COPS have launched a major inquiry amid fears that Britain’s new £50million Eurofighter has become a target for terrorists.
Special Branch officers swooped after book pages in ARABIC and a pair of BOLT CUTTERS were found close to the plant where the warplane is built.
A member of the public raised the alarm when an empty boat was seen floating on a river adjacent to the BAE Systems factory. It contained the bolt cutters.
A makeshift campsite was then discovered on the river bank.
Police were drafted in and a search uncovered the Arabic pages.
Anti-terror officers were alerted and searched for more clues on marshland around the aerospace site.
Locals said two tents had been put up on land alongside the Eurofighter Typhoon factory in Warton, Lancs — an area where camping is forbidden. But the tents had been removed before the anti-terror police arrived.
Last night a source at the factory, which employs 10,000 people, said: "It sounds like something straight out of a thriller. It’s very bizarre and pretty worrying."
A Lancashire Police spokesman said: "Inquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident." SAS hero and Sun security adviser Andy McNab said last night: "For terrorists who want to cause as much embarrassment to our armed forces as possible the Typhoon is a cream target.
"The PR value of bringing down one of these would be huge. It would be a massive coup."
The Typhoons are due to enter service next month. The plane is one of the most sophisticated ever designed and Britain has already ordered 144.
Although parts are made across Europe, the fighters are assembled by BAE Systems.
Last night a spokesman for the company said: "We understand there is a police investigation into this incident.
"BAE security is under constant review."
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