Comes Day After London Bomb Scare

ANN REALTIME REPORTING 06.30.07 1345 EDT: Britons -- already on edge following Friday's scare in which two abandoned Mercedes loaded with gasoline, gas canisters, and nails were found in the heart of London's nightlife district -- found themselves even more nervous Saturday, when a burning sport-utility vehicle crashed at full speed into the terminal building at Glasgow airport in Scotland, reported the BBC News.

The events come nearly two years after the July 7, 2005, suicide bombings that killed 52 commuters on the city's transit system.

Eyewitnesses described a Jeep Cherokee being driven at high speed towards Glasgow Airport's main terminal building with flames coming out from underneath.

They also described seeing two Asian men, one on fire, who had been in the car.

Strathclyde police said two people have been arrested and detained in connection with the incident.

The airport was evacuated and all flights suspended following the 3:15 pm (local time) incident.

The airport was closed and passengers were cleared from the terminal building amid fears of a terrorist attack, reported the Press Association.

A spokesman for the airport's operators, the British Airports Authority, said emergency services were at the scene.

"A car is on fire at the entrance to the terminal and there is considerable smoke damage to the terminal. The terminal has been evacuated as a result of this, and all flights have now been suspended. This is the start of the busy summer holiday period, although Saturdays are less busy than week days.

"But this will cause disruption and our advice to passengers is to check with their airline to establish if their flight will be operating."

Eyewitness Reports

Said one eyewitness, "I heard the sound of a car's wheels spinning and smoke coming out. I saw a Jeep Cherokee apparently as if it was trying to get right through the doors into the terminal building."

"There were flames coming out from underneath, then some men appeared from in amongst the flames."

"The police ran over and the people started fighting with the police. I then heard what sounded like an explosion."

Another eyewitness told BBC News 24 that a green Jeep was in the middle of the doorway, burning.

"There was an Asian guy who was pulled out of the car by two police officers, who[m] he was trying to fight off. They've got him on the ground.

"The car didn't actually explode. There were a few pops and bangs which presumably was the petrol."

Dr Rak Nandwani was at the airport building to pick up relatives when he saw a plume of black smoke.
 
"The whole place has come to a standstill; the terminal building has been evacuated. I have spoken to my relatives and they have been moved to outside the building. They were told they could not pick their baggage up from the baggage collection area."

"There must be about 50 police cars at the airport. Me and my son, along with everyone else, have been moved to the car rental area."

According to taxi driver Ian Crosby, "This was no accident. This was a deliberate attack on Glasgow Airport."

The reaction of members of the public was not to help the men in the car, but to restrain them, he told the BBC.

Two men, one of whom was reported to be badly burned, were seen being led away in handcuffs.

Earlier in the day, Scotland Yard counterterrorism officers briefed Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and the new British leader later chaired a meeting of top spies, police and senior officials in COBRA, the government's emergency committee, Brown's office reported.

FMI: www.glasgowairport.com, www.met.police.uk, www.pm.gov.uk