CBC: British police seek to extend detention of alleged bomb plotters

British police seek to extend detention of alleged bomb plotters

CBC | August 16, 2006

British authorities are due to go before a judge Wednesday in a closed-door hearing asking to extend the detention of 23 people arrested in the alleged plot to blow up transatlantic jets.

The 23 people arrested last week in the initial sweep by police are being held without charges.

New anti-terrorism laws in Britain give authorities the right to hold someone for 28 days without charges, but the government must make appearances before a judge during that period to argue for the continued confinement.

A 24th person was arrested Tuesday by police in London in connection with the alleged airline bombing plot.

Police provided few details of the arrest, saying only that they apprehended the person in the Thames Valley area, west of London.

Meanwhile, service at airports in Britain was reported to be inching slowly back to normal.

British Airways said it planned to operate 90 per cent of its flights out of Heathrow Airport on Wednesday and be back to a full schedule by Friday.

Since details of the alleged bomb plot were revealed, security and passenger screening at airports has been tightened, prompting the airline to cancel 1,100 flights, the BBC reported.

with files from the Associated Press