A U.S. PLANE CARRYING "DANGEROUS GOODS" EN ROUTE TO TEL AVIV REFUELLED AT A BRITISH AIRPORT ON SATURDAY, A DAY AFTER WASHINGTON APOLOGISED TO LONDON FOR BREAKING RULES ON ISRAEL-BOUND FLIGHTS WITH BOMBS ONBOARD, REUTERS REPORTED. A SECOND U.S. FLIGHT TO ISRAEL WILL ALSO STOP AT SCOTLAND'S PRESTWICK AIRPORT ON SUNDAY, SAID A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY, BRITAIN'S INDEPENDENT AVIATION REGULATOR. BUSH APOLOGISED TO BLAIR ON FRIDAY IN THE U.S. CAPITAL AFTER BRITAIN COMPLAINED THAT WASHINGTON HAD NOT FOLLOWED CORRECT PROCEDURES ON FLYING BOMBS TO ISRAEL VIA PRESTWICK. "A CARGO FLIGHT OPERATED BY A COMMERCIAL CARGO OPERATOR FLEW TO TEL AVIV TODAY VIA PRESTWICK AND THERE'LL BE A SECOND FLIGHT TOMORROW," SAID THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE AVIATION REGULATOR. "WE'VE PROVIDED EXEMPTIONS FROM DANGEROUS GOODS REGULATIONS." HE SAID HE WAS UNSURE OF THE PRECISE NATURE OF THE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS BEING TRANSPORTED. THE FOREIGN OFFICE DECLINED TO COMMENT ON THE FLIGHTS BUT SAID BRITAIN WOULD GRANT PERMISSION FOR FLIGHTS CARRYING ARMS DEFENCE EQUIPMENT PROVIDED PROPER PROCEDURES WERE FOLLOWED.
