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These items can no longer be carried aboard airplanes.

LONDON (AP) -- British authorities said Thursday they thwarted a terrorist plot to simultaneously blow up 10 aircraft heading to the U.S. using explosives smuggled in hand 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.

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U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said the terrorists planned to use liquid explosives disguised as beverages and other common products and set them off with detonators disguised as electronic devices.

The extreme measures at a major international aviation hub sent ripples throughout the world. Heathrow was closed to most flights from Europe, and British Airways canceled all its flights between the airport and points in Britain, Europe and Libya. Numerous flights from U.S. cities to Britain were canceled.

Washington raised its threat alert to its highest level for commercial flights from Britain to the United States amid fears the plot had not been completely crushed. The alert for all flights coming or going from the United States was also raised slightly.

Two U.S. counterterrorism officials said the terrorists had targeted United, American and Continental airlines. They spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case.

A U.S. intelligence official said the plotters had hoped to target flights to major airports in New York, Washington and California. A counterterrorism official said the plot involved 10 flights.

British authorities said 24 people were arrested in London, its suburbs and Birmingham following a lengthy investigation, including the alleged "main players" in the plot. Searches continued in a number of locations, and police cordoned off streets in several locations.

Bush said during a visit to Green Bay, Wis., that the foiled plot was a "stark reminder that this nation is at war with Islamic fascists." Despite increased security since Sept. 11, he warned, "It is a mistake to believe there is no threat to the United States of America."

ABC News quoted sources as saying Western intelligence agencies had identified three of the alleged ringleaders. It said two were believed to have traveled recently to Pakistan and later had money wired to them from Pakistan, purportedly to purchase airline tickets for suicide bombers.

While British officials declined to publicly identify the 24 suspects, French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy said in Paris they "appear to be of Pakistani origin." He did not give a source for his description, but said French officials had been in close contact with British authorities.

Pakistan's government said later its intelligence agents helped Britain crack the plot and had arrested some suspects.

"Pakistan played a very important role in uncovering and breaking this international terrorist network," Foreign Ministry spokesman Tasnim Aslam said, but she declined to give details.

The suspects arrested in Britain were "homegrown," though it was not immediately clear if they were all British citizens, said a British police official who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case. Police were working closely with the South Asian community, the official said.

The suicide bombing assault on London subway trains and a bus on July 7, 2005, was carried out by Muslim extremists who grew up in Britain. The police official said the plotters intended to simultaneously target multiple planes bound for the United States.

"We think this was an extraordinarily serious plot and we are confident that we've prevented an attempt to commit mass murder on an unimaginable scale," Deputy Police Commissioner Paul Stephenson said.

Prime Minister Tony Blair, vacationing in the Caribbean, briefed Bush on the situation Wednesday. Blair issued a statement praising the cooperation between the two countries, saying it "underlines the threat we face and our determination to counter it."

White House spokesman Tony Snow said Bush also had been briefed by his aides while at his ranch in Crawford, Texas, where he has been on vacation.

"We do believe the plot involved flights from the U.K. to the U.S. and was a direct threat to the United States," Snow said.

While Snow called the plot a serious threat, he assured Americans that "it is safe to travel."

Chertoff, the homeland security chief, said the plot had the hallmarks of an operation planned by al-Qaida, the terrorist group behind the Sept. 11 attack on the United States.

"It was sophisticated, it had a lot of members and it was international in scope. It was in some respects suggestive of an al-Qaida plot," Chertoff said, but he cautioned it was too early in the investigation to reach any conclusions.

It is the first time the red alert level in the Homeland Security warning system has been invoked, although there have been brief periods in the past when the orange level was applied. Homeland Security defines the red alert as designating a "severe risk of terrorist attacks."

"We believe that these arrests (in London) have significantly disrupted the threat, but we cannot be sure that the threat has been entirely eliminated or the plot completely thwarted," Chertoff said.

He added, however, there was no indication of current plots within the United States. Chertoff said the plotters were in the final stages of planning.

"We were really getting quite close to the execution phase," he said, adding that it was unclear if the plot was linked to the upcoming fifth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

A senior U.S. counterterrorism official said authorities believe dozens of people -- possibly as many as 50 -- were involved in the plot. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.

The plan involved airline passengers hiding masked explosives in carry-on luggage, the official said. "They were not yet sitting on an airplane," but were very close to traveling, the official said, calling the plot "the real deal."

Passengers in Britain faced delays as tighter security was hastily enforced at the country's airports and additional measures were put in place for all flights. Laptop computers, mobile phones, iPods, and remote controls were among the items banned from being carried on board.

Liquids, such as hair care products, were also barred on flights in both Britain and the U.S.

In the mid-1990s, officials foiled a plan by terrorist mastermind Ramzi Youssef to blow up 12 Western jetliners simultaneously over the Pacific. The alleged plot involved improvised bombs using liquid hidden in contact lens solution containers.

Huge lines formed at ticket counters and behind security barriers at Heathrow and other airports in Britain. Ed Lappen, 55, a businessman from Boston, who was traveling with his wife and daughter to Russia, found himself unable to travel further. "We're safe, we're OK," he said at Heathrow. "Now my daughter is going to get a shopping trip in London."

Hannah Pillinger, 24, seemed less concerned by the announcement. "Eight hours without an iPod, that's the most inconvenient thing," she said, waiting at the Manchester airport.

Most European carriers canceled flights to Heathrow because of the massive delays created after authorities enforced strict new regulations banning most hand baggage.

Tony Douglas, Heathrow's managing director, said the airport hoped to resume normal operations Friday, but passengers would still face delays and a ban on cabin baggage "for the foreseeable future."

Security also was stepped up at train stations serving airports across Britain, said British Transport Police spokeswoman Jan O'Neill. At London's Victoria Station, police patrolled platforms with bomb-sniffing dogs as passengers boarded trains carrying clear plastic bags.

Margaret Gavin, 67, waiting to board a train, said she wasn't scared. "Why should I change my life because some idiots want to blow something up?" she said.

Pakistan helped foil terror plot in Britain, officials say

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Pakistani intelligence helped British security agencies crack a terrorist plot to blow up U.S.-bound aircraft, and has arrested two or three suspects in recent days, officials said Thursday.

"Pakistan played a very important role in uncovering and breaking this international terrorist network," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Tasnim Aslam. "Cooperation in this particular case was spread over a period of time. There were some arrests in Pakistan which were coordinated with arrests in the U.K.," she said.

She declined to give details about the arrests, including the number of suspects, their identities or when they were arrested.

But a senior government official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to comment on the matter, said "two or three local people" suspected in the plot were arrested a few days ago in Lahore and Karachi.

Security alert prompts changes at the airport

Charlotte commuters can expect delays at the airport after the Transportation Safety Administration made changes in what passengers could bring on planes after an alleged terrorist plot to blow up U.S. bound planes was foiled in London.

London's Heathrow airport was closed to most flights from Europe Thursday morning after a plot to blow up several U.S. airplanes headed from the United Kingdom to the U.S. was unraveled overnight. British officials made several arrests and officials raised Britain's security to its highest level.

U.S. officials responded in kind, also raising security levels for incoming and outgoing flights for the United States to the "red alert" level. It is the first time the red alert level in the Homeland Security warning system has ever been invoked. That level designates a "severe risk of terrorist attacks."

That level of security was issued for all flights flying from the United Kingdom to the U.S. All other flights have been placed at code orange, or "high" alert.

The plot involved a plan to smuggle in a liquid-based explosive onto planes using carry-on bags. In response British officials have banned carry-on luggage for all trans-Atlantic flights.

That news has affected U.S. travelers as well.

TSA officials invoked new rules Thursday morning restricting what travelers can bring in their carry-on luggage.

Many passengers only learned of the new restrictions as they arrived at the airport.

Passengers are not allowed to have gels or liquids of any kind at screening points or in the cabin of any airplane. That means lotions, hair gel, toothpaste, and other common items normally not under the purview of security screeners suddenly fell under close scrutiny.

Travelers are now not allowed to carry-on beverages, food, suntan lotion, creams toothpaste, hair gel, or similar items. Those items must be packed into checked luggage. Beverages bought on the secure side of the checkpoint must be disposed of before boarding the plane.

There are several exceptions to the new rule. Baby formula, breast milk, prescription medications where the name matched the name of a ticked passenger, as well as insulin and other essential health items may be brought onboard the plane.

We talked to the Charlotte-Douglas' deputy director and he said these new restrictions could cause delays.

"Well I think there will probably be delays today for flights coming out of the UK because of their additional security measures. It's sort of just a kind of wait and see. We're hopeful that delays won't be too bad and passengers getting here at a reasonable time," said Will Plentl.

Some passengers we talked to at Charlotte-Douglas airport were annoyed by the new and sudden restrictions, but others were happy to play it safe.

"I don’t mind doing anything as long as I'm safe. It is an inconvenience and a problem for everybody, but I'm just one who says let's get everybody there safely," said passenger Sarah Perry.

Passengers did experience longer lines between 7-10 a.m. which is typical according to airport officials. Fortunately many passengers heard of the new restrictions before they came to the airport and were able to comply with the new regulations before they reached the checkpoint.

Charlotte-Douglas puts security procedures in place

Associated Press

Airports across North Carolina tightened security and warned passengers to expect long lines Thursday in the wake of a terror plot discovery in Britain.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police were called to help keep order at the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, while volunteers, airport and airline staff, and the Transportation Security Administration were teaming up to answer travelers' questions.

U.S. authorities raised the threat level to "red" for flights from Britain, the first time the highest threat of terrorist attack had been invoked since the system was created. All other flights were under an "orange" alert -- one step below red.

Charlotte and Raleigh-Durham International Airport are the only two airports in North Carolina that offer nonstop international service. Both have flights to London Gatwick Airport and to Toronto, Canada.

Extra police were also on hand at Raleigh-Durham, where spokeswoman Jill Denning said travelers were coping calmly with delays. The same was true at other airports in the state.

"They had to kind of adjust to what they can carry and what they couldn't, but it's all smooth now," Asheville police officer Randy Sorrells said at that city's airport.