Posted on 06/30/2007 4:21:08 PM PDT by Pokey78
Teams of forensic scientists are poring over two "gold mines" - the Mercedes cars filled with petrol, gas and nails which failed to explode in central London.
Last night, scores of specialists were taking the vehicles apart at secret locations, confident they will find crucial clues to the identity of the terrorists. Police expect to find DNA from the bombers and to secure evidence about where the bomb material came from.
The car bombs are of the kind used on a daily basis in Iraq but, unlike attacks there, the militants operating in London were not suicide bombers prepared to sacrifice themselves for their cause.
It is the first time that so-called vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices have been used in an attack in Britain since the IRA abandoned its terror campaign. The IRA, however, always tested its bombs before embarking on a mission. It appeared the London bombers had been unable to try theirs out, as both failed to explode.
The decision not to use suicide bombers is regarded as noteworthy because it makes the planning of operations far more complex. It may also suggest a shortage of volunteers prepared to die in al-Qaeda's pursuit of global holy war.
As the search for the bombers continued last night, some reports said it was centring on Birmingham, home to 140,000 Muslims.
In May, David Cameron, the Conservative leader, spoke of a "growing problem of cultural separatism" between the white and Muslim communities, after he spent 24 hours with a family in a largely Muslim suburb of the city.
Mr Cameron said that, while visiting a Birmingham mosque, he had been asked "some depressing questions about who was really responsible for 9/11 and even 7/7 - that it was a CIA plot; that Jews had been told to leave the twin towers".
The extent to which young Muslims are becoming radicalised, and the speed at which it can happen, have caused alarm. MI5 is aware of 1,700 terrorist suspects active in Britain. Peter Clarke, the Metropolitan Police deputy assistant commissioner, spoke before the London attacks of a "very, very concerning intelligence picture".
Fears of a car bombing in Britain have been growing after two planned al-Qaeda attacks were thwarted three years ago. One gang, assembling a fertiliser bomb, was secretly recorded early in 2004 planning to target the Ministry of Sound nightclub in central London. Four months later, a separate gang, planning to use gas cylinder bombs, was rounded up. The latest plot brings to mind Dhiren Barot, 36, an Indian-born Londoner who, after his arrest, admitted writing a document called Rough presentation for the gas limos project. The document, found on a terrorist's laptop seized by Pakistani police three years ago, detailed plans for a gas attack on London. Barot was jailed for life in November.
The two Mercedes involved in Friday's failed attacks were left near the Tiger Tiger nightclub, on the Haymarket, and in nearby Cockspur Street, site of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
The type of bombs used suggest that al-Qaeda militants have been unable to get hold of Semtex, the high explosive that was commonly used by the IRA. Had the car bombs detonated, however, they would have created a fireball the size of a large house and spread a shockwave for 400 yards.
Scotland Yard said it had hundreds of images of the two cars from CCTV cameras, and the fact that the bombs did not go off will provide "first-class information".
Security sources have told The Sunday Telegraph that mobile phones found in the cars were intended to be used to detonate the bombs. Each phone had been called twice but, due to technical failings, the devices had not exploded.
"The cars have given us two marvellous pieces of evidence. They are gold mines," said one senior police source. "But if they had gone off, hundreds of lives could have been lost. We were very lucky."
bump
7-Use your fancy racks and iron maidens that you keep hidden in the Tower. If you’re too prudish to use the equipment, you can always hang, draw and quarter them.
Looks like the handiwork of Palestinians.
If the Muslims hate England and the West so much, why do they keep coming? Crate them up and ship them back.
Admitting these reprobates into Western societies is nothing less than suicidal insanity.
It does absolutely no good to keep swatting at the flies if you do nothing to eliminate the steaming pile of dung in the corner - Saudi Arabia and their madrasas.
Even an atheist would have to think twice. And how incompetent can a terrorist be? No wonder all they can do successfully is blow themselves up and fly planes into things.
I guess that means they won't be rewarded with 72 virgins.
Impossible.
A fourth if you count the sick bastard’s defective vest.
Couldn't they have chosen an old Fiat, or something?
They are?? This is news to me. Sounds to me like left wing propaganda.
Oh, I bet they've been called a lot more times than that.
I think "gold mine" was the term he used.
Welcome to your new quarters, gentlemen. The arrow points to Mecca.
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