Friendly Neighborhood Muslim Extremists Plan Airliner Target Practice
Feb 11th 2003 | 9:14 am
#1
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Friendly Neighborhood Muslim Extremists Plan Airliner Target Practice
From BBC News:
Tuesday, 11 February, 2003, 20:55 GMT
Blair authorised terror alert troops
The prime minister gave his personal authorisation for soldiers to be
drafted in to boost security at Heathrow airport and other sites in
London, says Downing Street.
A total of 450 troops have joined 1,000 extra police officers in
patrolling the airport as part of a tightening of security at sites
across the capital.
The heightened security is linked to intelligence concerns that al-Qaeda
may try to use surface-to-air missiles in the UK or US this week.
It is compounded by US security chiefs warning of possible terrorist
attacks in the US and Middle East towards the end of the week, including
the use of poisons, chemicals and a device to spread radioactivity
The prime minister's spokesman said action to deploy troops at Heathrow
would not have been taken unless it was thought to be necessary.
The move was "an ongoing operation in relation to a specific threat",
the spokesman said.
"The threat is real and the response to it will go up and down
accordingly," he added.
"This is not an exact science. There is no rulebook on how to deal with
these things.
"The guiding principle is to protect the security of the people of this
country consistent with not wanting to do the terrorists' job for them."
Missile threat
The BBC's security correspondent Frank Gardner said Western intelligence
had "woken up" to the possibility that al-Qaeda or people linked to
al-Qaeda could try to use surface-to-air missiles to bring down an
aircraft.
It follows an attempted attack in Kenya last November and another
similar incident in Saudi Arabia last June.
Mr Gardner said: "What's worrying intelligence services is if they can
get their hands on something which is powerful and modern enough they
could launch it from the perimeter fence.
"I have spoken to people who are quite close to or quite familiar with
al-Qaeda and they have told me that in the last 48 hours there has been
a lot of internet chatter among supporters talking about quite possibly
an attack this week being launched by al-Qaeda somewhere in the West."
The possibility of an attack is also being linked to the end of the
Muslim religious festival of Eid, which runs from Wednesday to Saturday.
Scotland Yard said the festival "may erroneously be used by al-Qaeda and
associated networks to mount attacks".
A spokesman said the heightened security was in line with action being
taken in other countries.
Criticism
But Muslim groups have criticised the police for making a link between
the religious festival and a potential terror threat.
Troops are guarding the airport's perimeters, manning checkpoints and
providing security in armoured vehicles within Heathrow.
They are also patrolling the M25, according to BBC home affairs
correspondent Daniel Sandford.
Passenger safety is paramount says Heathrow
He said an operation on this level was "absolutely unprecedented at
Heathrow".
He added there must be a "reasonably specific threat", although the UK
was not on the highest state of alert.
Troops from the First Battalion Grenadier Guards and the Household
Cavalry Regiment began their patrols on Tuesday.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman told BBC News Online the soldiers would
be on guard for as long as the police needed their support.
The army was last drafted in at Heathrow in 1994 when the IRA mounted an
attempted mortar attack.
The prime minister's official spokesman said the public recognised the
threat from international terrorism was real and the government had to
respond accordingly.
Mick Temple, managing director at Heathrow Airport, said safety and
security was its number one priority as he called on passengers to be
vigilant and patient.
A BAA spokeswoman said they had not being told of heightened security at
other airports.
Last week the US Government put the country on the second-highest level
of security alert because of an increased risk of terror attacks on
American targets at home and abroad.
Stratos
Tuesday, 11 February, 2003, 20:55 GMT
Blair authorised terror alert troops
The prime minister gave his personal authorisation for soldiers to be
drafted in to boost security at Heathrow airport and other sites in
London, says Downing Street.
A total of 450 troops have joined 1,000 extra police officers in
patrolling the airport as part of a tightening of security at sites
across the capital.
The heightened security is linked to intelligence concerns that al-Qaeda
may try to use surface-to-air missiles in the UK or US this week.
It is compounded by US security chiefs warning of possible terrorist
attacks in the US and Middle East towards the end of the week, including
the use of poisons, chemicals and a device to spread radioactivity
The prime minister's spokesman said action to deploy troops at Heathrow
would not have been taken unless it was thought to be necessary.
The move was "an ongoing operation in relation to a specific threat",
the spokesman said.
"The threat is real and the response to it will go up and down
accordingly," he added.
"This is not an exact science. There is no rulebook on how to deal with
these things.
"The guiding principle is to protect the security of the people of this
country consistent with not wanting to do the terrorists' job for them."
Missile threat
The BBC's security correspondent Frank Gardner said Western intelligence
had "woken up" to the possibility that al-Qaeda or people linked to
al-Qaeda could try to use surface-to-air missiles to bring down an
aircraft.
It follows an attempted attack in Kenya last November and another
similar incident in Saudi Arabia last June.
Mr Gardner said: "What's worrying intelligence services is if they can
get their hands on something which is powerful and modern enough they
could launch it from the perimeter fence.
"I have spoken to people who are quite close to or quite familiar with
al-Qaeda and they have told me that in the last 48 hours there has been
a lot of internet chatter among supporters talking about quite possibly
an attack this week being launched by al-Qaeda somewhere in the West."
The possibility of an attack is also being linked to the end of the
Muslim religious festival of Eid, which runs from Wednesday to Saturday.
Scotland Yard said the festival "may erroneously be used by al-Qaeda and
associated networks to mount attacks".
A spokesman said the heightened security was in line with action being
taken in other countries.
Criticism
But Muslim groups have criticised the police for making a link between
the religious festival and a potential terror threat.
Troops are guarding the airport's perimeters, manning checkpoints and
providing security in armoured vehicles within Heathrow.
They are also patrolling the M25, according to BBC home affairs
correspondent Daniel Sandford.
Passenger safety is paramount says Heathrow
He said an operation on this level was "absolutely unprecedented at
Heathrow".
He added there must be a "reasonably specific threat", although the UK
was not on the highest state of alert.
Troops from the First Battalion Grenadier Guards and the Household
Cavalry Regiment began their patrols on Tuesday.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman told BBC News Online the soldiers would
be on guard for as long as the police needed their support.
The army was last drafted in at Heathrow in 1994 when the IRA mounted an
attempted mortar attack.
The prime minister's official spokesman said the public recognised the
threat from international terrorism was real and the government had to
respond accordingly.
Mick Temple, managing director at Heathrow Airport, said safety and
security was its number one priority as he called on passengers to be
vigilant and patient.
A BAA spokeswoman said they had not being told of heightened security at
other airports.
Last week the US Government put the country on the second-highest level
of security alert because of an increased risk of terror attacks on
American targets at home and abroad.
Stratos
Feb 11th 2003 | 9:25 am
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
Gullible, Racist Scumbag Believes Everything He Reads [WAS: Re: Friendly Neighborhood Muslim Extremi
le Tue, 11 Feb 2003 14:14:06 -0800, dans l'article , Stratos Fear a dit ...
> From BBC News:
>
> Tuesday, 11 February, 2003, 20:55 GMT
>
> Blair authorised terror alert troops
>
> The prime minister gave his personal authorisation for soldiers to be
> drafted in to boost security at Heathrow airport and other sites in
> London, says Downing Street.
{ snip }
Public opinion in the UK is currently not wholly in favour of military
action in Iraq. What better way to push the public into supporting a war,
than to use the oldest trick in the book: fear ? Blair and his government
can now say to the British body electorate, 'See ? Saddam _is_ a danger !!'
--
Desmond Coughlan
desmond @ zeouane.org
http: // www . zeouane . org
> From BBC News:
>
> Tuesday, 11 February, 2003, 20:55 GMT
>
> Blair authorised terror alert troops
>
> The prime minister gave his personal authorisation for soldiers to be
> drafted in to boost security at Heathrow airport and other sites in
> London, says Downing Street.
{ snip }
Public opinion in the UK is currently not wholly in favour of military
action in Iraq. What better way to push the public into supporting a war,
than to use the oldest trick in the book: fear ? Blair and his government
can now say to the British body electorate, 'See ? Saddam _is_ a danger !!'
--
Desmond Coughlan
desmond @ zeouane.org
http: // www . zeouane . org
Feb 11th 2003 | 1:20 pm
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Gullible, Racist Scumbag Believes Everything He Reads [WAS: Re: Friendly Neighborhood Muslim Ext
On Tue, 11 Feb 2003 22:25:20 +0000, Desmond Coughlan
wrote:
>le Tue, 11 Feb 2003 14:14:06 -0800, dans l'article , Stratos Fear a dit ...
>> From BBC News:
>>
>> Tuesday, 11 February, 2003, 20:55 GMT
>>
>> Blair authorised terror alert troops
>>
>> The prime minister gave his personal authorisation for soldiers to be
>> drafted in to boost security at Heathrow airport and other sites in
>> London, says Downing Street.
>{ snip }
>Public opinion in the UK is currently not wholly in favour of military
>action in Iraq. What better way to push the public into supporting a war,
>than to use the oldest trick in the book: fear ? Blair and his government
>can now say to the British body electorate, 'See ? Saddam _is_ a danger !!'
And people wonder why the FBI and other organizations didn't go public
with the information they had before 9/11.
___________________________________________
Unit #02582: Endangered Old-Growth Redwood
Toothpick Artisans, LLC [TINEOGRTALLC]
--
Frivolity is a stern taskmaster.
wrote:
>le Tue, 11 Feb 2003 14:14:06 -0800, dans l'article , Stratos Fear a dit ...
>> From BBC News:
>>
>> Tuesday, 11 February, 2003, 20:55 GMT
>>
>> Blair authorised terror alert troops
>>
>> The prime minister gave his personal authorisation for soldiers to be
>> drafted in to boost security at Heathrow airport and other sites in
>> London, says Downing Street.
>{ snip }
>Public opinion in the UK is currently not wholly in favour of military
>action in Iraq. What better way to push the public into supporting a war,
>than to use the oldest trick in the book: fear ? Blair and his government
>can now say to the British body electorate, 'See ? Saddam _is_ a danger !!'
And people wonder why the FBI and other organizations didn't go public
with the information they had before 9/11.
___________________________________________
Unit #02582: Endangered Old-Growth Redwood
Toothpick Artisans, LLC [TINEOGRTALLC]
--
Frivolity is a stern taskmaster.
