thedrifter
02-04-07, 04:43 AM
'Carry out kidnappings and beheadings'
Press Trust of India
London, February 4: Al-Qaida leaders in Pakistan and Iraq have instructed Islamic terror cells in Britain to carry out a series of kidnappings and beheadings like the ones allegedly planned by the nine terror suspects arrested in Birmingham last week, security sources here said.
The 'strategic' assassination instruction was issued by Al-Qaida to dozens of their followers in this country, the sources were quoted as saying by The Sunday Times.
The plot was uncovered by the British intelligence agency Mi5 last autumn. As a result police are on standby for multiple attempts by terrorists to kidnap and then behead people across Britain. Mi5 is conducting a counter-terrorism surveillance operation to prevent such an attack.
A government official said Mi5 was now monitoring about 280 terror suspects. Each was suspected of serious intent to carry out an attack. Cells are being closely observed in at least four British towns and cities. The alleged attempt to kidnap and behead a Muslim soldier or soldiers in Birmingham was just the first of a series of planned attacks, the report said.
The revelation explains the recent deployment of a permanent SAS counter-terrorist unit to London. The unit has been placed on a 24-hour standby to respond to a terrorist attack in the capital. It would aim to carry out a hostage rescue mission within minutes of being alerted. Muslim police officers serving in London may be given extra protection.
"Cells in the UK have been alerted to carry out this type of attack as opposed to the more sophisticated type of bombing in which you place a large number of volunteers at risk. All you need for a beheading is a bit of courage and a sharp knife," the report quoted a source as saying.
The order to encourage "low-tech" assassinations is said to follow a review by senior Al-Qaida planners after an alleged plot to smuggle bombs onto airlines was foiled by police last August. The order encouraged followers to adopt the tactics used by Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi, the former Al-Qaida leader in Iraq, who was behind the abduction, torture and beheading of Ken Bigley, a British engineer, in Iraq in 2004. Bigley was kidnapped and filmed on video begging British Prime Minister Tony Blair to end the war before being beheaded.
Footage of his "execution" was later posted on the internet. After learning of the alleged Birmingham plot to behead a British Muslim soldier returning from Iraq or Afghanistan last autumn, the Ministry of Defence had spent several months trying to establish how many soldiers fitted into this category.
After focusing on soldiers in the regular army, the Royal Marines and the Territorial Army, officials whittled the list of potential targets down to fewer than ten. They were warned about the potential threat and advised on protection measures.
Ellie
Press Trust of India
London, February 4: Al-Qaida leaders in Pakistan and Iraq have instructed Islamic terror cells in Britain to carry out a series of kidnappings and beheadings like the ones allegedly planned by the nine terror suspects arrested in Birmingham last week, security sources here said.
The 'strategic' assassination instruction was issued by Al-Qaida to dozens of their followers in this country, the sources were quoted as saying by The Sunday Times.
The plot was uncovered by the British intelligence agency Mi5 last autumn. As a result police are on standby for multiple attempts by terrorists to kidnap and then behead people across Britain. Mi5 is conducting a counter-terrorism surveillance operation to prevent such an attack.
A government official said Mi5 was now monitoring about 280 terror suspects. Each was suspected of serious intent to carry out an attack. Cells are being closely observed in at least four British towns and cities. The alleged attempt to kidnap and behead a Muslim soldier or soldiers in Birmingham was just the first of a series of planned attacks, the report said.
The revelation explains the recent deployment of a permanent SAS counter-terrorist unit to London. The unit has been placed on a 24-hour standby to respond to a terrorist attack in the capital. It would aim to carry out a hostage rescue mission within minutes of being alerted. Muslim police officers serving in London may be given extra protection.
"Cells in the UK have been alerted to carry out this type of attack as opposed to the more sophisticated type of bombing in which you place a large number of volunteers at risk. All you need for a beheading is a bit of courage and a sharp knife," the report quoted a source as saying.
The order to encourage "low-tech" assassinations is said to follow a review by senior Al-Qaida planners after an alleged plot to smuggle bombs onto airlines was foiled by police last August. The order encouraged followers to adopt the tactics used by Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi, the former Al-Qaida leader in Iraq, who was behind the abduction, torture and beheading of Ken Bigley, a British engineer, in Iraq in 2004. Bigley was kidnapped and filmed on video begging British Prime Minister Tony Blair to end the war before being beheaded.
Footage of his "execution" was later posted on the internet. After learning of the alleged Birmingham plot to behead a British Muslim soldier returning from Iraq or Afghanistan last autumn, the Ministry of Defence had spent several months trying to establish how many soldiers fitted into this category.
After focusing on soldiers in the regular army, the Royal Marines and the Territorial Army, officials whittled the list of potential targets down to fewer than ten. They were warned about the potential threat and advised on protection measures.
Ellie