Regards, Ivan
Posted on 03/16/2003 4:36:52 AM PST by MadIvan
GARDAI believe that al-Qaeda is attempting to recruit young Muslims in Ireland. Gardai have seized videos showing speeches by Osama bin Laden and horrific scenes of extreme Islamists carrying out massacres in Algeria.
They believe these have been used to try and recruit young Muslims here.
Identical videos were seized last year in Britain and are now part of a case against two Algerians accused of membership of al-Qaeda and promoting terrorism.
While there is no immediate Islamist terrorist threat here, gardai have been in close contact with US and British security agencies over the activities of a number of al-Qaeda figures here.
As the American and British war on Iraq looms, it has also been learned that links have emerged between suspected al-Qaeda figures here and the planned terrorist attacks in Britain involving the toxin, Ricin. One of the suspected Algerian al-Qaeda members arrested during the Ricin scare is believed to have links to the al-Qaeda cell which has been operating out of Dublin. Senior security sources have indicated that al-Qaeda's presence here has doubled in the past year with the arrival of up to 15 men. The group has also spread out of Dublin and suspects are now located in the West and South West. Despite official denials, there is increasing evidence that Ireland has been and continues to be used as an important organising centre for al-Qaeda. It is believed it may have placed key figures here while contemplating attacks on British or US targets.
It is also suspected that one of the men charged in connection with the poison plot in Britain after the discovery of Ricin in London in January may have lived here under a different name in the past two years.
This week, the Government will order heightened security precautions to deal with increased anti-war protests and possible al-Qaeda terrorist attacks in Britain to coincide with the expected invasion of Iraq later this week.
The Taoiseach was briefed at the White House and is understood to have been made aware that war in Iraq is imminent. Mr Ahern returned from Washington on Friday evening and preparations are being made for other ministers to return from St Patrick's Day celebrations around the world. The Minister for Defence, Mr Smith, is expected back early this week from his visit to Savannah, Georgia in the US but the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell, who is in China is unlikely to return before the end of the week. Last week's Cabinet meeting was briefed by the anti-terrorism task force set up by the Minister for Defence.
Anti-war groups here are urging people to stage nationwide protests in a campaign called 'Stop the World to Stop the War'.
Irish peace groups will call on supporters to join a 10-minute solidarity stoppage at midday on Day X - the day the war breaks out - and will urge people to walk out of work, school, college, their house, or stop their car and wear a white armband.
Advice from senior gardai and Defence Forces is that no direct acts of terrorism are expected here but there is concern about the activities of an al-Qaeda cell that is active in Ireland.
Security sources are expressing concern about calls for action being made by al-Qaeda leaders, spread on the Internet in recent weeks. Sources here say suspected al-Qaeda members in Ireland have been unusually active in recent weeks and have been monitored using Internet cafes. The last time this level of activity was found was before the September 11 attacks.
On his return, the defence minister is expected to convene a meeting of the Emergency Planning Task Force involving the Defence Forces, gardai and departments of health and environment.
The Sunday Independent has also learned that the director of an al-Qaeda front company in Dublin has been linked to the only person convicted of plotting the September 11 attacks. Call logs obtained by this newspaper show that convicted student Mounir El Motassadeq contacted Dr Safar al Hawali, a former director of Mercy International Relief Agency in Dublin, nine months before the September 11 attacks.
Regards, Ivan
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.