Heathrow closed, bomb plot foiled

It appears I only just got into the country yesterday when coming in from Atlanta as today the whole system is in disarray due to new security measures. So far Heathrow is closed to incoming traffic (for flights not already in the air) and as far as I can understand no one is allowed onboard with any hand luggage. Apparently, all they will let you have is travel documents (passport & tickets) , your valet and essential medicine. So ipods and laptops have to go into the hold. As this just hit the traveling public this morning everyone is trying to stuff their laptops and other miscellany into their bags on the floors of airports and the whole system is creaking due to the increased volume of checked in luggage.

Apparently, the police have just foiled a plan to blow up 20 aircraft in the air. The aircraft targeted where aircraft going from the UK to US. What concerns me, however, is the implicit admission that the normal security procedures/protocols/technology are not capable of telling an ipod from a box stuffed with semtex A. Really, makes you wonder...