Posted on 09/01/2006 7:02:52 PM PDT by blam
Yard is watching thousands of terror suspects
By Philip Johnston, Home Affairs Editor
(Filed: 02/09/2006)
Thousands of British Muslims are being watched by police and MI5 under suspicion of possible terrorist involvement, a Scotland Yard chief has disclosed.
Peter Clarke, the head of the Metropolitan Police anti-terrorist branch, said they were being looked at in the belief that they might be involved directly or indirectly in supporting terrorism.
His estimate was given in an interview for a BBC2 documentary, al-Qa'eda: Time to Talk, which investigates British Muslim connections with the terrorist network and will to be shown tomorrow.
Mr Clarke said: "What we've learnt since 9/11 is that the threat is not something that's simply coming from overseas into the United Kingdom. What we've learnt, and what we've seen all too graphically and all too murderously, is that we have a threat which is being generated here within the United Kingdom."
When asked roughly how many Muslims were being looked at, Mr Clarke said: "I don't want to go down the numbers game, I don't think it's helpful … all I can say is that our knowledge is increasing and certainly in terms of broad description, the numbers of people who we have to be interested in, are into the thousands."
He added: ''That includes a whole range of people, not just terrorists, not just attackers, but the people who might be tempted to support or encourage or to assist."
The counter-terrorist agencies are especially concerned about the links being forged between British citizens of Pakistani descent and al-Qa'eda militants in the land of their parents or grandparents.
Many young Britons with Pakistani backgrounds travel to Pakistan to visit relatives or to attend religious ''camps", where they may be targeted and recruited by jihadists.
Two of the London suicide bombers, Mohammed Siddique Khan and Shezad Tanweer, visited camps in Pakistan where they are believed to have come into contact with al-Qa'eda activists.
After initial scepticism, MI5 is now increasingly convinced that most of the plots hatched in Britain have been run by al-Qa'eda from Pakistan.
The security service had kept an open mind about al-Qa'eda involvement in activity largely being carried out by "home grown" fanatics.
But the sophistication of the alleged conspiracy to destroy airliners over the Atlantic has persuaded intelligence officers that Osama bin Laden's organisation was directly implicated in both this and probably in the July 7 outrage in London that killed 52 commuters and four suicide bombers.
The investigators also uncovered a route for suicide bombers from Britain to Iraq. They followed the trail of a French Algerian jihadist, Idris Bazis, who lived in Manchester and is believed to have died in a suicide attack in Iraq.
Asked if there was a ''pipeline" to carry young British Muslims into Iraq, Mr Clarke said: "What we do see is individuals who, with connections, managed to facilitate people's travel.
There's probably a collection of individuals who are happy to try to organise the travel of others." He added: "We know who some of them are. We investigate, we carry out surveillance on a lot of people, but I'm not going to say exactly who."
Mr Clarke's figure of "thousands" of British Muslims either under surveillance, or at least causing concern, is certain to reignite indignation in the Islamic community about what they consider to be unfair targeting.
This was especially pronounced after the raid in Forest Gate, east London, in which a Muslim man was shot but no charges were brought.
However, there has been less hostility since charges were brought over the alleged plot to blow up airliners and the counter-terrorist agencies have been unapologetic about acting on intelligence, pointing to possible conspiracies that threaten the public.
Of the 24 people arrested, 15 have been charged and remanded in custody, five are being questioned and four have been released without charge. Since the alleged plot was smashed, MI5 has investigated other suspected plots, many just as alarming.
The counter-terrorist effort now under way, with some 70 investigations against suspected Islamic extremists, is unprecedented and unmatched even at the height of the IRA's mainland campaign.
Last month, John Reid, the Home Secretary, said the police and security services were aware of about 24 "major conspiracies", with another 50 peripheral inquiries also being conducted relating to fundraising.
A significant focus of the surveillance involves internet communication between groups, often Muslim men at colleges and universities.
Good for them! I wonder if the ACLU has a branch in GB? I am happy someone is taking this very real and dangerous threat seriously.
HUH?? Thousands?? IS THAT ALL?? Target every muzzienazi male over 12. Or risk near certain future mass death.
Best get on it before more innocent perish.
BTTT
Muslim leaders call for reparations for trauma caused by anti-terror measures
LONDON - Several leaders of the Muslim community in the United Kingdom have called for financial reparations for their members for undue hardship and trauma caused by the government crackdown in the wake of the recent terror plot allegations.
Drawing inspiration from the slavery reparations movement which has existed in the United States for some time, and which seeks to compensate descendants of slaves, the leaders today held a press conference to announce a strategic campaign to educate the citizens of the UK about the toll that the anti-terrorist investigations have taken on the Muslim community.
"Our members are some of the most outstanding citizens of England", said Syed Imtiaz Bashir, head of the Gloucestershire mosque, and one of the leaders. "We have suffered humiliation, suspicion, and racist behavior from the police forces for too long. This injustice must stop. These programs", (referring to the anti-terrorist investigations in Muslim neighbourhoods), "must stop."
Several leaders of the Muslim community in the United Kingdom have called for financial reparations for their members for undue hardship and trauma
Yeah, right. So call your buddies in Saudi Arabia and Iran for a handout why don't ya? Or better yet, buy a one way ticket and go there to collect your 'reparations'.
Oops. Forgot to mention it is satire. But probably not too far from the truth in the near future.
"LONDON - Several leaders of the Muslim community in the United Kingdom have called for financial reparations for their members for undue hardship and trauma caused by the government crackdown in the wake of the recent terror plot allegations."
Great! To be paid in air plane tickets to Saudi Arabia!
Good news/Bad news.
Good: Glad they're doing it.
Bad: Our best ally has thousands of terrorists in residence?
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