Tip Followed '05 Attacks on London Transit

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/10/AR2006081001654.html?sub=AR ^ | 08/11/2006 | Craig Whitlock and Dafna Linzer

[LM_Guy]

It all began with a tip: In the aftermath of the July 7, 2005, suicide bombings on London's transit system, British authorities received a call from a worried member of the Muslim community, reporting general suspicions about an acquaintance.

From that vague but vital piece of information, according to a senior European intelligence official, British authorities opened the investigation into what they said turned out to be a well-coordinated and long-planned plot to bomb multiple transatlantic flights heading toward the United States -- an assault designed to rival the scope and lethality of the Sept. 11, 2001, hijackings.

By late 2005, the probe had expanded to involve several hundred investigators on three continents. They kept dozens of suspects under close surveillance for months, even as some of the plotters traveled between Britain and Pakistan to raise money, find recruits and refine their scheme, according to interviews with U.S. and European counterterrorism officials.

Precise details of the plot -- how many planes, their destinations and the date -- remain unknown. The shape of the operation changed regularly as the would-be bombers considered which transatlantic flights to target and prepared for a practice run, which was expected to take place in the next few days, U.S. law enforcement officials said.

Investigators eventually pieced together enough information from a blizzard of stakeouts, tips and wiretaps to make clear that something big was in the works, and that the plotters' preparations were nearing an end.

"It's not like three weeks ago all of a sudden MI5 knew about this plot and went to work," added a U.S. law enforcement official, speaking of the British security service. "They'd had a concern about these guys for some time -- for months. ........

[GOP_1900AD]

Ever flown in a 747-400?

[sionnsar]

I think a 747 can have 400-500 passengers. Since they wouldn't be trying to take over the planes they would go for the most crowded flights

Airbus A380: The best target of all

[GOP_1900AD]

They might have fallen on me and my wife. Seriously, we are under a downwind leg into a major international airport in California.

[N. Theknow]

Wonder if TWA 800 was a test run of the "explosive liquid" approach to blowing up an airliner.

[steve-b]

British authorities received a call from a worried member of the Muslim community, reporting general suspicions about an acquaintance.

I hope his radical brethren don't find out who he is....