American homeland security chiefs have warned that Britain could face terrorist attacks later this summer.

Officials at the US Department of Homeland Security have warned that Islamic extremists are planning suicide attacks on sites in the UK for the end of this summer.

According to CNN the warning sent to US airlines and security agencies warned that other possible sites include Italy, Australia and the eastern United States.

"As of mid-June, Islamic extremists may have been planning suicide hijackings to be executed by the end of summer 2003," the report said."The plan may involve the use of five-man teams, each of which would attempt to seize control of a commercial aircraft either shortly after takeoff or shortly before landing at a chosen airport."

Home Office officials said the government was aware of security briefings being issued but as the UK threat level was already high there was no need to change current precautions.

"Britain is used to the changing nature of the terrorist threat. For a number of years we lived with a heightened state of threat from Irish republican terrorism," said a Home Office spokesman."If a warning is necessary to protect safety, we will issue it without hesitation."

Speaking to ePolitix.com, shadow home affairs minister Patrick Mercer called for ministers to issue warnings when they are needed.

"I very much hope that the government will issue warnings, appropriate warnings, in good time," he said.

"Because what we've seen happen in the past, for instance both in Bali and in Mombassa, that US warnings were issued, and indeed for that matter in Riyadh earlier on this year, that the United States issued warnings to its citizens, where no warnings were issued to our citizens.

"In all three cases, the intelligence proved to be extremely reliable."

Without a specific minister with responsibility for homeland security, the matter of issuing such warnings appropriately becomes more difficult, he added.