DJ RE:HAB
25-01-2007, 11:21 AM
UK News
Fergie barks out the orders Mystery Over Spy Mission
Updated: 10:53, Thursday January 25, 2007
Intrigue is surrounding an alleged spy mission over Manchester United's training ground.
A light aircraft, packed with high-tech surveillance equipment, has reportedly made a number of passes over the Carrington facilities where Sir Alex Ferguson is plotting another Premiership title bid.
The Daily Mirror claims footage from the alleged mission was taken from an airfield to a service station near Heathrow airport and "handed to a mystery client".
A silver-coloured metal case was handed over to a man who left in a blacked-out Chrysler, it said.
The paper claims three other similar missions have already been carried out.
An aviation source told the newspaper the plane that allegedly flew over the training ground was a Cessna which had a £100,000 engine "which operates on jet fuel".
Aerial view of Carrington "This is very unusual and means that the plane is able to fly much more quietly which obviously does not alert people on the ground so much to its presence," the source added.
"It also has £50,000 worth of specialist equipment on board.
"It has been deliberately modified so it looks like a little sight-seeing pleasure plane but it's equipped for some of the best surveillance operations in Britain."
The Daily Mirror claims the plane took off from Egginton airfield in Derbyshire last Wednesday morning.
The paper says the firm that carried out the flight is a respected aerial photographic agency called British Geographical.
BG owner David Goddard told the paper: "We never discuss who our clients are.
"We always fly under strict Civil Aviation Authority guidelines and always comply fully with local air traffic control."
Fergie barks out the orders Mystery Over Spy Mission
Updated: 10:53, Thursday January 25, 2007
Intrigue is surrounding an alleged spy mission over Manchester United's training ground.
A light aircraft, packed with high-tech surveillance equipment, has reportedly made a number of passes over the Carrington facilities where Sir Alex Ferguson is plotting another Premiership title bid.
The Daily Mirror claims footage from the alleged mission was taken from an airfield to a service station near Heathrow airport and "handed to a mystery client".
A silver-coloured metal case was handed over to a man who left in a blacked-out Chrysler, it said.
The paper claims three other similar missions have already been carried out.
An aviation source told the newspaper the plane that allegedly flew over the training ground was a Cessna which had a £100,000 engine "which operates on jet fuel".
Aerial view of Carrington "This is very unusual and means that the plane is able to fly much more quietly which obviously does not alert people on the ground so much to its presence," the source added.
"It also has £50,000 worth of specialist equipment on board.
"It has been deliberately modified so it looks like a little sight-seeing pleasure plane but it's equipped for some of the best surveillance operations in Britain."
The Daily Mirror claims the plane took off from Egginton airfield in Derbyshire last Wednesday morning.
The paper says the firm that carried out the flight is a respected aerial photographic agency called British Geographical.
BG owner David Goddard told the paper: "We never discuss who our clients are.
"We always fly under strict Civil Aviation Authority guidelines and always comply fully with local air traffic control."