LONDON, Aug 10: PIA flight PK758 from the Heathrow airport, London, to Lahore will operate as scheduled on late Thursday but only after strict security checkups as British authorities foiled an alleged plot to blow up planes flying from Britain to the US by detonating explosives in mid-air.

PIA has advised passengers not to carry hand bags and urged them to reach the Heathrow airport four and a half hours before the departure time because there would be strict security checks and screening of their luggage, sources in the airline said.

Passengers can only carry wallets. Women are not allowed to carry bags. Mothers can carry infants’ milk and ailing people their medicines but only in transparent bags because of the high alert at Heathrow and other UK airports.

At least 21 people were arrested by British security agencies in overnight operations in London, High Wycome and Birmingham in connection with the alleged plot to carry explosives in hand bags in the flight and then detonate them in the mid-air, said Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Paul Stephenson.

“We believe that the terrorists’ aim was to smuggle explosives on to aeroplanes in hand luggage and to detonate these in flight. We also believe that the intended targets were flights from the United Kingdom to the United States of America,” said Mr Stephenson.

The Heathrow Airport was closed to all incoming flights that were not already in the air.

Later, Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Peter Clarke told a brief press briefing here that investigation was at a very early stage. Police would give specific information only when it was sure, it was true.

He said those arrested in connection with the alleged plot were being investigated in London.—APP