BRITISH ANTI-TERRORIST OFFICERS ARE HUNTING FOR A CHEMICAL BOMB THAT COULD BE USED IN AN ATTACK IN BRITAIN AFTER A MAJOR RAID FAILED TO UNCOVER A DEVICE THEY BELIEVE EXISTS, A POLICE SOURCE SAID ON SATURDAY. MORE THAN 250 OFFICERS, SOME WEARING CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL AND RADIOLOGICAL PROTECTION SUITS, SHOT ONE MAN AND ARRESTED ANOTHER DURING A DAWN RAID ON AN EAST LONDON HOUSE ON FRIDAY. "WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR IS SOME FORM OF VIABLE CHEMICAL DEVICE," A POLICE SOURCE TOLD REUTERS OF THE SEARCH ON THE PROPERTY. "A DEVICE THAT WOULD HAVE A FATAL EFFECT ON SOMEONE STANDING NEARBY BOTH FROM THE EXPLOSION AND FROM THE CHEMICAL IT CONTAINED," THE SOURCE SAID, ADDING THE DEVICE BEING SOUGHT WAS A TYPE OF CONVENTIONAL BOMB SURROUNDED BY TOXIC MATERIAL. POLICE HAVE SAID NOTHING SUSPICIOUS HAD BEEN FOUND IN AN INITIAL SEARCH OF THE HOUSE. THEY HAD ALSO REASSURED THE PUBLIC IN THE AREA THERE WAS NOTHING TO SUGGEST THEY WERE AT RISK. THE OPERATION, ONE OF THE BIGGEST SINCE LAST JULY'S SUICIDE BOMBINGS IN THE CAPITAL, WAS PROMPTED BY SUSPICIONS THAT THE HOUSE COULD HAVE BEEN USED FOR MAKING BOMBS OR CHEMICAL WEAPONS. "BECAUSE OF THE VERY SPECIFIC NATURE OF THE INTELLIGENCE, WE PLANNED AN OPERATION THAT WAS DESIGNED TO MITIGATE ANY THREAT TO THE PUBLIC EITHER FROM FIREARMS OR FROM HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES," SAID PETER CLARKE, HEAD OF THE UK'S ANTI-TERRORISM BRANCH.
