the UK terror alert level was raised by the Joint Terrorist Analysis Centre from 'Severe' to 'Critical', signalling an attack was believed to be imminent.
[58] In March 2020 Jonathan Evans, former Director General, MI5, gave an interview saying the aircraft plot "felt like some of the later-stage investigations into Irish terrorism that we had been doing.
[61] Following the operation, United States Homeland Security banned all liquids and gels except baby formula and prescription medicines in the name of the ticket holder in carry-on luggage on all flights.
[63] From 13 August 2006, airline passengers in the United States could take up to 3.4 US fl oz (101 ml) of non-prescription medicine, glucose gel for diabetics, solid lipstick, and baby food aboard flights.
[67] A 2022 article offers an assessment of the impact of Operation Overt and refers to Rashid Rauf's alleged role [68] All international inbound flights to London Heathrow Airport were cancelled on the day of the arrests except those already en route.
[75] Carolyn Evans, head of flight safety at the British Airline Pilots Association, said that "the procedures put in place are not sustainable long-term, and unless the passengers are treated more reasonably, we will not have an industry left".
[84] On 13 August 2006, Michael O'Leary, chief executive of Ryanair, claimed that the chaos at airports meant that the terrorists were achieving their aims.
[85] Following the August 2006 arrests, The New York Times blocked IP addresses in Britain from accessing a story titled "Details Emerge in British Terror Case."
[86] In 2008, eight men (Ahmed Abdullah Ali, Assad Sarwar, Tanvir Hussain, Ibrahim Savant, Arafat Khan, Waheed Zaman, Umar Islam, Mohammed Gulzar) were tried in connection with the plot.
The trial began in April 2008,[87] with the exhibition of what were described as 'suicide videos' made by Ali, Hussain, Savant, Khan, Zaman, and Islam,[88] and the allegation that the suspects had bought chemicals.
Ali told the court that he intended to make a political statement by letting off a small device at Heathrow and scaring people and that the plot did not involve attacking planes.
[93] At Woolwich Crown Court on 14 September 2009, Mr Justice Henriques sentenced Ali, Sarwar, Hussain and Islam to life imprisonment.
[95] At the third trial in July 2010 at Woolwich Crown Court, Savant, Khan and Zaman were found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment for the lesser charge of conspiracy to murder.
