UK terror alert: BODY SEARCHES at British airports

Holidaymakers face invasive physical checks and lengthy delays at Britain’s airports amid fears that jihadists returning from Iraq and Syria plan to target transatlantic flights with laptop explosives and “body bombs”.

A tough new security regime was imposed on passengers after American intelligence suggested that al-Qaeda was plotting to use Western fanatics to bring down a US-bound plane.

Travellers at Heathrow were subjected to “vigorous” body searches and clothing and shoes were swabbed for traces of explosive. Passengers were ordered to switch on laptops, mobile phones and other electronic devices, and bags were taking twice as long to pass through scanners, according to reports.