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http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1510805/posts

France - Islamists threaten to shoot down airliners with SAM-18 missiles from Chechen mafia
Le Figaro via Babelfish translation ^ | October 28, 2005 | Jean Chichizola

Posted on 10/28/2005 2:49:38 AM PDT by HAL9000

TWO GROUND-to-air MISSILES of Soviet manufacture, of type SAM 18, imported into Europe remain untraceable. Acquired in 2002 by a group of French and Algerian islamists near the Maffia tchetchene, these weapons are in the center of a terrorist project aiming at cutting down a civil aircraft near an airport of the Hexagon. Until now, Bruguière judge, who inquires into this cell of radical islamists, suspected them of having prepared attacks chemical or bacteriological in Paris. But the testimony of a high person in charge for Al-Qaida held in Jordan revealed that this group involved in Tchétchénie had other criminal projects.

French ISLAMISTES would intend to make attacks against civil aircrafts in the Hexagon and would have gotten for this purpose two ground-to-air missiles in Tchétchénie. It is only the last bounce of the judicial enquiry of judge Jean-Louis Bruguière on the dies tchetchenes, one of richest and most complex of these last years.

Already suspected of preparing chemical or bacteriological attacks with toxic substances, like cyanide, botulinic toxin or ricine, these militants also has criminal projects against the French airports. If a great part of them were challenged by the DST between 2002 and 2004, some individuals have escaped with the hauls. And no one does not know today if the missiles of the type SAM 18 assets into 2002 were destroyed, carried in other countries European or quite simply stored some share in France for a future attack.

Information is all the more worrying as it emanates from the testimony of a high person in charge djihadist imprisoned in Amman (Jordan) and recently heard within the framework for the French judicial enquiry. This Jordanian, Adnan Muhammad Sadik alias Abou Atiya, is a close relation of its Zarqaoui compatriot, head of Al-Qaida in Iraq. He was especially his representative in the Caucasus. Of these years 2000-2001, and particularly after the fall of the talibans and the end of the Al-Qaida camps in Afghanistan, the role of Abou Atiya consisted in taking again the torch to accomodate the djihadists and to take care of their drive. Once their formation achieved, the recruits set out again in their countries of origin or formed dormant cells in nearby States like Turkey or Azerbaïdjan.

Among much of volunteers of the four corners of the world, Abou Atiya accomodates thus in 2001 a group made up of French and Algerians. A part of them are veterans of Afghanistan. The majority took part in the project of attack against the cathedral of Strasbourg at at the end of 2000. Some have even bonds with those which wanted to make jump the airport of Los Angeles earlier one year. The Jordanian head ties a relation privileged with the Algerian Said Arif. Born in 1965 in Oran, this lieutenant of the Algerian army, which chose the desertion, remained in the Afghan Al-Qaida camps. After having escaped with the police forces German and French, it takes refuge in the Caucasus.

The islamists free-Algerian dream only of one thing: to return to Europe to strike. They intend to make use of all the means at their disposal: toxic products but also of the missiles. A batch of SAM 18 Igla (switches) is acquired on the black market via the Maffia tchetchene. More powerful than SAM 7 Strela (arrow) from which they are derived, Igla are not difficult to find in this vast supermarket of the armament which is the old Soviet Union. Once acquired, SAM would have been sent in Europe via Georgia and Turkey. The cyanide followed the same road and arrived to France.

Veterans of Afghanistan

The terrorists prepare their projects then, hesitant between targets symbolic systems (embassy of Russia, police stations) and attacks bloody (department stores, Eiffel Tower...). When the DST challenges large troop in Courneuve and Romainville at at the end of 2002, it finds a fusing. It will still have to be waited months so that the assumption of a chemical attack is specified. But not of trace of missile.

However, in February 2003, two months after the haul of the Parisian suburbs, and just a month after a British operation counters returned djihadists of the Caucasus, the London airport of Heathrow is placed in red alert. According to information collected on the other side of the channel, islamists were on the point of drawing on a plane with the landing or takeoff. And the "pipe" obtained by the famous service of British against-espionage Mr. I5 announced portable ground-to-air missiles "come from the continent".

Note: The following text is an exact quote:
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http://www.centcom.mil/CENTCOMNews/News_Release.asp?NewsRelease=20051093.txt

NEWS RELEASE
HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND
7115 South Boundary Boulevard
MacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101
Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894
October 27, 2005
Release Number: 05-10-93

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

INSURGENTS KILLED, WEAPONS SEIZED IN RAMADI

CAMP BLUE DIAMOND, AR RAMADI, Iraq – Coalition Forces killed terrorists in Ramadi Oct. 27 while conducting a cordon and search operation at the Malaab Soccer Stadium in the eastern part of the city.

At approximately 11:00 a.m. a sniper team that was conducting security for the operation observed a military age male surveying the stadium with binoculars shortly after Coalition Forces were attacked with a rocket propelled grenade. The sniper team determined hostile intent and engaged the terrorist with one round, resulting in the death of the insurgent.

At approximately 11:30 a.m., Coalition Forces were attacked with small arms fire from multiple positions on rooftops surrounding the stadium. Coalition Forces returned fire, but were not able to confirm damage to the enemy. At 11:45 a.m., a sniper team at the stadium observed two insurgents armed with AK-47s southwest of their location moving into position on the roof of a building. The sniper team engaged the terrorists and were able to confirm both enemy killed in action.

No Coalition Forces were injured in today’s attacks.

The cordon and search resulted in the seizure of 30 lbs. of plastic explosives, typically found to be used in Improvised Explosive Devices and vehicle car bombs. The contents of the cache will be destroyed.

A few weeks ago, Coalition Forces uncovered a significant weapons cache on the Soccer Stadium premises.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT THE MULTI-NATIONAL FORCE-WEST PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE AT CEPAOWO@CEMNF-WIRAQ.USMC.MIL.
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