Al-Qaida's plan to nuke London

WorldNetDaily ^ | 12/07/2003 | JOSEPH FARAH

[tmp02]

Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida terrorist network plotted to detonate a dirty nuke bomb floated into London on one of its armada of mystery ships, but the plan was foiled by security forces, says an official.

The device was to be delivered on a cargo ship and moored at a dock ready to be detonated when the wind was right, according to the People newspaper in London. If it had exploded, it would have contaminated a huge area and forced the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of terrified people.

The plot, thwarted by security forces, was revealed by Homeland Security shadow minister Patrick Mercer, a Tory terrorist expert and former senior army officer. A cargo ship suspected of carrying the bomb -- the 26,000-ton MV Nisha -- was stormed by the elite Special Boat Squadron in the English Channel two years ago, said Mercer.

But the Indian-owned vessel was carrying sugar. The real al-Qaida ship bound for Britain was frightened off by the raid.

The bomb would have been unlikely to cause many deaths because the radiation given off would be weak. The plan was to cause panic and paralyze the City.

Mercer said: "Although there would not be mass deaths there would be huge terror."

Bin Laden still has a fleet of rogue ships which could be used as floating bombs.

Last week London Mayor Ken Livingstone revealed four al-Qaida attempts to target London had been thwarted. Others were targeting the Jewish community in north London with ricin, hitting an airliner at Heathrow with a ground-to-air missile and an attack on a soft target like a disco.

Since Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin broke the story that Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida had obtained 15 ships whose whereabouts are unknown international law enforcement authorities, officials in Washington and in other capitals around the world have been taking precautions against terror on the high seas.

Worldwide there is heightened awareness of the potential for a major maritime terrorist attack. A once-secret, 181-page al-Qaida training manual obtained by G2 Bulletin shows Osama bin Laden's terrorist network has been focused on seaports as top-level targets for more than two years.

Al-Qaida encourages the recruitment of agents who work as "employees at borders, airports and seaports." Targets listed for "blasting and destroying" include:

"Places of amusement";

Embassies;

"Vital economic centers";

"Bridges leading into and out of the cities";

"Strategic buildings";

"Important establishments";

"Military bases";

"Important ministries such as those of defense and internal security";

"Airports";

"Seaports";

"Land border points";

Radio and TV stations. G2 Bulletin sources say there are reports al-Qaida and other terrorist organizations have been practicing high-seas terror attacks by hijacking ships, kidnapping crews and studying diving – much as the Sept. 11 skyjackers learned to fly airliners.

Al-Qaida's mystery armada is believed to be somewhere in the Indian or Pacific oceans. When the ships left their home ports in the Horn of Africa weeks ago, some were destined for ports in Asia.

G2 Bulletin sources say other potential targets of the al-Qaida armada, besides civilian ports, include oil rigs. Another threat is the ramming of a cruise liner.

A recent Rand Corp. study warns terrorists might use container ships in terror attacks meant to cause massive casualties. The report warns cargo ships or shipping containers could be used to deliver weapons of mass destruction for terror groups such as al-Qaida.

The report, produced in cooperation with the European Commission, said: "The potential threat of terrorists using containers poses a large risk to our economies and to our societies. Ultimately, this means that the marine sector – and specifically the container transport sector – remains wide open to the terrorist threat."

Rand says the international community has not become sufficiently aware of al-Qaida's threat at sea, with most counter-insurgency efforts being focused on stopping an attack from the air.

[hapc]

A cruise missile to the bow of an Al Qaeda suicide vessel would do the trick.

[Peach]

bump

[chiller]

Glad to hear this. Maybe it will wake up the doubters.

God forbid, but one attack like this, here or London, would do wonders to get the world to "drop the gloves" on fanatical Islam. They're a scourge and must be removed from the planet.

[gitmo]

US Nabs 'Dirty Bomb' Suspect

[Hessian]

The Brits should be outraged to the point of war. But because the plan was thwarted (and thank God it was!) the horrors that Al-Q intended to rain down on the citizens of London are only in our imagination, and ultimately cannot come close to the true terror of seeing the destruction our enemy wished to bring upon London.

Shouldn't an attempted act of war meet the same response as a succesful act of war?

just thinking out loud.....

[Enterprise]

Islam - the religion of peace - and dirty nukes.

[Senator Pardek]

I know I'm "nitpicking", but the title is misleading (I'm of course not blaming you).

[reed_inthe_wind]

Somebody in homeland defense better take a close look at Galveston. I got into a discussion with an Arab cab driver in Houston. Being the diplomat that I am, I really pissed him off. He got really agitated and told me that full auto AK47s are being smuggled in to the city. He knew the direct price paid to the smuggler: $30 dollars per piece, and the retail price was only $50 dollars. Someone is having a Merry Christmas and it aint the Texan gringos.

[CindyDawg]

If you haven't already, you need to report him. He might have just been blowing smoke, but what if he wasn't?

[Enterprise]

Damm! Full-auto AK47s at 50 dollars each? Oh well, the FBI and Homeland Security can't be bothered. They're too busy busting brothels and strip club owners.

[Arkinsaw]

You need to talk to the authorities forthwith. If something occurs, and innocent people (or kids) are harmed by smuggled in AK-47's then you will feel very badly forever and might be denigrated the same way the woman who had the encounter with Mohammed Atta at the loan office is.

[Prince Charles]

Did you get his name or medallion number? Call the FBI.

[hflynn]

Let us for a moment assume they had succeeded. Do they not for a moment understand what the response would have to be? I hate to say it but the sooner they are successful in such a plot is the sooner we will (those of us who survive) will witness their demise.

[NYC GOP Chick]

whatta metrosexual!

[God luvs America]

Yes...didn't they come right out and say in a recent video tape they were out to kill Christians??!!

[kaiser80]

as far as I can make it out their main goal is to make us respond. And what should our response look like?? There is too many countries with covert terrorist units. Jemen, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Pakistan, even Germany and England. Some of them do support terrorism eighter active or passive. Should we strike Syria or Iran?? I'm not convinced it would be the best way...I hope we shall never find out what the scenario would be like...

[LibWhacker]

Hopefully you've taken everybody's advice by now and reported this. If not, go here and do so immediately! I reported some al qaeda types who were making veiled threats late one night on the web and the fbi was quite interested. Do it. It's definitely worth reporting.

[Taylor42]

Is this from the same mayor who thought our president was the greatest threat to world peace?

[festus]

;Glad to hear this. Maybe it will wake up the doubters.

Hell itself would not wake up the doubters.

We should quit worrying about them and just do what we need to. From my perspective the louder they yell the better a job we are doing ;-)