Terrorist suspects “did not have passports”

NBC: Disagreement over timing of arrests – Lisa Myers & the NBC Investigative Unit – MSNBC.com

A senior British official knowledgeable about the case said British police were planning to continue to run surveillance for at least another week to try to obtain more evidence, while American officials pressured them to arrest the suspects sooner. The official spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the case.

In contrast to previous reports, the official suggested an attack was not imminent, saying the suspects had not yet purchased any airline tickets. In fact, some did not even have passports.

You’d think they’d have acquired their passports (and stashed them somewhere safe) well before embarking on any terrorist plot, given that “terrorist plots” have a recent record of being in reality sting operations by the police or the press. It’s well-known in the UK that you cannot travel abroad, except to Ireland, without a passport.