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Christmas terror attack 'highly likely'
The Sunday Telegraph ^ | December 10, 2006 | Matthew Moore

Posted on 12/10/2006 3:08:10 AM PST by MadIvan

An attempted terrorist attack in Britain over the Christmas period is "highly likely", the Home Secretary said today.

John Reid said that around 30 conspiracies were under preparation, and the current threat level was "very high indeed".

He told GMTV Sunday that he did not think it an attack was inevitable, but that "the terrorists only have to get through once, as they did on July 7, for us to see the terrible carnage that it causes".

"Our security services have to be successful on every occasion to prevent that happening," he said.

"I try to walk the tightrope between being truthful and honest about the threat to the public but, on the other hand, to say we are doing everything possible to combat it and to try to keep our lifestyle as near as possible to the British way of life."

The Home Secretary added that he thought the battle against Islamic terrorism was likely to last longer than a generation.

Mr Reid's comments echo statements made by last month by Tony Blair and Dame Eliza Manningham-Buller, the head of MI5, about the rising threat posed by Muslim fundamentalist terrorists. Mr Blair warned that Britain faced a "long and deep struggle" to defeat al-Qa'eda.

The official terror assessment, posted on the Government's Intelligence website, currently rates the threat as "severe" - the second highest level.

"We ought to be very grateful to the people in the security services who work night and day to try to protect us," Mr Reid said.

"We can never guarantee that we will get 100 per cent success but we do get 100 per cent effort from the security services."


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; United Kingdom; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: jihadinengland; jinglebelljihad; reid; religionofpieces; terrorism; trop
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To: MadIvan

41 posted on 12/10/2006 6:59:46 AM PST by Gritty (Respect for the literal words of The Prophet is incompatible with human rights - Ayaan Hirsi Ali)
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To: MadIvan
It's amazing to me that Blair can recognize the threat, pay lip service to it's seriousness while at the same time that he advocates an Iraqi bug out which will only intensify its immediacy.
Blair, unlike Howard of Australia, seems incapable of rallying his country to the need for firmness and action and his attitude is just a leading indicator of just how soft the political elites have become in their unwillingness to see the dangers and lead an effort to confront it now.
I'm afraid it will take something on the scale of a nuclear attack on London to rouse the populace and the elites will then belatedly see the need to send someone else's children off to die to protect their sorry asses from the results of their own foolishness.
42 posted on 12/10/2006 7:08:37 AM PST by finnigan2
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To: prairiebreeze
If governments had stood firm TOGETHER in their efforts and resolve we'd be a lot further along in defeating these animals. If the media were honest with the public we'd all be a whole lot safer, INCLUDING THE MEDIA AND THEIR FAMILIES.

Partisan twits.

Bingo! I've written my Senators and Congressmen, and just get the standard reply form leter 123-F-U.

43 posted on 12/10/2006 7:24:37 AM PST by Cobra64 (Why is the War on Terror being managed by the DEFENSE Department?)
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To: Always Right
A terrorist attack on Christmas? That will pretty much make every terroris- hiding Mosque in Iraq open for target practice.

Wanna bet? Those mosques hold people of the "Islam religion of peace." W told us so.

Our guys can't fire on a mosque unless we get permission from an Iraqi. Pathetic way to fight a battle.

44 posted on 12/10/2006 7:28:07 AM PST by Cobra64 (Why is the War on Terror being managed by the DEFENSE Department?)
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To: cajungirl
For two years, I think, in the larger long term picture, we need another one of these to wake people up. The complacency in the "civilized" world is un-freakin-believable.

The same people who said "we will never forget" fell to alzheimer's disease less than a year after 9-11.


45 posted on 12/10/2006 7:34:17 AM PST by Cobra64 (Why is the War on Terror being managed by the DEFENSE Department?)
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To: MadIvan

An attact would be unwise since the West (US/UK) appears to be in full retreat mode. Why risk an action that might motovate the US/UK people to really fight then they are desparately trying to find someone to surrender to? Nope, no attack comming anytime soon, except perhaps lone crazies, certainly no orgainized (state sponcered) attacks in US or UK.


46 posted on 12/10/2006 7:45:24 AM PST by jpsb
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To: MadIvan

And in despair I bowed my head "there is no peace on earth " I said.
Then peeled the bells more loud and deep:"God is not dead ,nor doth he sleep;The wrong shall fail. the right prevail With peace on earth, good will to men"


47 posted on 12/10/2006 8:00:25 AM PST by nkycincinnatikid
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To: MadIvan

Well, there may be hope for England yet as they are referring to the perps as "Muslim terrorists" instead of "youths" as the French do.


48 posted on 12/10/2006 8:06:14 AM PST by Old_Mil (http://www.constitutionparty.com/)
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To: finnigan2

"while at the same time that he advocates an Iraqi bug out which will only intensify its immediacy."

What exactly do you mean by that?

If its 'cut and run' you are completely wrong and ignoirant of blairs position.

"Blair, unlike Howard of Australia, seems incapable of rallying his country to the need for firmness and action and his attitude is just a leading indicator of just how soft the political elites have become in their unwillingness to see the dangers and lead an effort to confront it now.
I'm afraid it will take something on the scale of a nuclear attack on London to rouse the populace and the elites will then belatedly see the need to send someone else's children off to die to protect their sorry asses from the results of their own foolishness."

I think you'll find blair has tried as hard, if not harder to rally the coubtry. He can't help the fact a large section of our country 'doesn't get it'.

I urge you to perhaps listen to him more often instead of liberal media cuttings that distort his position.

He didn't involve our military in two wars because he was incapable of rallying us behind the need for firmness and actions, I assure you.


49 posted on 12/10/2006 8:58:49 AM PST by UKrepublican (I)
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To: jpsb

Why?

The same reason they attacked us on 9/11.

The same reason they attack (or try to) countries that wanted nothing to do with iraq.

They want a fight, because its the only chance they have of winning, although because of their stupidity, they fail to realise that in reality they have no chance.


50 posted on 12/10/2006 9:01:07 AM PST by UKrepublican (I)
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To: MadIvan
the terrorists only have to get through once

The authorities keep saying that, but there are many terror attacks every day, and some get through. So, before we say 'that makes sense,' we ought to think, 'that makes no sense.'

51 posted on 12/10/2006 9:03:53 AM PST by RightWhale (RTRA DLQS GSCW)
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To: MadIvan
The method of terrorism is that it keeps us worried--terrified.

Vigilance is the only way to conduct ourselves.

52 posted on 12/10/2006 9:05:51 AM PST by bannie
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To: MadIvan

BTTT


53 posted on 12/10/2006 9:06:33 AM PST by Mrs. Don-o (Jesus, my Lord, my God, my all.)
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To: MadIvan

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20061209/D8LT9S680.html

Feds: Man Planned to Blow Up Ill. Mall

This has been buried by the MSM...this is my hometown and this is the mall where my mother shops.

Story:

CHICAGO (AP) - A Muslim convert who authorities say talked about waging violent jihad is in custody after federal agents say he tried to make an unusual trade: two stereo speakers for a 9 mm pistol and the grenades he would need to pull off his alleged plot.

After being tipped by an acquaintance of Derrick Shareef, the FBI says it taped the 22-year-old planning to use hand grenades to blow garbage cans into clouds of flying shrapnel in a crowded mall the Friday before Christmas. "This is a warning to those who disbelieve," he allegedly said.

Authorities waited to arrest the man until Wednesday, when they say he tried to make the trade with an undercover agent in a Rockford parking lot.

Shareef was charged Friday with crimes that could send him to prison for the rest of his life.

"He fixed on a day of December 22nd on Friday ... because it was the Friday before Christmas and thought that would be the highest concentration of shoppers that he could kill and injure," said Robert Grant, the agent in charge of the Chicago FBI office.

According to an FBI affidavit, Shareef had been under investigation since September, when he told an acquaintance "he wanted to commit acts of violent jihad against targets in the United States as well as commit other crimes."

The acquaintance immediately informed the FBI, officials said.

Officials said Shareef planned to set off four hand grenades in garbage cans at the CherryVale shopping mall in Rockford, about 90 miles northwest of Chicago.

[snip]


54 posted on 12/10/2006 9:10:31 AM PST by paulat
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To: UKrepublican

No chance? LOL, looks to me like they are winning and winning big. Also looks to me like the West no longer has the will to fight to win. Cruse missles do not win wars B52's, heavy artillery and lot's of boots on the ground win wars.


55 posted on 12/10/2006 9:13:03 AM PST by jpsb
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To: mariabush; Always Right; 6SJ7; cajungirl; jpsb

Ping to #54...it's already underway....


56 posted on 12/10/2006 9:14:35 AM PST by paulat
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To: MadIvan

mmm yes, and Easter attack 'highly likely' and "presidents day' 'highly likely for attack' and thanksgiving was 'highly likely' for an attack as well. Last year was supposed to be 'the worst hurricane season ever' and when that didn't pan out, they immediately started in on next year as going to be 'the worst ever' That's it! I'm going to eat at Taco Bell http://sacredscoop.com


57 posted on 12/10/2006 9:15:58 AM PST by CottShop
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To: paulat

re 54, the lone crazy.


58 posted on 12/10/2006 9:16:32 AM PST by jpsb
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To: CottShop

See #54


59 posted on 12/10/2006 9:17:41 AM PST by paulat
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To: jpsb
re 54, the lone crazy.

...he ain't Methodist....

60 posted on 12/10/2006 9:18:18 AM PST by paulat
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