Chinese language - British terror threat may not be over

WORLD / America

British terror threat may not be over
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-08-12 13:45

CRAWFORD, Texas - U.S. President George W. Bush cautioned on Saturday the
threat from a plot to detonate liquid explosives on commercial flights
may not have passed and denied Democratic charges he was trying to use
the crisis for political gains in an election year.

"We believe that this week's arrests have significantly disrupted the
threat," Bush said in his weekly radio address. "Yet we cannot be sure
that the threat has been eliminated."

British authorities arrested two dozen suspects on Thursday for allegedly
plotting to use liquid explosives to blow up airliners flying from
Britain to the United States.

The arrests prompted the United States to raise its terror alert to the
highest level ever and prompted airports to ban passengers from taking
liquids, gels and creams on planes.

Bush, who returns to Washington on Sunday after a 10-day working vacation
at his ranch, urged air travelers to be patient with the stricter
security measures.

"The inconveniences you will face are for your protection and they will
give us time to adjust our screening procedures to meet the current
threat," he said.

Democrats on Friday accused Vice President Dick Cheney of trying to use
this week's arrests in Britain to Republican advantage in November
congressional elections, which will determine whether Democrats or
Republicans control the U.S. Congress.

'AL QAEDA TYPES'

Cheney said on Wednesday the Democrats' defeat of Connecticut Democratic
Sen. Joe Lieberman in the state's primary on Tuesday because of his
support of the Iraq war could embolden "al Qaeda types."

Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid of Nevada said in a statement on
Friday: "Once again, GOP (Republican) leaders are using terrorism and our
national security as a political wedge issue. It is disgusting -- but not
surprising."

Bush said the suspected plot in Britain "reminds us of a hard fact: The
terrorists have to succeed only once to achieve their goal of mass
murder, while we have to succeed every time to stop them."

"Unfortunately, some have suggested recently that the terrorist threat is
being used for partisan political advantage. We can have legitimate
disagreements about the best way to fight the terrorists, yet there
should be no disagreement about the dangers we face," he said.

Democrats in their weekly radio address charged Bush has shortchanged
domestic security needs and the war on terror, and they blamed him for
bungling the Iraq war.

Sen. Mark Pryor of Arkansas said the administration's "poor management"
in Iraq "has created a rallying cry for international terrorists" and
"diverted our focus, our military and more than $300 billion from the war
on terrorism."

Pryor said U.S. ports, borders and chemical plants remain unsecured,
emergency personnel lack critical resources and the military, including
the National Guard, was stretched.

"It's time for Washington to be tough and smart about the threats we
face," he said. "Americans deserve real security, not just leaders who
talk tough but fail to deliver."

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