— Photo: AP

ON HIGH ALERT: British police officers gather outside a house in High Wycombe cordoned off on Friday as part of a massive security operation across the United Kingdom.

LONDON: Although the alleged plot to blow up American planes in mid-air, using sophisticated liquid explosives, was "planned" and "driven" in the United Kingdom, intelligence from Pakistan was crucial in disrupting it, the British Government said on Friday as three more persons were arrested and assets of 19 people were frozen by the treasury under anti-terrorism laws.

Home Secretary John Reid singled out Pakistan for its help saying he was "grateful" to the Pakistanis for their cooperation in foiling what Scotland Yard described as an attempt to commit "mass murder on an unimaginable scale."

His remarks came as it emerged that British security agencies, which had been investigating the alleged conspiracy for several months, decided to act on Wednesday night after intelligence from Pakistan suggested that it could be executed anytime — as early as within 48 hours. This followed the arrest of two Britons of Pakistani origin in Pakistan last week.

The British police swung into action after reportedly intercepting a message from Pakistan suggesting that the attacks were imminent. The Pakistani Government claimed that it played a "very important role in uncovering and breaking this international terrorist network." Commentators said that after recent American criticism of Pakistan's role in fighting terrorism Islamabad appeared to have regained its credentials as a "valuable" ally in Western eyes.

However, most of the 24 people arrested in connection with the alleged plot were reported to be young men of Pakistani origin, though born and brought up in Britain. One of the alleged suspects was identified as a young white convert to Islam who married a Muslim woman only recently. Another suspect is said to be a woman. Most of the arrests were made in East London, High Wycombe, Birmingham and Buckinghamshire.

The names of only those whose assets have been frozen were released. They are: Abdula Ali, Abdul Muneem Patel, Nabeel Hussain, Shahazad Khuram Ali, Cossar Ali, Tanvir Hussain, Umair Hussain, Umar lslam, Waseem Kayani, Assan Abdullah Khan, Waheed Arafat Khan, Osman Adam Khatib, Tayib Rauf, Muhammed Usman Siddique, Assad Sarwar, Ibrahim Savant, Amin Asmin Tariq, Shamin Muhammed Uddin and Wahid Zaman.

The Treasury said in a statement that this was done on the advice of security services and under the terms of the Terrorism (United Nations Measures) Order 2001.

As investigations continued with nationwide searches of residential and business premises, a "martyrdom video" was reported to have been found at one of the addresses. There was concern in the Muslim community that it might face a "backlash" once the names of the alleged suspects were published.

PTI reports:

Amin Asmin Tariq, who is among the 24 arrested, is said to be an employee of a private Indian air carrier. The airlines here declined to comment when asked if Tariq was their employee. A western media report said Tariq, a British national, is from east London and a security worker at the Heathrow airport. He was arrested after a car chase.

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