(UK) Sports stadia alerted to threat from al-Qa'eda

The Sunday Telegraph ^ | November 17, 2002 | David Bamber

[MadIvan]

Football clubs and operators of all other big sports stadia have been warned by the security services that they could be the target of an attack by al-Qa'eda.

This goes to show what utter fools the terrorists are. They apparently want to enrage our football hooligans. Good luck. - Ivan

Within the past few weeks MI5 and Special Branch officers have told most large grounds in Britain that they could face an imminent assault.

The alert was prompted by intercepted conversations between al-Qa'eda operatives in Pakistan and elsewhere obtained by the CIA. These show that terrorists plan to target a leading sports stadium or public venue in the United States or Western Europe.

Sports venues that have been given advice include Twickenham, where England played Australia at rugby union yesterday, and football grounds such as Old Trafford, the home of Manchester United.

Stadium operators have been told to increase searches, ensure that all vehicles are parked away from entrances, make sure CCTV cameras are working and train staff to spot individuals acting suspiciously.

The police have stepped up their presence at all sports stadia. Local authorities, responsible for civil defence, and fire brigades have also drawn up contingency plans to evacuate grounds quickly and deal with hundreds of casualties in the event of a disaster, such as a car bomb or poison gas attack.

The warning was backed by a Cabinet Office document, seen by The Telegraph, on the risks posed by international terrorism.

It said: "Protective security advice is being made available to a broad range of contacts in the commercial and business community, including the operators of major public venues such as sports stadia."

MI5 stopped a plan by al-Qa'eda to blow up a British shopping centre during Christmas 2000, while a plot to hijack an aircraft and fly it into the Houses of Parliament at the same time as the September 11 attacks was foiled by the Indian government.

Earlier this year, The Telegraph revealed that al-Qa'eda had drawn up plans to hit sports stadia. The Manual of Afghan Jihad said that targets of "sentimental value", such as Big Ben, the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower, should be destroyed, in addition to sites of "high human intensity".

[MadIvan]

These animals are going out of their way to provoke us to the extent we will go medieval on them. The rack, drawing and quartering, and heads on spikes sounds better all the time.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[patj]

I keep wondering about the tactic of getting every country in the world mad at them. Doesn't seem rational. Geez, what am I saying; talking about rational and terrorists in the same sentence?

[Iowa Granny]

The world will be when these holligans are NOT taken alive.

[MadIvan]

More specifically, getting every country with a powerful military angry at them, and peoples who are not noted for their willingness to surrender.

Osama said that his boys love death as much as we in the West love life. Apparently.

Regards, Ivan

[Iowa Granny]

And I forgot to add:

I know nothing of the personality types of Brit football fans,,,, but I certainly know alot about US football fans. This is not a personality type that one should provoke intentionally.

[MadIvan]

Well, to give you some idea of our footie fans:

Need I say more? ;)

Regards, Ivan

[patj]

Those the same "hooligans" that have been banned from some countries? ;)

[MadIvan]

Those the same "hooligans" that have been banned from some countries? ;)

Precisely. That's whom Al Qaeda apparently wants to make angry.

Regards, Ivan

[Iowa Granny]

I am using a magnifying glass to study the photo of the fans,,,,,,, wondering if one of them is my son,,,,,,

[patj]

As the song says: "You don't pull on Superman's cape".

[dennisw]

*IF* these threats against the UK are true it will be because Al-Q wants to split the UK off from the USofA. If the UK turns tail due to Al-Q terror, says it won't help us, then no one will.

[MadIvan]

I'm not scared. I don't think many others will be either. We're not French, after all.

Regards, Ivan

[The Turbanator]

"The rack, drawing and quartering, and heads on spikes sounds better all the time."

I love this type of thinking, Ivan. But I think your going a little too easy on the sandfleas of the mideast.

[GOPyouth]

The rack, drawing and quartering, and heads on spikes sounds better all the time.

Ivan, I have a quick history question for you. When I was at the Tower back in a 1995 trip to London, I vaguely remember the Beefeaters saying something to the effect that the reason the ravens are there are because they originally fed on of the heads that were placed on the stakes.
I was a senior in high school at the time, and remember that being the coolest thing I ever heard. Any truth to any of that?

I can't wait to go back to London. It is such a fun place!

[Dog]

Thanks for the ping Ivan....stay safe.

[Happygal]

That's nothing to be proud of. Some of those football hooligan thugs are every bit as bad as the terrorists. Indeed, some of them are a brand of terrorist in their own right. I'm sorry, but all of those National Front blokes turn my stomach quite frankly.

[MadIvan]

No I'm just saying that Al Qaeda has suicidal impulses. Not all hooligans have NF connections however.

Love, Ivan

[Happygal]

Not all hooligans have NF connections however.

Not all but many. And Ivan, you well know that these 'hooligans' aren't just hot heads who get annoyed at a game and start a row. They are organised groups of thugs, who deliberately arm themselves, travel to games, and start a riot. I'd call them Britain's indigenous terrorists myself.

[MadIvan]

And Ivan, you well know that these 'hooligans' aren't just hot heads who get annoyed at a game and start a row. They are organised groups of thugs, who deliberately arm themselves, travel to games, and start a riot. I'd call them Britain's indigenous terrorists myself.

It is a problem, but the authorities have been getting better at dealing with it, I think. It's hard to get too worked up about it though when you have Al Qaeda threatening to release poison gas in the Tube however.

Love, Ivan