London: The terrorist threat level being faced by the UK has been downgraded from ''critical to severe,'' after the plot to blow up the translantic flights was unearthed last week, the Home Office said on Monday.
A ban on carrying hand luggage on flights introduced following last Thursday's airline bomb security alert and police operation has also been lifted.
On Sunday night, a British Airways flight from London to New York turned back after a mobile phone, then banned, was found on board. A Home Office spokeswoman confirmed that following a meeting late yesterday, the Joint Terrorism and Analysis Centre (JTAC), which co-ordinates all the UK's security and intelligence agencies to assess the terrorism threat, had decided to downgrade the threat level status.
In a statement, Reid explained that this was because JTAC felt that a terrorist attack, while still ''highly likely'', was no longer ''imminent''.
''There has now been time to assess the intelligence picture following the police operation. The police believe that the main suspects in the alleged plot were arrested last week,'' he said.
But he added, ''There is still a very serious threat of an attack. The threat level is at severe indicating the high likelihood of an attempted terrorist attack at some stage, and I urge the public to remain vigilant.''
In a statement, the Department for Transport said passengers would now be allowed to carry one item of hand luggage on to the flights. But an item of hand luggage must not be more than 45 cm long, 35 cm wide and 16 cm deep, including wheels, handles and side pockets, the statement said.
Other bags, such as handbags, may be carried within the single item of cabin baggage, it added. No liquids are permitted, except for essential prescription medicines and baby milk and baby food.
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