Al Qaida acquires Russian surface-to-air missiles

WORLD TRIBUNE ^ | Friday, November 11, 2005 | WORLD TRIBUNE

[Tigen]

LONDON — Western intelligence sources said Al Qaida-aligned cells have procured the SA-18 anti-aircraft missile from the former Soviet Union. The sources said the missiles were smuggled into Turkey and acquired by Al Qaida-aligned cells in the Middle East."These are serious missiles and represents a step up in Al Qaida capability," an intelligence source said.

On Oct. 28, the French daily Le Figaro reported that Al Qaida-aligned cells have obtained SA-18s for attacks against French airliners. The daily said the cells acquired the missiles in 2002 from the so-called Chechen mafia.

[Southack]

"Maybe the Chechens feel that they have enough missiles that they could afford to sell a few."

If the Chechens have so many missiles, why have they never used one?

[Jacob Kell]

Maybe they save them for Russian jets and helicopters. After all, their terror attacks on civie airliners were both done by suicide bombers, if I'm not mistaken.

[endthematrix]

Never say never.

[xrp]

Ah yes, World Tribune -- about as reliable as DEBKA. You should be taken out in the backyard and flogged with a wet DUer for posting crap from this source.