TWO TERRORIST CELLS ON LOOSE

www.mirror.co.uk Feb 15 2003 By Jeff Edwards, Jan Disley And Wayne Francis   BRITAIN is on a state of maximum alert as police hunt two al-Qaeda cells planning attacks on airports.

US intelligence told Downing Street on Monday that an a cell had entered Britain with at least two lightweight anti-aircraft SAM missiles.

MI5 and Special Branch have information a second team, perhaps British born Muslim fanatics, has rocket propelled grenades (RPGs).

A Scotland Yard source said yesterday: "The SAM threat is still with us. Now believe a second team may be on the prowl."

"The RPG does not have the range or power of a SAM, but it is still a devastating weapon.

"It can punch a hole in an aeroplane. It is a nightmare because both weapons are shoulder launched, and small enough to be hidden in a car or van."

Yesterday four people arrested "as a precautionary measure" in Langley, Bucks, near Heathrow, were released, then taken into custody by immigration officers.

And two Algerian men detained by armed police in a car under a Heathrow flightpath were cleared of terrorist involvement. One has been handed over to immigration officers.

Anti-terror police were yesterday still questioning a passenger who arrived at Gatwick airport from Venezuela with a live grenade in his luggage , as the airport itself returned to normal after the scare.

A police source said: "Rumours he is a Muslim from Bangladesh are untrue.

"He is Venezuelan born and a Christian. We don't think the grenade was going to be used for political purposes, but we are trying to find out what he was planning to do with it."

Police also arrested two men on Thursday under the anti-terrorism act after they were seen acting suspiciously close to Leeds/Bradford airport.

The two, believed to be Iraqi Kurds, are aged 25 and 26.

Police were also examining a Vauxhall car found at the scene but no weapons were found. The threat of a terror strike loomed over the Royal castle at Windsor yesterday, which is directly under the flightpath to Heathrow.

But it seemed to be business as usual.

Prince Harry strolled through the streets of nearby Eton, during a school break. And the traditional changing of the guard carried on as usual.

Tourists flanked the streets to watch the pomp and ceremony. But behind the scenes a vigilant security cordon has been thrown around the town.

Residents have even seen troops in search operations in Windsor Great Park.