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UK Terror Watch: MI5 Knew Four of the Car Bomb Plotters
AL-Qaeda’s Abu Musab al-Zarqawi may have ordered the bombers to go to Britain as a ‘sleeper cell’
MI5 knew four of the bomb plotters
As many as four of the NHS terror cell suspects were already known to security services, it emerged last night.
They had ‘crossed the radar’ of MI5 during previous anti-terror inquiries but were considered low priority.
Sources said there had been no suggestion the medics were planning anything like the failed car bomb attacks in London and Glasgow.
But at least one had featured in a surveillance operation, raising questions as to precisely what was known about them. The case echoes the disturbing disclosures that two of the July 7 suicide bombers, including ringleader Mohammed Sidique Khan, were seen during investigations into another terror cell but were also given a low priority.
Reports in the U.S. yesterday said key members of the NHS cell were recruited more than two years ago by terror mastermind Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who was killed in Iraq last year.
Well, if this is true, the Brits dodged a bullet or a couple of car bombs which could have resulted in hundreds of deaths.
Let’s look at the history of the medical doctor bombers:
Dr. Kahlid Ahmed has been identified as the driver of the Glasgow Car Bomb
Dr. Bilal Abdulla arrested at the Glasgow Airport bombing
Dr. Bilal Talal Abdul Samad Abdulla, an Iraqi from Baghdad who arrived in the UK in April 2006.Dr. Bilal Abdulla has been transferred to Paddington Green high-security prison in London as the investigation continues
In an extraordinary piece of advance planning – a trademark of Al Qaeda – they were sent to Britain as ‘sleepers’ to await orders.
Zarqawi, who became head of Al Qaeda in Iraq and personally beheaded British hostage Kenneth Bigley, wanted men of an entirely different profile to the ‘homegrown’ July 7 bombers.
The reports came as investigators focused on Dr Bilal Abdulla, one of seven men and a woman under arrest. He was one of the two men who drove a blazing Jeep into an entrance of Glasgow Airport on Saturday.
The 28-year-old, the son of a leading Iraqi rheumatologist, arrived in Britain last August and took a job at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley.
In Iraq he was a member of the extreme Sunni Wahabist sect, which is aligned with Al Qaeda. Fellow medical students in Baghdad described him as ‘deeply religious’ with ‘extreme views of Islam’.
And this did not set off alarm bells?
Oh, it did!
Dr Abdulla, who was under investigation at the hospital because of his use of radical websites while on duty, lived in London for a time in 2003 before returning to Baghdad to complete his studies.
Investigators are trying to establish his contacts in London and whether he was a visitor to the Finsbury Park mosque, which has been linked to other Al Qaeda attacks.
Last night Dr Abdulla and two Saudi Arabian medical students arrested in Paisley were transferred from Scotland to top- security Paddington Green police station in West London.The second man in the blazing Jeep was named as Khalid Ahmed, also a doctor.
He suffered 90 per cent burns in the attack and police have not been able to question him.Dr Abdulla and Dr Ahmed are said to have been the men who drove two Mercedes car bombs into London’s West End early on Friday. They are now known to have returned to Glasgow via a complex route involving taxis, trains and coaches.
But, the question has to be asked: What did the MI5 know and when did they know it?
Five doctors, two trainee doctors and a hospital laboratory technician are now being held in connection with the attacks and police are checking medical records for a common theme.
They include Jordanian neurosurgeon Mohammed Asha, 26, his wife Marwah, 27, a laboratory technician, a 26-year-old Indian doctor from Liverpool and Dr Mohammed Haneef, 27, another Indian.
Dr Haneef was held at Brisbane airport on Monday as he prepared to leave Australia on a one-way ticket to India.
He was working as a registrar at the Gold Coast Hospital in eastern Queensland, but his previous post was at Halton Hospital in Runcorn, Cheshire, where the 26-year- old arrested in Liverpool also worked.
Dr Mohammed Haneef was arrested at Brisbane Airport as he tried to board a plane to Pakistan
Again, the Brits luckily dodged a car bombing or two. If those cell phone detonators had worked in London at the Tiger Tiger Club, events would not be so dandy.
Stay tuned for breaking events
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UK Terror Watch: My Son is Not a Terrorist
Technorati Tags: London, Global War on Terror, United KingdomGlasgow
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Giuliani Notes: Rudy Outraises GOP Field in Race for 2008
Republican presidential hopeful former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani points to the 17th Street Canal levee as he talks with Lakeview resident Kelly Alfortish during a brief visit to the Hurricane Katrina damaged areas in New Orleans, Saturday, June 30, 2007. Alfortish whose home was flooded during the storm and shared her story with Giuliani.
Romney, Giuliani report on fundraising
Republican Rudy Giuliani’s presidential campaign reported $17 million in contributions from April through June and $18 million in the bank for both the primary and general elections.
Mitt Romney’s campaign on Tuesday said the former Massachusetts governor had raised $14 million exclusively for the primary and had tapped his personal wealth for an extra $6.5 million.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Mitt Romney raised $14 million from April through June for his Republican presidential campaign and added an extra $6.5 million from his own personal wealth.Romney’s fundraising fell short of his first quarter, when he raised $20.6 million and lent himself $2.35 million.
The GOP NUTS:
— $14 million in primary contributions
— a $6.5 million loan from Romney
— a total of $43.9 million raised in the first six months (including Romney’s loans to his campaign)
— cash on hand is $12 million, which means that Team Romney has spent nearly $32 million dollars so far. Wow.–$17 million in primary and general contributions
–Cash on hand is over $18 million for primary and general elections
— No campaign debt
Flap would like to see Rudy’s totals for the primary only but the fact remains he outraised or at least raised as much as Romney and did not burn through his funds like Mitt.
Rudy continues as the front-runner while Romney has burned funds with television commercials in Iowa and New Hampshire. Romney remains in fourth place in national polling and in important California and Florida.
Cash on hand comparison:
Rudy – $18 million
Romney – $12 million with $9 million in outstanding debt = $3 million
McCain – $2 million
Fred Thompson – ?
What others are saying:
National Review GOP Money [Yuval Levin]
The cash-on-hand situation really tells us why Romney felt the need to pump such a significant loan from his own pocket into the campaign. With that loan, the campaign’s coffers contain almost exactly what they did at the end of the previous quarter in terms of cash-on-hand. Without it, his campaign would have looked to be spending significantly more than it was taking in (which it is, due in large measure to television ads that are airing where early voters are, but not where donors are).
Overall, the GOP funding figures paint a picture of a strong Giuliani campaign, and a decent but not great Romney effort, which is burning through money at a breakneck pace. McCain, though, looks like toast.
CBN – The Brody File: Giuliani vs. Romney: Fundraising Numbers Are In
I’m being told by sources close to Giuliani’s campaign that out of Giuliani’s $17 million – $15 million of that is for the Primary Election. $2 million is designated for the General Election. Romney’s $14 million is all Primary Election money.
But, at the end of the day, the story here is Giuliani. He continues to defy the odds. People want to write him off because as a Republican, his views are too liberal. Well, he’s been pretty clear and public with his views and so far, financially at least, he’s not taking a hit. He may not be getting donations from The Southern Baptists Firefighters Association (is there really a group like that?) but clearly, there seems to be an appetite for Giuliani out there.
His strength is in the ideological middle and his tough talk on terrorism and reputation as a crime fighting straight talking guy who gets things done plays well in certain Evangelical circles. Not to mention, these Evangelicals think he is the only Republican that can beat Hillary Clinton in the General Election.
It’s a long road to The White House but Giuliani is beginning to prove he has staying power. Will it last?
Others blogging:
Hugh Hewitt and here.
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Technorati Tags: Rudy Giuliani
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Giuliani Notes: California – Rudy 32% Thompson 19% McCain 19% Romney 9% Gingrich 6% in Latest Survey USA Poll
Survey USA California GOP Poll
CA GOP PRIMARY: Has Fred Thompson Hit The Ceiling?
Seven months to the newly accelerated and suddenly critical California Republican Primary, the contest re-stabilizes, with Rudolph Giuliani 13 points ahead of John McCain and Fred Thompson, who tie for 2nd place, according to a SurveyUSA poll of likely GOP Primary voters, conducted exclusively for KABC-TV Los Angeles, KPIX-TV San Francisco, and KGTV-TV San Diego.
Giuliani’s 13-point advantage today is identical to his lead 60 days ago, in SurveyUSA’s May 2007 tracking poll, and a slight increase from the 7-point advantage Giuliani had in June.
Fred Thompson, who went from 11 points in May to 21 points is June, has stopped climbing, and settles in at 19 points in July. Is this Thompson’s ceiling? Or has Thompson, whose official entry into the race may come at any moment, not yet begun to fight?
Mitt Romney runs 4th today, at 9%, down ever-so-slightly from 12% in May and 11% in June.
Undeclared candidate Newt Gingrich is at the moment not a factor, at 6%.
Today, 9% of CA likely GOP voters prefer one of the other Republicans running, who include Mike Huckabee, Tommy Thompson, Ron Paul, Duncan Hunter, Jim Gilmore, Tom Tancredo and Sam Brownback.
The GOP NUTS:
Rudy maintains a double digit lead with support across California. Remember California’s delegates which are five times as many as Iowa are parceled out by winning each Congressional District in a winner take all format.
The Mayor is showing particular strength in the Central Valley and Bay Areas.
Also, in the expensive television media market, Hizzoner will have the funds to pound opposition candidates with ads. The only other candidate who can possibly match Rudy is Mitt Romney who is polling only 9%.
Calfiornia looks like a winner for Giuliani.
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Technorati Tags: Rudy Giuliani
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UK Terror Watch: Heathrow Airport Evacuated as Terror Plot Investigation Continues; Update: Scotland Yard is Reporting They Have Rounded Up All Suspects in the London and Glasgow Terror Plots; Update: Gas Canister Pair of Suspects Arrested in Terror Probe; Update: British PM Gordon Brown Has Banned the word “MUSLIM” and “WAR ON TERROR” in Referring to Terror Plot; Update: Glasgow Car Bomb Driver Identified as Dr. Kahlid Ahmed; Update: Same Men Behind Both London and Glasgow Attacks
*****Scroll Down for Updates*****
A vehicle burned on Saturday after it hit a section of Glasgow Airport.
Caring face: Dr Asha with his son Anaf, then two, in Amman, Jordan, last year
Police at Heathrow after Terminal 4 was evacuated
Bomb plot: Heathrow Terminal 4 evacuated
Heathrow Airport Terminal 4 evacuated as police probe suspect package
Thousands of passengers were evacuated from Heathrow’s busy Terminal 4 today in new terror alert after a ‘suspect bag’ was discovered inside.
It brought more chaos to the terminal which is British Airways’ main hub as officials warned of more delays.Airport operator BAA said they were in ‘lock down mode.’
Passengers just moments from boarding were turned back from their flights after the alarm was raised at around 1pm
Planes with passengers already on board were directed away from the terminal.
All passengers inside the building were ordered to evacuate the terminal immediately as police and security services dealt with the ‘suspect bag.’A spokesman for BAA said: “In response to a suspect bag in Terminal 4, secondary searches are now being carried out on departing passengers. This will cause some delays to flights.
“Contingency plans have now been activated to ensure that we are able to effectively manage the increase in resource that this secondary search requires. We are working with the police to bring a swift resolution to the incident.”British Airways said it was monitoring the situation.
In the meantime, the investigation into the doctors who have committed this terror plot continues.
Tip-off: Mohammed Asif Ali quizzed over attack in Glasgow
Dr Mohammed Haneef was arrested at Brisbane Airport as he tried to board a plane to Pakistan
The latest from Australia:
A 27-year-old doctor has been arrested in Australia, while a second doctor is also being interviewed by Australian police.
State and federal police seized Dr Mohammed Haneef at Brisbane International Airport where he was trying to board a flight to Pakistan with a one-way ticket, Attorney General Philip Ruddock said.
He added Dr Haneef, believed to be an Indian citizen, had been working as a registrar at the Gold Coast Hospital in the state of Queensland. The total number to people arrested over the bomb plan is now eight.
Dr Haneef had been based at Halton Hospital at Runcorn in 2005, near Liverpool. He answered an advert placed in the British Medical Journal in March 2006 to work in Australia, according to Queensland Premier Peter Beattie.
The second man, named locally as Mohammed Asif Ali, was also being questioned but is not thought to be directly linked to the terrorist plot. Sources in Australia said the doctors were neighbours in Brisbane and lived together on Merseyside. A series of searches are also taking place across addresses in Queensland.
To recap as to who is in custody:
And their link to Al Qaeda:
Al Qaeda In Iraq Behind U.K. Bomb Plot?
British intelligence services increasingly believe that the failed car bombings in London and Glasgow bare the fingerprints of al Qaeda in Iraq, CBS News has learned.
Intelligence sources tell CBS News that the people behind the attempts were directly recruited by Abu Hamza al-Muhajir, the present leader of the terror group’s Iraq franchise.
Police investigating the plot had arrested eight people Tuesday, including at least six suspects trained as doctors, including a man of Indian nationality arrested in Australia. Sources close to the investigation told CBS News on Tuesday that another two or three arrests were likely to be seen in Britain, but that two of the people already in custody were likely to be released without charge.
Sources tell CBS News that al-Muhajir recruited the men between 2004 and 2005, while they were living in the Middle East, upon orders from then-al Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
Al-Muhajir was told to recruit young men who could easily move into Western countries, assimilate and lay low until the time came to attack. Britain has a fast-track visa program for medical students which makes it easier for them to enter the country.Breaking News: Scotland Yard believes they have all of the suspects rounded up in the London and Glasgow terror plots
Terror Attacks: ‘All Key Suspects Held’
Police investigating the failed terror attacks on London and Glasgow believe they now have their key suspects in custody.
But they stress their inquiries are far from over and say the UK is likely to remain on a critical level of terror alert for some time.
A total of eight people are being held in connection with the failed bombings – the latest an Indian doctor arrested in Australia.
British PM Gordon Brown will be having a presser shortly.
Update 12:33 PM
A store of gas canisters is under guard in Blackburn after locals tipped off officers about two deliveries to a warehouse
‘Gas Canister’ Pair Held In Terror Probe
Two men have been arrested on suspicion of terror offences after they apparently tried to collect a delivery of large gas canisters at an industrial estate in Blackburn.
Lancashire Police say it is too early to say whether the arrests are connected to the attempted terror attacks in Glasgow and London.
The pair, both believed to be Asian and in their 30s or 40s, are being held at a police station in Lancashire under the Terrorism Act 2000.
Officers swooped after the Calor gas canisters were taken to a unit on the Furthergate Industrial Estate in Birley Street.
Eyewitness Cameron Mason said: “A delivery man was waiting outside the unit to drop off around three or four large red gas canisters.
“Two Asian men arrived to collect them and just after they started speaking to the delivery man an unmarked police car turned up.
Both are being held at a police station in Lancashire on suspicion of offences under the Terrorism Act 2000, but a spokesman said it is too early to confirm whether the arrests are linked to the failed bomb attacks in London and Glasgow.
It is thought officers swooped after two deliveries of gas canisters to the unit in Birley Street on the Furthergate industrial estate.
It is understood that a man wearing a denim jacket and light brown trousers was taken away by police in an unmarked Ford Focus while the second man, wearing a pale top and dark trousers, was driven away in a police BMW. Locals said they are not aware of what the property is used for.
Update 1:14 PM
The Prime Minister has also instructed his team – including new Home Secretary Jacqui Smith – that the phrase “war on Âterror†is to be dropped.The shake-up is part of a fresh attempt to improve community relations and avoid offending Muslims, adopting a more “consensual†tone than existed under Tony Blair.
However, the change provoked claims last night that ministers are indulging in yet more political correctness.The sudden shift in tone emerged in comments by Mr Brown and Ms Smith in the wake of the failed attacks in London and Glasgow.
Mr Brown’s spokesman acknowledged yesterday that ministers had been given specific guidelines to avoid inflammatory language.
“
Mr Brown’s spokesman“There is clearly a need to strike a consensual tone in relation to all communities across the UK,†the spokesman said. “It is important that the country remains united.â€
He confirmed that the phrase “war on terror†– strongly associated with Mr Blair and US President George Bush – has been dropped.
Right…..cover up the fact that the perps were not Islamic extremists. And, of course blame Tony Blair and President Bush.
How stupid and politically correct can these MORONS be?
Update 1:23 PM
Dr. Kahlid Ahmed has been identified as the driver of the Glasgow Car BombIn the meantime, hundreds of flights have been cancelled at Heathrow Airport today:
Evacuated passengers take cover from a sudden rainstorm as police guard the doors to the terminal
Thousands of passengers are today enduring chaotic conditions at Heathrow following a terror alert which closed Terminal Four.
More than 100 flights were cancelled, affecting thousands of passengers, following the discovery of a “suspect bag”.
British Airways cancelled all its European departures from Terminal 4 from 3pm and said there would be no more flights today. It also cancelled all long-haul departures until 9pm and later said the Terminal would be closed until further notice.
BAA said that there would be no departing flights operating from Terminal 4, although planes were still arriving as normal, and the airport was in “lock-down mode”.
Update 2:09 PM
Dr Khalid Ahmed is restrained by police after attack
The attempted attacks on London’s West End and Glasgow airport were allegedly carried out by the same men, Sky sources say.
Sky’s Foreign Affairs editor, Tim Marshall, said the two allegedly planted the car bombs in central London before heading to Scotland.
“We have had it confirmed by sources that the two men who attempted to bomb London, it would appear, are the same two people who allegedly attempted to bomb Glasgow airport,” said Marshall.
“In other words after that failed attempt they quickly went up to Glasgow and arranged this.
“I also understand that Scotland Yard were pretty much on their trail already.”The second man alleged to have been in the flaming jeep driven into Glasgow airport was earlier named by Sky sources as Dr Khalid Ahmed.
He is being treated for severe burns at Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley, Glasgow.
The other man in the vehicle was named yesterday as Dr Bilal Abdulla, who worked as a locum at the hospital.
Stay tuned for breaking news
- Hot Air
- Jihadists posing as doctors | BitsBlog
- The Thunder Run
- British Jihadis Were Recruited by al-Qaeda in Iraq : The American Pundit
- First Round : shotpolitics.com
- Vigilant Freedom/910 Group Blog » “Striking a Consensual Toneâ€
- def Sparse(Matrix): » Blog Archive » More on the London Car Bomb
- SUGIERO
- Stop the Imaginary Decapitations! [Dan Collins]
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UK Terror Watch: My Son is Not a Terrorist
Technorati Tags: London, Global War on Terror, United KingdomGlasgow
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Giuliani Notes: Thompson 27% Rudy 24% Romney 13% McCain 12% in Latest Rasmussen National GOP Poll
Rasmussen Reports National GOP Poll
After weeks of turmoil and change, the race for the Republican Presidential nomination has stabilized.
Former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson remains on top in Rasmussen Reports national polling with 27% support. That’s unchanged from a week ago. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani is three points behind at 24%.
The GOP NUTS:
The race HAS stabilized and Fred Thompson and Rudy are essentially tied in Rasmussen polling. McCain has faded and Romney although leading in Iowa and New Hampshire is strugggling to break out in national polling.
The Real Clear Politics National Poll Averages:
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Day By Day by Chris Muir July 3, 2007
