# Shoe Bomber II: Electric Boogaloo?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoe-bomber-ii-electric-boogaloo/368132
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [August 10, 2006, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoe-bomber-ii-electric-boogaloo/368132 "2006-08-10T07:45:45Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2006, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoe-bomber-ii-electric-boogaloo/368132/1 "2006-08-10T07:45:45Z")
[Brits claim to have stopped plot to blow up transatlantic flights.](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4778575.stm)
> [@](#):
>
> A terrorist plot to blow up planes in mid-flight from the UK to the US has been disrupted, Scotland Yard has said.
>
> It is thought the plan was to detonate explosive devices smuggled on aircraft in hand luggage.
>
> Police have arrested about 18 people in the London area after an anti-terrorist operation lasting several months.
>
> Security at all airports in the UK has been tightened and delays are reported. MI5 has raised the UK threat level to critical - the highest possible.
Not too many details yet, so I’m wondering how far along the plot was.
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### Author:  [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2006, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoe-bomber-ii-electric-boogaloo/368132/2 "2006-08-10T07:53:30Z")
They’ve banned all liquids on all flights, and all hand luggage on US flights. Reports also say the plan was to blow up 3 transatlantic planes simultaneously, though others were saying “twenty” planes and “worse than 9/11”.
According to the news, it’s total chaos at all the airports. Glad I’m not flying any time soon.
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### Author:  [@ColonelDax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ColonelDax)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2006, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoe-bomber-ii-electric-boogaloo/368132/3 "2006-08-10T08:01:23Z")
Heathrow airport has been closed, the BBC and Sky News are reporting.
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### Author:  [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2006, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoe-bomber-ii-electric-boogaloo/368132/4 "2006-08-10T08:08:57Z")
Heathrow shut down.
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### Author:  [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2006, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoe-bomber-ii-electric-boogaloo/368132/5 "2006-08-10T09:03:14Z")
21 arrests in London & Thames Valley area.
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2006, 9:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoe-bomber-ii-electric-boogaloo/368132/6 "2006-08-10T09:09:32Z")
A good day to say at home, I think.
Part of me hopes this isn’t just going to turn out to be one of those things where people are arrested left right and charlie for _being shifty and olive-skinned, in a public place_, or _possession of a poorly-fitting jacket_, or _being frightened and running away from a loud mob of armed and/or non-uniformed men_.
Part of me hopes that is exactly what’s happening (i.e. that the threat here was a false alarm, or was greatly exaggerated).
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### Author:  [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2006, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoe-bomber-ii-electric-boogaloo/368132/7 "2006-08-10T09:19:29Z")
Most continental flights to England now cancelled.
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### Author:  [@yingtongtiddleipo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yingtongtiddleipo)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2006, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoe-bomber-ii-electric-boogaloo/368132/8 "2006-08-10T09:30:03Z")
I watched the news this morning - here’s my tuppence worth, and link to the BBC story
\>The plot was to explode devices mid-flight carried onto planes bound for the US (in hand luggage.)
\>They have 21 people in custody after 25 arrests in London and the West Midlands.
\>The threat risk has been raised to its highest level ‘critical’ - this is in case there is some kind of sub-plot, and because there was a real risk.
\>The Airports are open, but with severe delays as no hand baggage except essential items (travel documents, wallets, medication in solid form) in clear carrier bags are being allowed on board. This especially applies to any liquids at all - mothers with baby milk are expected to test it in front of security.
\>Good work Scotland Yard and MI5, thank you very much.
BBC news link
> **[BBC NEWS | UK | 'Airlines terror plot' disrupted](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4778575.stm)**
>
> A plot to blow up planes from the UK to the US would have caused "mass murder", Scotland Yard says.
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### Author:  [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2006, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoe-bomber-ii-electric-boogaloo/368132/9 "2006-08-10T09:48:38Z")
> [@yingtongtiddleipo](#):
>
> Good work Scotland Yard and MI5, thank you very much.
Seconded.
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### Author:  [@mittu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mittu)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2006, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoe-bomber-ii-electric-boogaloo/368132/10 "2006-08-10T09:51:22Z")
Thirded, it’s nice to know that our tax money is being put to good use behind the scenes.
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### Author:  [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2006, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoe-bomber-ii-electric-boogaloo/368132/11 "2006-08-10T09:59:24Z")
I’m on the flight path to Heathrow and there does seem to be a lot of jet traffic. Can’t tell if it’s military or civilian though.
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### Author:  [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2006, 10:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoe-bomber-ii-electric-boogaloo/368132/12 "2006-08-10T10:12:30Z")
I’m meant to be flying to Greece tomorrow morning, from Gatwick. I’m just glad it wasn’t today, as at least I now have time to reschedule my cab to the airport (an hour or two early but I foresee a lot of hanging around) and pack to take account of the no-hand-luggage rule.
Good work by the intelligence services, it seems. I’m in awe of how they manage to unearth these plots - I mean, if you were plotting something like this you’d be pretty careful to keep it quiet, right?
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### Author:  [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2006, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoe-bomber-ii-electric-boogaloo/368132/13 "2006-08-10T10:30:13Z")
The US government has raised the airline threat level to the “highest level ever” according to a news source. United, AA, and Continental were targeted.
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### Author:  [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2006, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoe-bomber-ii-electric-boogaloo/368132/14 "2006-08-10T10:53:12Z")
Gatwick shut down.
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### Author:  [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2006, 10:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoe-bomber-ii-electric-boogaloo/368132/15 "2006-08-10T10:53:19Z")
> [@Colophon](#):
>
> Good work by the intelligence services, it seems. I’m in awe of how they manage to unearth these plots - I mean, if you were plotting something like this you’d be pretty careful to keep it quiet, right?
Thankfully, no. An awful lot of these nitwits like to blab, and sooner or later, the proper authorities hear about it.
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### Author:  [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2006, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoe-bomber-ii-electric-boogaloo/368132/16 "2006-08-10T11:27:15Z")
I hope is all a false alarm. Even then we ought to praise the security services. Better ten false alarms than not acting even once.
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### Author:  [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2006, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoe-bomber-ii-electric-boogaloo/368132/17 "2006-08-10T11:37:59Z")
How badly are non-UK related flights affected in the US? Is the no-hand-luggage rule being applied to domestic US flights too just in case? I’m flying into Washington DC next week, from Montreal. Hope things have calmed down a little by then.
Gotta say, though, I’m glad this is a **foiled** terror plot. sounds like it may have been a very big deal. Will these people _ever_ get sick of wanting to blow shit up?
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### Author:  [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2006, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoe-bomber-ii-electric-boogaloo/368132/18 "2006-08-10T11:48:16Z")
What about passengers who have liquid medications? I’m curious because my sister is an insulin-dependant diabetic, who uses an insulin pump. Basically, she has a vial of liquid on her person at all times. She doesn’t have to fly anywhere anytime soon, but if she had to fly to London (let’s say) how would they handle her medical needs?
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### Author:  [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2006, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoe-bomber-ii-electric-boogaloo/368132/19 "2006-08-10T11:56:52Z")
After the last couple of times I’m going to wait for some evidence that there was a plot.
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### Author:  [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2006, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shoe-bomber-ii-electric-boogaloo/368132/20 "2006-08-10T12:00:16Z")
I was staying on the Heathrow area for the last big scare. The threat then was allegedly to planes from ground to air missiles. Tanks on the street etc. That all came to naught.
Lots of people have been taken in for questioning. Hopefully this time there’s more substance to the scare and the cops will get results from this one.
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