01 February 2004	Sunday	09 Zilhaj 1424

WASHINGTON, Jan 31: US intelligence identified an Al Qaeda threat to several US-bound flights, leading to the cancellation of five flights by British and French airlines on Saturday to avoid a repeat of the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States.

"There are a handful of flights we are concerned about and British Airways has cancelled about half of them," a US official said on condition of anonymity. He said five or six US-bound flights were identified as possible targets.

The flights originated in Europe, he said. US security officials alerted the countries and airlines involved and it was up to them whether to cancel the flights or step up in-flight security, he said.

"We don't make that decision. The other governments and the other airlines make that decision," the official said.

After he spoke, Air France cancelled two Paris-Washington flights.

In the latest cancellations during a jittery period for the global airline industry, British Airways said it had called off flight BA223 to Washington on Sunday and Monday. Sunday's BA 207 flight to Miami was also cancelled.

"We have received threat reporting that indicates Al Qaeda's desire to target these particular flights," the US official said in Washington.

The intelligence enabled US officials to identify flights potentially at risk, but the official said further details were not available. "It would be pure speculation," he said.

Intelligence information raising fears of a new Sept. 11-style attack led to the cancellation of several British Airways and Air France flights around Christmas at the request of the US authorities.

Three days before Air France cancelled six departing and returning flights from Paris-Los Angeles on Dec. 24 and 25, the US government raised its terror alert to the second-highest level and warned Americans there was a high risk militants might strike US targets around the holidays.

The United States also asked foreign airlines to put armed marshals on some flights and dispatched fighter jets to escort some incoming planes.

The national terror threat level was lowered back to "elevated" from "high" on Jan. 9.

US Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge has said the US government consistently receives intelligence that Al Qaeda is still interested in using aircraft, particularly commercial aeroplanes, to carry out an attack.

In December 2001, there was a security scare on a flight from Paris when Richard Reid, a British citizen, tried to ignite an explosive device hidden in his shoe during a flight to Miami. He was overpowered and later convicted in the attack attempt.-Reuters