Posted on 04/29/2007 4:07:50 PM PDT by blam
Al-Qaeda supporters working at strategic sites
By Ben Leapman, Home Affairs Correspondent, Sunday Telegraph
Last Updated: 1:19am BST 29/04/2007
Suspects linked to al-Qaeda have obtained sensitive jobs in vital industries that could be the target of terrorist attacks, it can be revealed.
The individuals were uncovered by police and the security services in operations designed to protect key British sites such as transport hubs, power stations and the water supply.
Security chiefs believe that they may have become radicalised while already in employment, thus evading the strict vetting procedure for applicants for security-sensitive posts.
Following the discovery, the Government is to draft new guidelines for companies to strengthen systems for monitoring staff. Employees will be encouraged to report any concerns they may have about suspicious behaviour by colleagues.
Other elements of the critical national infrastructure that the Government has drawn up include plans to defend telecommunications, food supply, finance, key health facilities and the emergency services.
A senior Whitehall source said: "Police and the intelligence services are coming across more names - I'm not saying a huge number, but more cases - where they are identifying people they are concerned about that are working in jobs of some sensitivity."
MI5 is understood to have unmasked al-Qaeda sympathisers who joined its ranks during a recruitment drive aimed at young British Muslims, following the London bombings. At least three Metropolitan Police officers have also been investigated over visits they made to Pakistan, according to the Association of Muslim Police.
This month, a former employee at America's biggest nuclear power plant was charged with taking access codes and layout plans to Iran.
Mohammed Alavi, 49, a US citizen, is accused of downloading sensitive information about Palos Verde Nuclear Generation Station while on a visit to Teheran. He denies wrongdoing but could face up to two years in prison if convicted.
Global leaders of al-Qaeda have called on the organisation's followers in Western countries to adopt tactics that include the infiltration of key industries, known in security circles as the critical national infrastructure. A tactical manual published in 2004, The Management of Savagery by Abu Bakr Naji, urges al-Qaeda supporters to "infiltrate the police forces, the armies, the different political parties, the newspapers, the Islamic groups, the petroleum companies, private security companies, sensitive civil institutions".
Angela Gendron, a former British official and now a senior fellow at the Canadian Centre of Intelligence and Security Studies, said: "Recent examples in the UK and US suggest that al-Qaeda may be trying to plant agents within organisations or encourage existing employees to provide useful information.
"Al-Qaeda documents posted on websites have explicitly urged jihadis to infiltrate sensitive organisations in the West."
Who cares about "profiling"?
You don't see Lithuanians flying jets into buildings or being homicide bombers. You see Muslim Arabs doing it.
I don’t have any doubt of this. I’m also would not be surprised if our security services have not penetrated. I know for a fact that Illegal aliens with false documents had received Border jobs with Customs and Border Protection(CBP) in spite of an expensive and lengthy clearance process. Some of our agents even live in what is Mexico. I also know that radical leftists are employed in CIA, NSA, and CBP and if they could get jobs there then I’m certain Alqaeda could do it.
What we need is a mandatory loyalty test for all positions requiring access to classified information. People that hate America should not be employed in protecting our secrets.
"Our Iranian overlords insist that this is not true.
Mohammed Alavi gave bus timetables of places that just happened to be near Palos Verde Nuclear Generation Station
and another five sites in America. Our wise, benevolent Iranian overlords only wanted the bus schedules."
Heck, we’ve got one working as the Senate Majority leader.
Yeah only bus schedules. I think the time when the next attack here is likely will be before the next Presidential election or shortly there after. They don’t want to attack before then because they want the weak party elected. I think they will do it before to try to play to the lefts paranoia of GW Bush who will of course say it was planned to get Republicans elected and try to replay Spain. I really fear they have the people and assets in place already for the next attack. It is like my little boy, when he is very very quiet it means I should probably be checking what he is doing. The quiet here in the states is deafening. I wouldn’t be surprised to see they are infiltrating leftist organizations and feeding the propaganda war directly. Maybe I’m wrong but I wouldn’t be surprised.
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.