Posted on 11/10/2006 7:56:43 AM PST by XR7
LONDON (Reuters) - Muslim extremists are plotting at least 30 major terrorist attacks in Britain and the threats could involve chemical and nuclear devices, a British spy chief said.
Eliza Manningham-Buller, head of domestic spy agency MI5, said young British Muslims were being groomed to become suicide bombers and her agents were tracking some 1,600 suspects, most of whom were British-born and linked to al Qaeda in Pakistan.
"We are aware of numerous plots to kill people and damage our economy. What do I mean by numerous? Five? Ten? No, nearer 30 ... that we know of," Manningham-Buller said in a speech to a specially invited audience in London on Thursday evening.
Her remarks were posted on the MI5 Web site on Friday.
"These plots often have links back to al Qaeda in Pakistan and through those links al Qaeda gives guidance and training to its largely British foot soldiers here," she added.
The warnings were not intended to alarm but to paint a frank picture of the al Qaeda threat, she said, adding that it was sustained and growing.
"And it is not just the UK, of course," she warned. "Other countries also face a new terrorist threat: from Spain to France to Canada and Germany."
Britain suffered its worst peacetime attack in July last year when four British Islamists blew themselves up on London's transport network, killing 52 commuters and wounding hundreds.
"This is a threat that has grown up over a generation. I think (Manningham-Butler)'s absolutely right in saying it will last a generation," British Prime Minister Tony Blair told reporters.
Blair said it could only be combated by tough terrorism laws and fighting "poisonous propaganda" influencing young people.
The government has said law and order will be a major part of the next parliamentary session and tougher security measures are expected to be outlined in a speech next Wednesday.
NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY
Anti-terrorist police have warned the terrorist threat has increased since last year's attacks and say they have thwarted at least five major plots since then.
In August, police said they foiled a plot to blow up transatlantic airliners using liquid explosives.
Earlier this week, British Muslim convert Dhiren Barot was jailed for 40 years for planning to blow up the New York Stock Exchange and carry out attacks in Britain using a "dirty bomb" and gas-filled limousines.
Manningham-Buller, who rarely speaks in public, provided the most detailed account of how serious the threat was.
"My officers and the police are working to contend with some 200 groupings or networks, totaling over 1,600 identified individuals who are actively engaged in plotting or facilitating terrorist acts here and overseas," she said.
Manningham-Buller said the number of cases being pursued by security services had risen by 80 percent since January.
"Today we see the use of home-made improvised explosive devices. Tomorrow's threat may, and I suggest will, include the use of chemicals, bacteriological agents, radioactive materials and even nuclear technology," she said.
While Blair has rejected the argument that British foreign policy is to blame for the terrorist threat, Manningham-Buller said the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan seemed to play a part.
"The extremists are motivated by a sense of grievance and injustice driven by their interpretation of the history between the West and the Muslim world," she said.
Youths were being actively targeted and radicalized, she said. "Chillingly, we see the results here. Young teenagers groomed to be suicide bombers."
Thanks for the info but after reading it I'm sorry I dared to ask the question!
I really hate to say this...but it looks like YOU might be right!
ROTFLOL
The policies actually were hatched during Bush, Sr.'s administration. The Clintonistas merely fine-tuned them. And yes, the RATS and Republicans are "joined at the hip." The federal buracracy stays the same, regardless of who's in power, and we have not had a president in almost 20 years who has the balls to stop it. We are well on our way towards a disaster.
Our Lord sees the vacuum and He decides. When the time is right, He will fill the void.
I think the time is soon.
Democrats will change it all!
The Willie Wetleg Brits are not gonna really act until and unless that get twice the trouble and twice the deaths that they got earlier with the bus bombings. And even then they won't act. Blair seems to think it's the job of the British to counter the "poisonous propaganda" that is infecting the minds of young Islamists. This is classic Liberal masochism. I would round them up, all the suspicious ones, and DEPORT them post-haste. How long will this state of denial last? How long CAN it last? And as pusillanimous as Blair's words seem, let's remember that he is the real "terror warrior" among them. It is simply hard to believe how far things HAVE gotten out of hand there.
A lot has happened since May 2005--- a year and a half ago. I wonder what an updated survey would look like.
Thanks for posting it. :-)
"Hear, O earth: behold, I am bringing disaster on this people, The fruit of their plans, Because they have not listened to My words, And as for My law, they have rejected it also.
Jeremiah 6:19
Don't worry - we'll send over the Democrats. They'll fix EVERYTHING in the "situation" and be assured of good press the entire time.
/ BIG Flipping Sarcasm.
"Why is our government increasing the portion of Muslim immigrants from the Middle East from 15% to 73% so far this decade? Projections by the Center for Immigrant Studies are for 2.5 million Muslim immigrants from the Middle East by 2010. What in hell is going on? How is this good for our nation?"
It brought to mind this excellent commentary posted by Helms a few years ago, which I book marked and just went through again:
The Idealogical War Within the West < Agenda of UN EU US Transnational Elites >
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1241036/posts
All a conspiracy? No. The ever changing face of geopolitics, and all hostile towards the United States. It's represented more in the Democrat party than Republican, but the Republican party in infiltrated by these ideas as well.
I know all this is frustrating. But as many commentators have recently said about the recent election, Conservatism didn't lose, the Republicans who abandoned it in Washington lost. We need better Republicans.
We need to keep fighting.
"...It's time we recognized the nature of the conflict. It's total war and we are all involved. Nobody on our side is exempted because of age, gender, or handicap. The Islamofacists have stolen childhood from the world." [FReeper Retief]
"...That the totalitarian force pitted against freedom wears a religious makes this civil war among mankind all the more difficult to engage. Loving freedom as we do, it seems reprehensible to deliberate against a religion. But this is no ordinary religion as it demands absolute obedience of all to their religion at the cost of freedom itself." [FReeper Backtothestreets]
This is why defending the 2nd Amendment is so important. And not just meaning a hunting rifle. I want the right to all types of arms.
couldnt agree more, heck, im ready to NUKE mecca. these buggers need to be SCARED. now, we arent taken seriously
LOL Open a can of Wide-eyed Can't we all just get along in this "situation" Pelosi! ha!
BTTT
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.