Political Reaction
Prior to the arrests, the plot was discussed at a high level of government, with then Prime Minister Tony Blair knowing about it for months, and alerting President George W. Bush to the investigation on Sunday 6 August 2006.
On 9 August, hours before the arrests, the then Home Secretary John Reid gave a major speech to Demos (a British think-tank) hinting at a new round of anti-terror legislation and claiming that the country was facing "probably the most sustained period of severe threat since the end of the second world war". The following day Reid broke the news along with Douglas Alexander, the Transport Secretary.
Read more about this topic: 2006 Transatlantic Aircraft Plot
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