Posted on 02/08/2006 3:23:37 AM PST by FreedomPoster
As Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri is convicted of race hate crimes, police have revealed the details of a raid on north London's Finsbury Park Mosque in 2003.
The Metropolitan Police faced criticism from some Muslim leaders when they took the controversial step of raiding the mosque in the early hours of 20 January 2003. But, after uncovering equipment which detectives believe may have been used in UK-based terror camps, senior officers believe their action was justified. Dozens of officers in body armour used battering rams to enter the building to start three days of searches. The full details of equipment, weapons and terrorism paraphernalia can only now be revealed as Abu Hamza's trial is over. Among the haul - some of which was found close to Abu Hamza's office - were chemical warfare protection suits, pistols, CS spray and a stun gun.
A gas mask, handcuffs, hunting knives and a walkie-talkie were also found.
Ricin breakthrough Aside from military-style equipment, police also found more then 100 stolen or forged passports and identity documents, credit cards, laminating equipment and chequebooks hidden under rugs. More than £3,000 in cash was also recovered.
But it was the discovery of what was thought to be ricin at a flat in nearby Wood Green earlier that month that had led to the raid. Evidence found at that raid linked al-Qaeda suspect Kamel Bourgass to Finsbury Park. A week after the raid in Wood Green, Bourgass was arrested at a flat in Manchester on suspicion of making poison. As he tried to escape, he stabbed Det Con Stephen Oake to death and seriously injured three other officers. He was jailed for life in 2004. Like other illegal immigrants, Bourgass had used the mosque as a place to stay, even using it as his postal address for correspondence with the immigration service.
He had stayed there in the weeks before his attempts to make ricin were discovered. A week after the arrest of Bourgass, the decision was taken to launch Operation Mermant - the raid on the mosque. Guided by the light of a helicopter beam, the officers battered their way into the building. Muslim officers accompanied police on the raid with officers wearing overshoes as a sign of respect. Abu Hamza dismissed The nature of the raid has not been made public until now, for fear of prejudicing Abu Hamza's trial.
It was condemned by the cleric as "provocative", "silly" and "illogical". Following an investigation by the Charity Commission, Abu Hamza was suspended from his post at Finsbury Park mosque in April 2002. The commission concluded that he had used his position for "personal and political, rather than charitable, purposes". But he was not formally dismissed until February 2003 - weeks after the raid. The mosque was closed and boarded up for months after the raid before officially reopening in February 2005 with a new board of trustees, who have heralded a fresh start for the mosque. |
They're a murderous cult!
I have no problem with the authorities making this raid - - provided that it was not based on any info received from a warrantless wiretap (sarc).
Imagine what it would sound like if a typical FReeper's house was "raided" by a future lefty administration.
Right wing extremist house was raided... police recovered
armor piercing sniper rifle (deer rifle, wooo!!!)
military assault style weapon (ar-15 or other legal rifle)
shotgun (clay pigeons, beware!)
pistol
hundreds of rounds of ammunition and high capacity magazines
camoflage (...hunting!)
knives (same!)
walkie talkies (same!)
dangerous right wing literature (a 3 year old copy of newsmax, a ronald reagan portrait, and a thomas sowell book)
Unfortunately true "rule of law" takes time, time to be certain that there is merit to an accusation. I, personally wouldn't be angry about that.
And why didn't a Briton with a gun or machete take care of Hamza years ago, when he made it clear he was an enemy in their midst?
Britons are laregly law-abiding, and taking direct action, even when this bozo was mouthing off like he was accustomed to doing, would have gone against British law. No, it may have taken some time, but they nailed this bustard legally, which is ok in my book. The only pity was the sentence, which was too light in my opinion.
Now, there will likely come a time when we may have to use more stringent means than are currently available to deal with these vermin, but rights, once trashed, are difficult to reestablish. We should only go there if absolutely necessary, and even then, warily...
the infowarrior
END THE DOLE
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
Those of us trapped in 56K dialup HELL appreciate your kindness.
To which I can't disagree, philosophically, but as neither of us are Britons, that would be up to them...
the infowarrior
I've got a filled-in one. Does that count?
"And these guys hadn't even heard about the Cartoons yet!" We got a little problem here. Bring out the vats of boiling sulphuric acid men! OK camel humper, jump in. Yes you one eye!
That is THE PROBLEM....what if the weapons fall in the category of WMD's????
I have one too somewhere....and neither count!!!
Welcome to 2006... There are *no* easy answers, only bad, and worse...
the infowarrior
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