Increased security at London Heathrow.

RE: Increased security at London Heathrow.

Scary times, Arthur? I guess it depends where you were born
and grew up. I’m sitting less than a mile from a pub that
the IRA blew up in the 1970s and travelled to London every
day via a railway station and past a restaurant that were
also subject to bomb attacks at the time I worked there.

Well, considering i’m from just across the border from former RAFG Brüggen and Wildenrath, a total of three IRA attacks happened within my everyday surroundings. One hand grenade attack and the gunning of (accidental) Australian tourists both in Roermond, and a gunning near a restaurant/bar on the border towards Wildenrath. And if you add the handgrenade attack on a few Laarbruch-servicemen a bit to the north, i can’t say i have never been aware of the existance of terrorism.

But it didn’t scare me back then, and neither does it now. That is, as long as the anti-terrorism-awareness doesn’t grow out of control and turns into total paranoia (so yes JJ, i agree with you).

RE: Increased security at London Heathrow.

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 13-02-03 AT 11:39 PM (GMT)]> I guess the old Kennedy motto “We have nothing to fear but fear
> itself” is finally said goodbye.

Kennedy ???
Roosevelt, 1933.

> I’m just not sure if it’s a terrorist threat, or the ‘democratic’
> governments i have to be afraid of.

That’s a very valid discussion point. Considering recent busts throughout Europe, you may soon find that this is not really true in practice.

—————————————-
” So you think you are strong because you can survive the soft cushions. Well, we shall see. Biggles! Put her in the Comfy Chair! “

RE: Increased security at London Heathrow.

I had 2 big army helicopters hovering over my house about an hour ago.

RE: Increased security at London Heathrow.

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 13-02-03 AT 10:32 AM (GMT)]Scary times, Arthur? I guess it depends where you were born and grew up. I’m sitting less than a mile from a pub that the IRA blew up in the 1970s and travelled to London every day via a railway station and past a restaurant that were also subject to bomb attacks at the time I worked there. We’ve lived with it for years so it’s same cr*p, different day as far as I’m concerned.

To put right a few points raised in other threads above:

the RAF ‘jets’ consist of a 51 Squadron Nimrod R.1 doing ELINT patrols judging by what was released this morning.

Heathrow certainly wasn’t the only UK airport with increased security over the last two days: Stansted, Leeds/Bradford and Manchester were also mentioned on the news last night.

I spent the weekend in Paris and the increased security was also very noticeable at Charles de Gaulle airport: during two out of four very short visits made there the Gendarmerie were performing controlled explosions on cars parked outside one of the terminals. Some of our party met another spotter at Orly who told them they’d done the same to twelve such cars on Saturday whilst he was there!

My message would be: get used to it…it’s here to stay. 🙁

Cheers

Steve ~ Touchdown-News

p.s. latest news this morning is that intelligence sources have said that it is thought “rockets” (assume they mean SAMs/MANPADs) have been smuggled into the UK and the security increase was partly in response to that.

p.p.s. to upate things even more, “armed helicopters” are also apparently involved in patrolling the Heathrow area.

RE: Increased security at London Heathrow.

I don’t think the WTC would have been saved if there were light tanks patrolling there, or at the airports where the planes took off.

It seems like a nasty, nasti spin to me. I guess the old Kennedy motto “We have nothing to fear but fear itself” is finally said goodbye. After all, we have to fear in order to agree with what certain governments are proposing.

These are scary times. I’m just not sure if it’s a terrorist threat, or the ‘democratic’ governments i have to be afraid of.

RE: Increased security at London Heathrow.

Kev I hope you’re right mate but even if there is a remote possiblity of a terrorist strike Im glad the security forces are taking these measures even if it means rolling out the light armour!

RE: Increased security at London Heathrow.

Well, all we can do is speculate and wait and see.

So we’ll continue with that 😛

RE: Increased security at London Heathrow.

I think Kev35 hit the nail on the head, it’s just big publicity stunt on behalf of Mr Blair and his cronies.

1. If Mr Bin Liner and his followers were going to Hi-jack an aircraft would they actually take one from Heathrow where security is compared to many countries pretty tight already? My guess is that he would take his chance in one of the North African countries where he will have some sort of local following.

2. Would he crash it into one of the airports when there are much more juicier targets in central London. In which case as someone has already pointed out what good are a few light tank and squaddies patrolling Heathrow airport.

3. If he has smuggled shoulder launched SAM’s to his undoubted supporters in the UK, don’t you think Special Branch and MI5/6 know this and have these people targeted, they know their every move, and would be ready to jump at the first sign of trouble.

4. Is Heathrow such an obvious target that they may just choose another more regional airport, Bristol, Cardiff, Southampton, East Midlands all spring to mind, even Luton or Stanstead all have large aircraft flying in and out off on a regular basis each presenting a nice fat target.

5. If it is an airbourne threat then would a couple of F3’s patrolling along the SOuth Coast be a much better idea than Tanks at Heathrow.

There are many questions which spring to mind, personally I think it’s another example of New Labour spin, has anyone seen Alastair Cample lately?

RE: Increased security at London Heathrow.

Keltic,

they’re speculating about a potential missile attack on aircraft in or out of LHR, they must, in light of September 11th, be seen to be doing something, rather than responding after the event. I hope this is just posturing, a flexing of the political will, but we have to accept it might not be. I don’t see what good the tanks would do unless it is just to act as a physical deterrent or to reassure the population. I hope nothing comes of this, for everyone’s sake. The world is a volatile enough place already.

Regards,

kev35

RE: Increased security at London Heathrow.

“Nice”, and unecessary display of militar stuff just to try to convice the citizens that the goverment has threatens under control. I wonder how a bomb attack could be averted by tanks. I suppose, tomorrow, Tony´s best friend in Spain (you all know who he is)will deploy tanks at Madrid Barajas airport too.

RE: Increased security at London Heathrow.

Wys.

Let’s just hope it is a new installation at LHR.

Regards,

kev35

RE: Increased security at London Heathrow.

Yes possibly. You’ve got me thinking now. I was just assuming that it was a new installation at LHR.

RE: Increased security at London Heathrow.

There’s a post on AFM talking about whether or not the rumours of RAF aircraft operating over London are true or not. Perhaps this is a bit more serious than we think?

Wys.

This interference you have been getting. Could it be someone using radar to track aircraft into London with a view to attacking them?

Regards,

kev35

RE: Increased security at London Heathrow.

I find it interesting that living not far from under the approach to 09 at LHR I have been getting an interference to my TV reception since just before the end of January. The nature of the interference is similar to the style of interference we get from ground movement radar, but not exactly the same. I wonder if this is some sort of monitoring?

RE: Increased security at London Heathrow.

If there was going to be a terrorist attack I honestly dont think there would have been that much of a warning, and as you say Kev what good would light tanks be against a suicide bomber especially one that decided to do it from the air. No, its my opinion that this is all a bit contrived by the security forces to gain more public support for the pending war on Iraq, after all if Al Qaida they can hijack four airliners in one go and then fly two of them into the World Trade Centre they#re not going to worry about a few soldiers running round like headless chickens are they?

Dave

RE: Increased security at London Heathrow.

from b3ta.com

rabie :9
Attachments:

RE: Increased security at London Heathrow.

Hi, Barak.

Yes I agree. I just can’t envisage what form this threat may have taken to elicit such a massive response. What use is a light tank against a suicide bomber? Have they been mobilised to prevent an armed incursion into the airport?

Regards,

kev35

RE: Increased security at London Heathrow.

Well, I guess they must have received some credible and specific warnings. If it wasn’t the case, I guess they would only increase police presence and increase security measures.

It would be certainly be an overreaction if all of this has been done only based on vague intellegence.