Via the Independent: “Here is a text of the statement by Deputy Commissioner Paul Stephenson of Scotland Yard as delivered. He said: “We are confident that we have disrupted a plan by terrorists to cause untold death and destruction and to commit, quite frankly, mass murder. “I would want to join the commissioner who is fully briefed and has been here at New Scotland Yard since very early this morning in paying tribute to the Met’s counter terrorist branch and the Security Services for the work that they have undertaken in disrupting these activities. “We believe that the terrorists’ aim was to smuggle explosives onto aeroplanes in hand luggage and to detonate these in flight. “We also believe that the intended targets were flights from the United Kingdom to the United States of America. “I can confirm that a significant number of people are currently in custody and the operation is ongoing…. ”