Canadian flights targeted

Jury selection began yesterday in the trial of eight British men accused of planning to bomb airliners bound for Canada and the United States.
Prosecutors allege the group planned a series of co-ordinated suicide attacks, hoping to detonate improvised bombs aboard the planes in 2006 and kill hundreds of passengers.
Authorities said the alleged plan would have targeted flights from London to the United States and Canada with explosives concealed in containers of liquids or gels.
A police inquiry into the purported plot caused major disruption to flights in Britain, and eventually led to tight restrictions on the items passengers can take on planes.
Judge David Calvert-Smith told about 100 prospective jurors during a selection hearing yesterday that the trial would be long and complex. But he said the case would likely begin today, when prosecutor Peter Wright will outline his allegations.
“This case concerns an allegation that in 2006 a number of men planned to create bombs, which some of their number would take on board passenger aircraft flying from London Heathrow to various destinations in Canada and the U.S.A.,” Calvert-Smith said.