Would-be hijackers targeted American cities

Nov 2, 2006 11:50 AM

A group of alleged terrorists arrested in London in August planned to blow up airliners over U.S. cities to maximize casualties, rather than over the Atlantic Ocean as many intelligence officials originally thought, according to recent remarks by a senior FBI official.

The comments by Mark Mershon, head of the FBI's New York field office, indicate that U.S. and British intelligence officials now think that the airliner plot was aimed at maximizing the potential loss of life and economic impact, The Washington Post reports.

Authorities had previously said it was unclear where the alleged terrorists intended to detonate liquid explosives, which they planned to smuggle onto as many as 10 transAtlantic flights.

Michael Jackson, deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, said that while the conspirators appeared to be targeting nonstop flights to the United States, "the real focus was to blow up airliners and the people on them."

British police arrested 25 people after uncovering the alleged plot. Eleven have been charged.

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