http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/08/10/us.security/index.html



WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Terrorists were in the final stages of planning to blow up planes heading to the United States from Britain, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Thursday.



The plans were "suggestive of an al Qaeda plot," he said.



British police said they had arrested 21 suspects in the plot to blow up passenger jets flying between the United Kingdom and the United States.



The effects of the plot rippled across two continents Thursday.





The U.S. raised the terror threat level to "severe" for all flights leaving Britain for the United States. Britain raised its alert level to "critical."