Four major terror plots in UK foiled since 7/7

All the four plots since the deadly bombings in July last year would have led to significant loss of lives and ‘‘up to two dozen’’ terror investigations were currently being pursued, he said.

Without giving details of the plots, Reid said the government believed that the first al-Qaeda plot in the UK was in 2000 in Birmingham, preceding the war in Iraq and the 9/11 bombings.

According to a report in The Independent newspaper, the suspected terrorists were planning to unleash a wave of “apocalyptic” attacks on land and air, using an arsenal of bombs and weaponry, including firearms, investigators have discovered.

Quoting a government source, the newspaper said “many dozens” of plots were under investigation, involving “hundreds” of suspects.

Security sources estimate that as many as 1,200 people here are actively involved with terrorism, and that the country is still under “very severe” threat from other potential plots.

The newspaper said intelligence officers are aware of several active jihadi cells around the country including one in East London thought to be unconnected to the suspects arrested last week.

Investigators said surveillance in progress since the July 2005 London bombings had identified the locations of explosives and weapons sufficient for large-scale atrocities.

–H S Rao