British say plot involved 10 airliners - Yahoo! News

Can someone please explain to us why these terrorist operations seem to happen in American election years?

Just wondering.

British say plot involved 10 airliners - Yahoo! News:

LONDON - British authorities said Thursday they thwarted a terrorist plot to simultaneously blow up 10 aircraft heading to the U.S. using explosives smuggled in carry-on luggage, averting what police described as 'mass murder on an unimaginable scale.'

Police arrested 24 people, saying they were confident they captured the main suspects in what U.S. officials said was a plot in its final phases that had all the earmarks of an al-Qaida operation. President Bush called it a 'stark reminder' of the continued threat to the United States from extremist Muslims.

Britain disclosed no details about the plot or those arrested, although one police official indicated the people in custody were British residents. A French official in contact with British authorities described the arrested as originating from predominantly Muslim Pakistan.

Officials raised security to its highest level in Britain, suggesting a terrorist attack might be imminent, and banned carry-on luggage on all flights. Huge crowds backed up at security barriers at London's Heathrow airport as officials searching for explosives barred nearly every form of liquid outside of baby formula.