Assassination plot (against Bush & Blair at NATO Summit) foiled by Turkey

UK Sun ^ | May 3, 2004 | NICK PARKER

[FairOpinion]

AN al-Qaeda plot to blow up Tony Blair, George Bush and up to FIFTY other world leaders has been foiled.

Cops in Turkey yesterday unveiled a huge arsenal of weapons and explosives found stashed in preparation for a terror doomsday.

They are convinced the target was next month’s Nato summit in Istanbul.

And they believe the aim was to wipe out the West’s commanders of the War on Terror in an outrage that would dwarf the impact of September 11.

Simultaneous raids led to 25 members of the fanatical Islamist group Ansar al-Islam being arrested.

Horror haul ... arms and computer equipment cops seized

Nine were held in biggest city Istanbul and 16 in Bursa, a town 160 miles south.

Cops seized guns, explosives and bomb-making booklets, along with 4,000 compact discs giving training by al-Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden.

There were also timing dev-ices linked to mobile phones — like those used in the Madrid bombings — and fake ID cards.

Nine of those held in Bursa were last night charged with being members of an illegal organisation, an offence which can carry a ten-year sentence.

Target ... Blair will be at summit

Turkish TV reported that three had also been charged with plotting a suicide attack on the summit, but officials would not confirm this.

The other 16 suspects were questioned and released. It was not clear if they might still face charges later.

Security chiefs in Turkey have been on high alert since last year’s truck bomb assaults on the British Embassy in Istanbul and Jewish targets, which killed 61 people.

Ansar al-Islam are militants from Kurdish northern Iraq accused by the US of being an al-Qaeda splinter group.

Bursa’s governor Oguz Kagan Koksal said the arrests followed a year of surveillance.

He added: “The organisation planning this attack has been destroyed.”

Mr Koksal said Ansar al-Islam also planned attacks on US troops in Iraq.

Target ... US President Bush

The suspects were plotting a bank robbery to finance their operations and were involved in pirating PC software for cash.

Last night Nato said its two-day summit, which will discuss Iraq, will still go ahead as planned on June 28.

A spokeswoman said: “The Turkish authorities are responsible for security and we have confidence in them.”

Turkey is the only predominantly Muslim Nato member and is viewed as a prime target for Islamist groups because of close ties with the US.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

In the coming days, we'll probably see liberals openly wishing the plot had succeeded. Those people know no bounds and no behavior is off-limits. There were many news agencies celebrating when Ronald Reagan got shot.

[Spunky]

I heard something on Fox News about all these people rounded up in Turkey and all the weapons siezed, but WOW! if they said it was a possible assination of President Bush and Prime Minister Blair, I didn't hear that part.

[ahadams2]

one thing the leftist media never seem to notice is that coalition prisoners usually have a "oh well" look on their faces, while pictures of prisoners taken by the various moslem countries have a look that's more along the lines of "oh $#!%!"...

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Terror Suspects Charged in NATO Bomb Plot

From the Associated Press.

[FairOpinion]

The US media is playing it down so much, they are literally turning a mountain into a molehill. All they say is that some number of terrorists were caught in Turkey, but don't mention the magnitude of their plot.

Can you imagine, if their plot had succeeded in blowing up Bush, Blair and most European leaders?!

[cgk]

Bump to that.

[Tactical]

By the way, did you all know Kerry is a Vietnam Veteran?

Just thought that should be inserted here somewhere. /sarcasm off

[Travis McGee]

This would certainly bring the "glowing crater" stage a big step closer to reality.

That is the end game, whether it takes one year or 20.

[Robert_Paulson2]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1129123/posts

did you see this?
that general in fallujah... just got canned.

the game is apparently still very much... afoot.

[Robert_Paulson2]

don't forget the purple hearts!
he's a wounded war hero!

oh yesssss

and an admitted war criminal too!
I heard him say HE committed atrocities...

such a hero...

[OldFriend]

Your 21 was the perfect comment to alleviate the stress from the heartstopping information in the news release.

[QQQQQ]

Speaking of Kerry, did you know the threat of terrorism is exaggerated?

Someone needs to ask Kerry is he still thinks that.

[QQQQQ]

I hope the Turkish prison guards wouldn't dream of hurting or humiliating those poor terrorists, much better to allow their cohorts to blow up our President and the leaders of all the NATO countries. [/sarcasm]


BTW the leading news stories are still about those "poor, humiliated terrorists". The news media couldn't possibly allow this story to distract from that.

Makes you wonder if they have any perspective, or only an agenda: to embarrass Bush.

[Woodman]

Not that I want it to happen this way, but this would have made the WOT end rather quickly and I don't mean with the terrorists winning. I think even John F'n Kerry (or Xlinton or J.Carter) would be forced to execute an overwhelming response to an act such as this. AQ must be desperate this would be their terminal end.

[teeman8r]

don't count on kerry avenging such an act... or clintoon for that matter... we do not have enough cruise missiles to make a difference...

kerry or clinton or any democrat would pull a mogadeshu and leave iraq ...

t

[WestTexasWend]

Ted Danson Is Dating Shrillary.

I think Ted has the inside track on playing Kerry in the movie (which is surely coming) on his VietNam years...(insert title and casting ideas here).

Michael Moore will play Laos.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Yes, kud's to Turkey for foiling this fiendish plot. And something els to smile about: these Muslim whack jobs will be spending the rest of their lives in a Turkish prison! BWAAAAAHAAHAHAHAHA! IMO, it would be a nice touch if the UN offered each of them a lifetime supply of axle grease.

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

[Speaking of Kerry, did you know the threat of terrorism is exaggerated?]

Someone needs to ask Kerry is he still thinks that.

Kerry just recommended raising the US Terror Advisory from "Hide" to "Call the UN".