UK cops alarmed by jihadi Internet chatter urging holiday strike
posted at 2:53 pm on December 22, 2006 by Allahpundit
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The Blotter follows up on yesterday’s scare post.
ABC News has learned that al Qaeda operatives in the greater London area are being encouraged to “strike during the Christian holidays,” according to intelligence and law enforcement sources…
ABC News sources in North America and the U.K. say that British authorities are constantly on the run, breaking up plots on a near weekly basis that have reached the pre-operational phase.
Sources in Britain add that at least one “pivotal…al Qaeda U.K.” operative has been detained during the past two weeks, and others may — at least temporarily — be in custody.
Pivotal? One of the “English brothers,” hopefully? That would be a huge score.
More good news: the major terror cells in the country appear to be all linked up.
New Scotland Yard and the British domestic security service MI5 have put together physical evidence and a pattern of interlocking relationships between alleged terrorists that appear to establish a firm link among the subway and bus bombs that killed 52 Londoners on July 7, 2005, a failed set of bombings on July 21, 2005 and a plot to blow up between six and nine airliners, killing as many as 5,000 persons headed to the United States this summer, all the result of three years of planning by British al Qaeda.
Each cell appears to have had ties back to the same British citizen who controlled the plotters from Pakistan and whose identity was first reported by the ABC News Investigative Unit, sources said. That link plus forensic evidence and evidence of overlapping knowledge and personnel in each of the plots is more terrifying to authorities than the prior theory of independent cells operating without knowledge of each others’ plans, sources said.
Intelligence sources also say it points to an organized group of cells working to cause carnage and damage to Britain’s economy, apparently in an effort to wear down the public will to fight along side the United States in the War on Terror.
I think the British citizen they’re referring to is Rashid Rauf. He’s the alleged ringleader of the airplane plot who may or may not be on his way back to Britain as part of an extradition deal with Pakistan.
Actually, the fact that the cells are linked is good news in one sense, isn’t it? If you unravel one it’ll eventually lead you to the others. Of course, it also means they’re sharing institutional knowledge that’ll make their plots more effective and harder to detect.
The next ten days are shaping to be a crucible for MI5 and British police. If you’re inclined to pray, pray for them.
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Al-Q also reaching out to Democrats.
JammieWearingFool on December 22, 2006 at 2:58 PM
I wish I could say that their interlinked relationship was a surprise. These cells mutate and morph to meet strategic and immediate needs. An interesting example is the book “See No Evil” by Baer. He was a CIA Operative focused on the Middle East. He gives great examples of the murky relationships these terrorist cells forge with each other.
Trooper on December 22, 2006 at 3:01 PM
and enough money to buy some polonium?
RedWinged Blackbird on December 22, 2006 at 4:05 PM
What’s odd is that there doesn’t appear to be one word on this story in any of the leading UK newspapers. Check ‘em out, here’s a good jump-off point
Yojimbo on December 22, 2006 at 4:05 PM
Wear down the will of the true Brits? I still believe that the historical strength and backbone of England exists. There is nothing more resilient than the British resolve once they understand their backs are against a wall. Where do you think we got that?
SailorDave on December 22, 2006 at 6:07 PM
If there is no violence during the season, how long will it take the democrats to spin it as…”it is a good thing we opened up dialog, it would have been a vertible blood bath. We saved more lives than were lost on 9/11.”
right2bright on December 22, 2006 at 6:10 PM
The media barley mentions a plot that gets busted up and the sheeple stop, look, ho hum and keep on walkin’. Maybe we need to let one plot succeed to wake people up.
Lefty: “SEE! There’s the PROOF that Bush did 9/11!”
Tony737 on December 22, 2006 at 6:14 PM
I think the UK, particularly England, will react VERY badly should it be attacked again. I think it is a powderkeg and the average Brit is sick of all the Muslim-pandering that is being done. I predict some very serious problems for Muslims in the UK should something horrible happen.
I guess the best thing to do is Pray this is just a scare. But if they dont respect their own holiday of Ramadan and perpetuate violence during it, why not attack the “Cross Worshipers” on their Holiest Holiday?
labwrs on December 22, 2006 at 6:21 PM
We twist ourselves into a pretzle to avoid the crusader label calling islam a “ROP”, blah blah blah, while they are setting timers to go off on 12/25. Aahhh
I can’t say it… lets be nice to Mecca.
Buck Turgidson on December 23, 2006 at 1:51 AM
Pssst Brits. Muslims are in the UK for just one, and one reason only…to eventually own your butts.
The faster you good people realize that Islamofascists want to dominate you into a slave like life of Dimmitude, the safer you’ll all be.
Suggestion: Round every last Muslim up, and deport them, boot, toss them back whence they came from. No civilized society ever survived cohabiting with deadly snakes that want to kill them. It was a nice, but failed experiment, now give it up.
byteshredder on December 23, 2006 at 3:08 PM
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