British detectives today asked for more time to question suspects in the alleged airliner bomb plot today, as Home Secretary John Reid met his European counterparts to discuss the terror threat.
In closed hearings, Scotland Yard officers presented evidence against each suspect to a district judge this afternoon, who will then decide whether it is sufficient to warrant their further detention.
The custody time limit expires this evening for 23 of the 24 people currently in custody in the UK over the alleged airliner plot.
However, the complexity of the case means detectives are likely to seek a series of extensions - taking them close to the maximum 28 days - before deciding whether to charge or release the suspects.
It is possible one or more could be released today. The 24th person was only arrested yesterday in the Thames Valley area and the custody time limit in their case is running to a different schedule.
There were claims today that Britain is seeking the fast track extradition of another suspect in the case who is being held in Pakistan.
Britain's airports, which have been gripped by chaos and disruption since the alleged plot was foiled last week, were almost back to normal today. However, British Airways cancelled 35 flights at Heathrow and 11 at Gatwick. The airline will axe three long-haul and 32 short-haul flights from Heathrow and 11 domestic flights from Gatwick Airport.
BA said this meant 90 per cent of its scheduled services would go ahead as normal.
It said it was working towards resuming a full service, but warned that all its flights remained subject to delays.
It also emerged that around 20,000 passenger bags had gone astray at Heathrow since the start of the disruption last Thursday. BA was today attempting to reunite 5,000 passengers with their luggage.
Passengers were advised to check in online wherever possible using the airline's website ba.com to relieve airport queues.
Ryanair, which cancelled eight flights yesterday at Stansted, accused airport operator BAA of "a chronic inability to staff security facilities".
The airline chief executive Michael O'Leary said his airline had seen a 10 per cent drop in group bookings over the last couple of days as a result of the travel disruption.