British arms dealer arrested in US
A Briton has been arrested after a suspected plot to supply a lethal surface-to-air missile to terrorists.
Western intelligence officials have confirmed to the BBC it was a multinational sting operation, involving agents from the US, Russia and Britain.
It resulted in the arrest of a British arms dealer at Newark in New Jersey on Tuesday.
Officials say he successfully imported a Russian Igla missile into the US and believed he was selling it to an Muslim extremist.
But his buyer was an undercover FBI agent and the arms dealer's voice is heard on tape saying he wanted the missile to be used to shoot down a large passenger plane.
The FBI have denied that the plane in question was Airforce One, the US President's official aircraft.
Although no actual terrorists are thought to have been involved in the operation, intelligence officials said it was a terrifying illustration of the vulnerability of Western nations to attack by extremists.
Over the last 15 months, there have been three foiled attempts by groups linked to al-Qaeda to shoot down planes carrying Western or Israeli passengers.
BBC correspondent Tom Mangold said the man bought one for $85,000 from a Russian factory and was promised another 50.
He said: "It may not have happened, but when the dealer says he wants to bring down Airforce One, it's pretty dispiriting."
He added the sting demonstrated "fantastic" cooperation between the US, Russia and Britain.
"Old enemies really have joined hands," he said.
Washington officials are remaining tight-lipped about the operation but admitted there had been an arrest.
MI5 and MI6 in London were involved with Russian secret services and the FBI.
The arms dealer flew to New York on Sunday on a British Airways flight from Heathrow Airport in London.
But he was followed on to the plane and kept under surveillance until his arrest.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3146025.stm