Transatlantic terror threat 1

This is obviously the big news of the day. From The Washington Post:

British authorities said Thursday they have disrupted a sophisticated and well-advanced terrorist plot to blow up U.S.-bound airliners using liquid explosives, arresting 24 people who police said had planned to commit mass murder over the Atlantic Ocean.

Police said they were confident they had the "main players" in custody, but authorities in London and Washington ordered a full-scale security clampdown at U.S. and British airports out of concern that other plotters may still be at large. A number of transatlantic flights from Britain were canceled, others were delayed, and new security procedures caused major tie-ups at U.S. airports as authorities enforced a ban on bringing liquids aboard planes in carry-on luggage.

In the United States, the Homeland Security Department raised the terrorist threat level to "Code Red," the highest alert stage, for U.S.-bound flights originating in the United Kingdom and to "Code Orange," the second-highest level, for all other commercial flights operating in or destined for the United States.

According to a U.S. intelligence official, the plotters were "days away" from going through with their plan...

(Emphasis mine.) More to come later today. For now, head on over to Memeorandum for major news reports and responses from the blogosphere.