UFO Bloke
16th May 2003, 05:22
Thanks BBC
Terror alert grounds Kenya flights
A suicide attack on a hotel near Mombasa killed 15
All UK flights to and from Kenya have been suspended by the government amid fears of an "imminent" threat of terror attacks on British planes.
A total of 1,200 British tourists are now potentially stranded in the east African country as the suspension starts from 2200 BST, the Association of British Travel Agents said.
British Airways has cancelled its daily departure to Kenya and is making arrangements to transfer hundreds of passengers into Tanzania to fly them back to the UK.
The Foreign Office has advised against non-essential travel to Kenya, and advised Britons there to keep a low profile and maintain a high level of vigilance in public places.
About 100,000 Britons holiday each year in Kenya, where in November there was a failed attempt to shoot down a plane carrying Israeli tourists from a holiday resort near Mombasa.
Kenyan security minister Chris Murungaru
The BBC's Daniel Sandford said flights were being suspended, according to Whitehall sources, over concerns about "personnel and weaponry" being in place, although it may not necessarily be an attempt to shoot down a passenger aircraft.
The Department of Transport ordered UK airlines to suspend flights to and from Kenya saying "the threat level to UK civil aviation interests in Kenya has increased to imminent."
Peter Kirk, the assistant director of aviation, said: "Developments in Kenya and other recent events demonstrate the continuing terrorist threat to UK civil aviation generally.
"High levels of vigilance and security awareness are therefore essential."
"What we do know is that there is some information and it is a growth really of information which enables us to say we are now extremely worried that something might happen. "We had to give this warning."Matthew Kabetu, head of Kenya's anti-terrorism unit, told the Associated Press on Thursday an al-Qaeda suspect may have returned to the country.
Fazul Abdullah Mohammed is wanted in connection with the US embassy bombing in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam and the attacks in Mombasa in November last year.
10 o'clock news quoted the ELY flight that was targetted to be shot down months before as a possibility of non action, this flight weeks before hand was used to carry the Israeli PM (fitted with Flares) so i think they have an advantage over a BA747
UFO B
Terror alert grounds Kenya flights
A suicide attack on a hotel near Mombasa killed 15
All UK flights to and from Kenya have been suspended by the government amid fears of an "imminent" threat of terror attacks on British planes.
A total of 1,200 British tourists are now potentially stranded in the east African country as the suspension starts from 2200 BST, the Association of British Travel Agents said.
British Airways has cancelled its daily departure to Kenya and is making arrangements to transfer hundreds of passengers into Tanzania to fly them back to the UK.
The Foreign Office has advised against non-essential travel to Kenya, and advised Britons there to keep a low profile and maintain a high level of vigilance in public places.
About 100,000 Britons holiday each year in Kenya, where in November there was a failed attempt to shoot down a plane carrying Israeli tourists from a holiday resort near Mombasa.
Kenyan security minister Chris Murungaru
The BBC's Daniel Sandford said flights were being suspended, according to Whitehall sources, over concerns about "personnel and weaponry" being in place, although it may not necessarily be an attempt to shoot down a passenger aircraft.
The Department of Transport ordered UK airlines to suspend flights to and from Kenya saying "the threat level to UK civil aviation interests in Kenya has increased to imminent."
Peter Kirk, the assistant director of aviation, said: "Developments in Kenya and other recent events demonstrate the continuing terrorist threat to UK civil aviation generally.
"High levels of vigilance and security awareness are therefore essential."
"What we do know is that there is some information and it is a growth really of information which enables us to say we are now extremely worried that something might happen. "We had to give this warning."Matthew Kabetu, head of Kenya's anti-terrorism unit, told the Associated Press on Thursday an al-Qaeda suspect may have returned to the country.
Fazul Abdullah Mohammed is wanted in connection with the US embassy bombing in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam and the attacks in Mombasa in November last year.
10 o'clock news quoted the ELY flight that was targetted to be shot down months before as a possibility of non action, this flight weeks before hand was used to carry the Israeli PM (fitted with Flares) so i think they have an advantage over a BA747
UFO B