Telecom Tower: 'bomb target'

The Telecom Tower in Euston - one of Britain's most important communication centres - has been named by intelligence chiefs as a "key military point" in a list of 350 potential targets thought to be at risk from al-Qaeda suicide bombers.

The MI5 list includes oil refineries, nuclear power stations and military research laboratories. All have had their security reassessed because of the threat posed by fanatical Muslim groups following last year's terrorist attacks in the United States.

Security officials believe suicide bombing is the most likely method of attack if al Qaeda tries to retaliate for Britain's support for the US military campaign in Afghanistan.

The existence of the list is revealed today by The Times, which says security has been intensified at Britain's 15 nuclear power stations, including Sizewell in Suffolk, Hinkley Point in Somerset, Dungeness in Kent and Heysham in Lancashire. Additional counter-terrorist protection is also said to be in place at the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant in Cumbria.

There are several buildings in London whose security would have been reassessed, including government ministries, the Stock Exchange, the Bank of England and Canary Wharf.

US vice-president Richard Cheney warned last month that another al Qaeda outrage was likely - - possibly on an even bigger scale than the attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon.

Although Britain has long experience of IRA terrorism, it has not had to face suicide bombers. International terrorist organisations are well aware of the immense economic disruption a single well-planned attack can cause, quite apart from the loss of life.

The Home Office refused to confirm the existence of an MI5 list of possible targets. "It is government policy not to comment on operational security matters. All security measures are kept under constant review and have been since, before and after the events of 11 September", said a spokeswoman.

? Britons have again been urged to leave India and Pakistan, amid reports that war between the two nuclear powers could break out within two weeks.

Indian military chiefs are said to be seeking authorisation to invade the Pakistani side of divided Kashmir in the middle of this month to destroy the camps of Islamic militants.

Indian officials say it would be a "limited action" and would last about a week before pressure from the US and other powers forced a ceasefire.