World Leaders React To Terror Plot Revelations

While all involved are grateful that authorities caught wind of the plan and prevented what U.S. Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff calls an action that was “getting quite close” to being carried out, others are wondering if everyone involved has actually been rounded up – and what else they might have been up to.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair, whose strong alliance with U.S. President George W. Bush in the Iraq war has made his country a major terror target, praised officials for tracking down the suspects before they were able to act.

“I would like to pay tribute to the immense effort made by the police and security services, who for a long period of time have tracked this situation and been involved in an extraordinary amount of hard work,” he notes. “I thank them for the great job they are doing in protecting our country.”

He indicates there was also a lot of dialogue with U.S. authorities who were fully informed about what was happening.

For his part, Bush insists the terror plot is simply more proof that the fight in Afghanistan and Iraq is the right move – and far from over.

“This nation is at war with Islamic fascists,” the President intones bluntly, “who will use any means to destroy those of us who love freedom.This country is safer than it was prior to 9/11. We have taken a lot of measures to protect the American people but obviously we’re not completely safe. Because there are people that still plot. And people who want to harm us for what we believe in. It is a mistake to believe there is no threat to the United States of America.”

Canada’s Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day has been in contact with both British and American authorities.   And he believes no Canadians were involved.

While insisting he has a ‘high degree’ of confidence in this country’s security systems, Day makes it clear that the U.S. and the U.K. aren’t the only nations with targets on their backs.

“Canada is not immune to the threat of terrorism,” he maintains. “Canada has been on a list articulated by Osama Bin Laden a number of years ago.”

He asks for your patience as new security measures mean delayed flights for passengers – but better safety for everyone else.

“A lot of these flights come over Canadian soil,” reminds Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon. “We want to make sure that the safety and the security of Canadians is uppermost.”

The government claims it’s monitoring the new security measures on an hourly basis, but won’t say how long they’ll have to stay in place.

Some believe they could be permanent.

“I think we have to contemplate that perhaps air travel as we know it may have changed personally from this day on,” fears NDP MP Pat Martin.