Car driven into Glasgow International Airport
{{date|June 30, 2007}}

[[w:Glasgow International Airport|Glasgow International Airport]] in [[w:Renfrewshire|Renfrewshire]], [[w:Scotland|Scotland]] was evacuated after a green [[w:Jeep Cherokee (XJ)|Jeep Cherokee]] struck the airport's terminal building and burst into flames at 1511 BST. 

An eyewitness told the [[w:BBC|BBC]] that "[A] man was on fire." All flights are grounded, and two men have been arrested and the [[United Kingdom]] has raised the national threat level to "critical" which means another terror attack is imminent.

Eyewitnesses described a Jeep speeding toward the building with flames coming out from underneath.  They also reported seeing two Asian men in the car, one of whom was on fire.
{{QuoteRight|We saw a green Cherokee drive straight into the front door of the airport but it got jammed. They were obviously trying to get it further inside the airport as the wheels were spinning and smoke was coming from them. One of the men, I think it was the driver, brought out a plastic petrol canister and poured it under the car. He then set light to it.|4=Lynsey McBean, 26}}
The BBC quoted an eyewitness as saying that two attempts were made to ram the Jeep through the wall, and that the passenger was holding a lit [[w:Molotov Cocktail|Molotov Cocktail]] and made several attempts to throw the bottle.

[[Image:Glasgow International Airport Terminal.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The front of the building where the attack took place]]

The [[w:Strathclyde|Strathclyde]] Police Chief announced that the event is being linked to the earlier attempted [[Car bomb defused in central London|car bombings in London]], and as such is being treated as a terrorist investigation.

Eyewitnesses are now saying that one of the two men was pouring bottles of petrol into the car's interior and onto himself, before running from the car, on fire, into the main terminal building. Witnesses have also reported that gas cylinders were removed by bystanders from the burning vehicle.

According to the BBC, the driver of the vehicle put up a violent struggle before being overpowered by the police and public. One person who tackled him was Stephen Clarkson, a member of the public.

Richard Gray, an eyewitness to the event, stated "There was an Asian guy who was pulled out of the car by two police officers."

Seven people have been taken to local hospitals with injuries.

Police said that this incident was a deliberate attempt and not a road accident. Officials have also said that the incident is connected to earlier attempted car bombings in London the day before. 

Two people have been arrested, one of whom was badly burned. Seven known casualties, including the Asian male have been taken to the [[w:Royal Alexandra Hospital|Royal Alexandra Hospital]], [[w:Paisley|Paisley]].

While the suspect was being treated in the hospital, a suspect device was discovered in the hospital, resulting in the partial evacuation of the building while the device was moved to a safe area.  This object later turned out to be mundane, although initial reports believed it to be a suicide belt.

{{QuoteRight|The first duty of the Government is the security and safety of all the British people, So it is right to raise the levels of security at airports and in crowded places in the light of the heightened threat. I know that the British people will stand together: united, resolute and strong.|4=[[Gordon Brown]]}}
The BBC announced that the [[Gordon Brown|Prime Minister]] is being kept fully informed.  He chaired a meeting of [[w:Civil Contingencies Committee|Civil Contingencies Committee]] (COBRA) at 1900 (BST), after which the Home Secretary, [[w:Jacqui Smith|Jacqui Smith]], announced that the national threat level been elevated from "Severe" to "Critical", meaning another attack is expected "imminently."

Officials at [[w:Edinburgh Airport|Edinburgh Airport]] have said that all cars are being turned away from the airport, and at [[w:Heathrow airport|Heathrow]] in London, passengers are being advised not to bring private cars near to the terminal buildings. Some passengers were kept waiting in planes while the area was secured.

The first bomber, who was taken to Govan high security prison, has now been interviewed, though no further statements from Strathclyde police have been forthcoming. The second bomber, who was taken to the Royal Alexandria hospital in Paisley, is listed in critical condition tonight, and is being kept under 24-hour guard.

2,300 passengers who were due to set off from Glasgow Airport today have been driven by coach to a conference centre, where a reception area has been set up for them.

Two people were arrested by [[w:Metropolitan Police Anti-Terrorist Branch|The Metropolitan Police Anti-Terrorist Branch]] on the [[w:M6 motorway|M6 motorway]] in [[w:Cheshire|Cheshire]] in connection with the Glasgow International Airport attack and attempted London car bombings.

The [[w:Prime Minister|Prime Minister]] [[w:Gordon Brown|Gordon Brown]] is expected to hold another COBRA meeting with other members of the Cabinet today.  This will be the fifth COBRA meeting in 48 hours.
<br>
<br>
{{PhoneContact|'''Police Incident Room'''<br>
:The public inquiry number for the Strathclyde Police is: 0800 056 0944}}
{{PhoneContact|'''Anti-Terrorist Hotline Number'''<br>
:For providing information to authorities about terrorist activities, contact the anti-terrorism hotline at: 0800 789 321}}

==Related news==
*{{Wikinews|title=MI5 terror threat warning level raised to 'critical'|date=June 30, 2007}}
*{{Wikinews|title=Car bomb defused in central London|date=June 29, 2007}}

==Sources==
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/6257606.stm
|title=UK terror threat now 'critical'
|author=
|pub=BBC News
|date=June 30, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6257194.stm
|title=Car crashes into airport building
|author=
|pub=BBC News Online 
|date=June 30, 2007}} 
*{{source|url=http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1273090,00.html
|title=Arrests After Burning Jeep Hits Airport
|author=
|pub=Sky News Online
|date=June 30, 2007}} 
*{{source|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/UKNews1/idUKL3029242120070630
|title=Car on fire drives into Scottish airport terminal
|author=
|pub=Reuters UK
|date=June 30, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6257846.stm
|title=Airport alert 'was terrorist attack'
|author=
|pub=BBC News Online
|date=June 30, 2007}} 
*{{source|url=http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSL2919779720070630
|title=Car explodes at Scottish airport after London bombs
|author=Mark Trevelyan and Luke Baker
|pub=Reuters International
|date=June 30, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://itn.co.uk/news/6a0d944f9aa1ca2c956854eff9c13a76.html
|title=Car smashed into Glasgow Airport
|author=
|pub=ITN
|date=June 30, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,287472,00.html
|title=Glasgow Airport Closed, Evacuated After Car on Fire Rams Terminal
|author=
|pub=FoxNews.com
|date=June 30, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/06/30/world/main3001821.shtml
|title=Witness: SUV Tried To Ram Glasgow Airport
|author=The Associated Press
|pub=CBS News
|date=June 30, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/6257292.stm
|title=Eyewitness 'tackled' burning man
|author=
|pub=BBC News Online
|date=June 30, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19522388/
|title=2 arrested after flaming car hits Glasgow airport
|author=
|pub=MSNBC News
|date=June 30, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/06/30/naiport130.xml
|title='Car on fire' driven into Glasgow airport
|author=By staff and agencies
|pub=Telegraph
|date=June 30, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article2009765.ece
|title=Blazing car driven into Glasgow airport terminal
|author=Times Onlines and newswires
|pub=Times Online
|date=June 30, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30000-1273096,00.html
|title='Hundreds Of People Could Have Died'
|author=
|pub=Sky News Online
|date=June 30, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/6257388.stm
|title=Your pictures: Glasgow alert
|author=
|pub=BBC News Online
|date=June 30, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23402470-details/Two+held+as+blazing+jeep+crashes+into+British+airport/article.do
|title= Two held as blazing jeep crashes into British airport
|author=
|pub=This Is London
|date=June 30, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1273090,00.html
|title='Terror Strike' As Burning Jeep Hits Airport
|author=
|pub=Sky News
|date=June 30, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20070630/scotland_airport_070630/20070630?hub=TopStories
|title=Flaming car rams Glasgow airport; two arrested
|author=
|pub=CTV News
|date=June 30, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/6257194.stm
|title=Blazing car crashes into airport
|author=
|pub=BBC News Online
|date=June 30, 2007}}    
*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6257848.stm
|title=Gordon Brown statement in full
|author=
|pub=BBC News Online
|date=June 30, 2007}} 

==External links==
{{wikipedia|2007 Glasgow International Airport incident}}
*[http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/security/current-threat-level/ Current threat level (UK)]
*[http://www.heathrowairport.com/ Heathrow airport homepage]

{{publish}}
{{Archived}}

{{Haveyoursay}}

[[Category:Scotland]]
[[Category:United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Transport]]
[[Category:Aviation]]
[[Category:Disasters and accidents]]
[[Category:Fires]]
[[Category:Jacqui Smith]]
[[Category:Glasgow]]
[[Category:Crime and law]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Metropolitan Police]]
[[Category:COBRA (UK)]]
[[Category:Heathrow Airport]]

[[de:Terroranschlag am Flughafen von Glasgow]]
[[es:Un auto en llamas choca contra el Aeropuerto Internacional de Glasgow]]
[[he:נסיון נוסף לפיגוע בבריטניה - ג'יפ בוער התפוצץ בשדה תעופה בגלזגו]]
[[pl:Glasgow: płonący samochód uderzył w budynek lotniska]]
Glasgow International Airport in Renfrewshire, Scotland was evacuated after a green Jeep Cherokee struck the airport's terminal building and burst into flames at 1511 BST. 

An eyewitness told the BBC that "A man was on fire." All flights are grounded, and two men have been arrested and the United Kingdom has raised the national threat level to "critical" which means another terror attack is imminent.

Eyewitnesses described a Jeep speeding toward the building with flames coming out from underneath.  They also reported seeing two Asian men in the car, one of whom was on fire.

The BBC quoted an eyewitness as saying that two attempts were made to ram the Jeep through the wall, and that the passenger was holding a lit Molotov Cocktail and made several attempts to throw the bottle.

The front of the building where the attack took place

The Strathclyde Police Chief announced that the event is being linked to the earlier attempted car bombings in London, and as such is being treated as a terrorist investigation.

Eyewitnesses are now saying that one of the two men was pouring bottles of petrol into the car's interior and onto himself, before running from the car, on fire, into the main terminal building. Witnesses have also reported that gas cylinders were removed by bystanders from the burning vehicle.

According to the BBC, the driver of the vehicle put up a violent struggle before being overpowered by the police and public. One person who tackled him was Stephen Clarkson, a member of the public.

Richard Gray, an eyewitness to the event, stated "There was an Asian guy who was pulled out of the car by two police officers."

Seven people have been taken to local hospitals with injuries.

Police said that this incident was a deliberate attempt and not a road accident. Officials have also said that the incident is connected to earlier attempted car bombings in London the day before. 

Two people have been arrested, one of whom was badly burned. Seven known casualties, including the Asian male have been taken to the Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley.

While the suspect was being treated in the hospital, a suspect device was discovered in the hospital, resulting in the partial evacuation of the building while the device was moved to a safe area.  This object later turned out to be mundane, although initial reports believed it to be a suicide belt.


The BBC announced that the Prime Minister is being kept fully informed.  He chaired a meeting of Civil Contingencies Committee (COBRA) at 1900 (BST), after which the Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith, announced that the national threat level been elevated from "Severe" to "Critical", meaning another attack is expected "imminently."

Officials at Edinburgh Airport have said that all cars are being turned away from the airport, and at Heathrow in London, passengers are being advised not to bring private cars near to the terminal buildings. Some passengers were kept waiting in planes while the area was secured.

The first bomber, who was taken to Govan high security prison, has now been interviewed, though no further statements from Strathclyde police have been forthcoming. The second bomber, who was taken to the Royal Alexandria hospital in Paisley, is listed in critical condition tonight, and is being kept under 24-hour guard.

2,300 passengers who were due to set off from Glasgow Airport today have been driven by coach to a conference centre, where a reception area has been set up for them.

Two people were arrested by The Metropolitan Police Anti-Terrorist Branch on the M6 motorway in Cheshire in connection with the Glasgow International Airport attack and attempted London car bombings.

The Prime Minister Gordon Brown is expected to hold another COBRA meeting with other members of the Cabinet today.  This will be the fifth COBRA meeting in 48 hours.


de:Terroranschlag am Flughafen von Glasgow
es:Un auto en llamas choca contra el Aeropuerto Internacional de Glasgow
he:נסיון נוסף לפיגוע בבריטניה - ג'יפ בוער התפוצץ בשדה תעופה בגלזגו
pl:Glasgow: płonący samochód uderzył w budynek lotniska
Scotland United Kingdom Transport Aviation Disasters and accidents Fires Jacqui Smith Glasgow Crime and law Politics and conflicts Metropolitan Police COBRA (UK) Heathrow Airport