Posted on 01/30/2003 4:46:05 PM PST by MadIvan
British officials have presented evidence which they claim shows that al-Qaeda has been trying to assemble radioactive material to build a so-called dirty bomb.
They have shown the BBC previously undisclosed material backing up their claim.
It includes secret intelligence from agents sent into al-Qaeda training camps in Afghanistan by Britain.
Posing as recruits, they blended in and reported back.
They revealed that Osama Bin Laden's weapons programme was further on than anyone thought.
British officials said on Thursday Bin Laden now has the expertise and possibly the materials to build a crude radioactive bomb.
The government says evidence suggests that by 1999, Bin Laden's priority was to develop a weapon of mass destruction.
He had acquired radioactive isotopes from the Taleban to do this, officials said, adding that development work on the "dirty bomb" had been going on in a nuclear laboratory in the Afghan city of Herat.
Evidence 'credible'
The government even has al-Qaeda training manuals which detail how to use a dirty bomb to maximum effect.
For a second opinion, the BBC showed some of the material to an expert on al-Qaeda.
"I think this is genuine," said Dr Mustafa Alani, of the Royal United Service Institute.
"It is credible. This is proof that al-Qaeda put a lot of effort into collecting information and educating other members of the organisation.
"It is possible to produce this sort of weapon."
British military personnel worked with intelligence officers to gather material which was taken to Porton Down defence research centre in Wiltshire.
Their conclusion was that al-Qaeda had a small dirty bomb but probably not a full blown nuclear device.
"From nuclear weapons the threat is very, very slim," said Gary Samore, a former US National Security Council member.
To create one, he said, al-Qaeda would have needed to obtain weapons grade nuclear material - a difficult prospect.
Saddam might have that sort of material. Hmmm. - Ivan
"On the other hand, the threat of a dirty bomb or radiological bomb, is much more plausible," he added.
British officials say the "bomb" has never been recovered but at least one leading al-Qaeda weapons expert from Herat is still at large.
Why the British government would release such top secret information has been questioned by some commentators in the Arabic world.
Abdel Bari Atwan, the editor of Al Quds al Arabi, said it was an attempt to revive fears in Britain and the US about 11 September.
"They would like to prove their point that there are links between Saddam Hussein and al-Qaeda," he said.
Regards, Ivan
Boy, you're just full of all kinds of good news, aren't ya....? :-)
Well hopefully Daschle is now going to be a good boy and sit in the back of the room. This is not a time for his partisan hysterics.
Regards, Ivan
Fine with me. I'll even spring for the "DUNCE" hat, midget chair and lollipop...
Ivan, I have anticipated since 9-11 a third strike, probably nuclear.
1st strike- conventional ( aircraft as flying bombs )
2nd strike- biological ( anthrax )
3rd strike- atomic ( either dirty bomb or actual nuclear detonation )
In the FWIW department, I'd include Israel in the target list, simply because they are so hated, but no Western nation is immune.
I am of the opinion we will have to tell the Arabs that if one of these goes off in a Western city, we will nuke Mecca in retaliation. We'll give them time to get their people out, but such an attack can only be met by vapourising the centre of their religion.
Regards, Ivan
If Saddam truly wants Götterdammerung, he would have a great incentive to get WMDs to Hamas to attempt a no-fingerprints attack on Tel Aviv--hoping to provoke Israel and thus unite the Muslim world.
If its this easy to spy on this group, especially around 1999, then why didn't Clinton direct the CIA to do this and get the same intel Britian did. Instead of fire a couple Tomahawks in the general direction of Bin Laden
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