British arrest another airliner plot suspect

LONDON – Police detained a new suspect Tuesday in the alleged plot to blow up jetliners over the Atlantic, the first arrest since authorities detained two dozen people last week and threw Britain’s airports into turmoil by imposing tougher security.

The announcement came after police said they raided two Internet cafes near the homes of some suspects and a news report said officers may have found a rifle and a pistol in a search of woodlands in the same area.

Travelers still faced problems at Britain’s main airports, where flight delays and cancellations exacerbated confusion over shifting rules on hand luggage.

London’s Metropolitan police said the latest suspect was detained around noon in the Thames Valley area just west of London. They offered no more details, including the person’s gender or identity.

The developments came after several days of near silence from British officials, who had announced Thursday that they foiled the planned terror attack by arresting 24 people around the country.

Authorities will have to provide at least some details of their evidence when a judge holds a closed-door hearing today to decide whether to extend detention for 23 suspects. One suspect was released without charge Friday.

The two Internet cafes were raided Thursday in central Slough, 25 miles west of London, not far from the High Wycombe neighborhood where several suspects were arrested, Thames Valley police said.

Nargis Janjua, co-owner of the One World Internet Cafe, said officers arrived Thursday afternoon and removed 25 computers from her shop and loaded them into a van.

“They told us they were watching for days and weeks before,” she said.

The British Broadcasting Corp. said a search of woods in High Wycombe turned up several firearms and other items of interest. It was not clear if they were tied to the alleged plot, which authorities say involved plans to smuggle liquid explosives hidden in hand luggage aboard airplanes.

Investigations are also under way in Pakistan, where officials are holding 17 people, including British citizen Rashid Rauf, who they said has al-Qaida connections and was a key player in the plot. At least one of Rauf’s brothers was arrested in England.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said the country might extradite Rauf to Britain, but had not yet been asked.

Security rules were eased at London’s airports. Passengers were allowed a single, briefcase-sized bag as a carry on and were also permitted to have mobile phones, laptops and other electronic devices. Cosmetics, gels, toothpaste, liquids and sharp objects remained forbidden.

Despite the changes, problems persisted. British Airways canceled a fifth of its flights from London, the same as on Monday. BA cut 52 flights, including four bound for the United States. Budget airline Ryanair canceled eight flights out of Stansted airport.

Defense Secretary Des Browne said new security requirements were being developed for airports, but declined to say what the measures might be.

The Times newspaper said officials were considering a system of passenger profiling that would select people behaving suspiciously, having an unusual travel pattern or being of certain ethnic or religious backgrounds.