Reflections on the London Plot 1. The UK Terror plot: what's really going on? (Craig Murray) 2. Blowing Up Planes and the War on Terror (J. R. Kerr-Ritchie)
=== The UK Terror plot: what's really going on? August 14, 2006 Craig Murray http://www.craigmurray.co.uk/index.html I have been reading very carefully through all the Sunday newspapers to try and analyse the truth from all the scores of pages claiming to detail the so-called bomb plot. Unlike the great herd of so-called security experts doing the media analysis, I have the advantage of having had the very highest security clearances myself, having done a huge amount of professional intelligence analysis, and having been inside the spin machine. So this, I believe, is the true story. None of the alleged terrorists had made a bomb. None had bought a plane ticket. Many did not even have passports, which given the efficiency of the UK Passport Agency would mean they couldn't be a plane bomber for quite some time. In the absence of bombs and airline tickets, and in many cases passports, it could be pretty difficult to convince a jury beyond reasonable doubt that individuals intended to go through with suicide bombings, whatever rash stuff they may have bragged in internet chat rooms. What is more, many of those arrested had been under surveillance for over a year - like thousands of other British Muslims. And not just Muslims. Like me. Nothing from that surveillance had indicated the need for early arrests. Then an interrogation in Pakistan revealed the details of this amazing plot to blow up multiple planes - which, rather extraordinarily, had not turned up in a year of surveillance. Of course, the interrogators of the Pakistani dictator have their ways of making people sing like canaries. As I witnessed in Uzbekistan, you can get the most extraordinary information this way. Trouble is it always tends to give the interrogators all they might want, and more, in a desperate effort to stop or avert torture. What it doesn't give is the truth. The gentleman being "interrogated" had fled the UK after being wanted for questioning over the murder of his uncle some years ago. That might be felt to cast some doubt on his reliability. It might also be felt that factors other than political ones might be at play within these relationships. Much is also being made of large transfers of money outside the formal economy. Not in fact too unusual in the British Muslim community, but if this activity is criminal, there are many possibilities that have nothing to do with terrorism. We then have the extraordinary question of Bush and Blair discussing the possible arrests over the weekend. Why? I think the answer to that is plain. Both in desperate domestic political trouble, they longed for "Another 9/11". The intelligence from Pakistan, however dodgy, gave them a new 9/11 they could sell to the media. The media has bought, wholesale, all the rubbish they have been shovelled. We then have the appalling political propaganda of John Reid, Home Secretary, making a speech warning us all of the dreadful evil threatening us and complaining that "Some people don't get" the need to abandon all our traditional liberties. He then went on, according to his own propaganda machine, to stay up all night and minutely direct the arrests. There could be no clearer evidence that our Police are now just a political tool. Like all the best nasty regimes, the knock on the door came in the middle of the night, at 2.30am. Those arrested included a mother with a six week old baby. For those who don't know, it is worth introducing Reid. A hardened Stalinist with a long term reputation for personal violence, at Stirling Univeristy he was the Communist Party's "Enforcer", (in days when the Communist Party ran Stirling University Students' Union, which it should not be forgotten was a business with a very substantial cash turnover). Reid was sent to beat up those who deviated from the Party line. We will now never know if any of those arrested would have gone on to make a bomb or buy a plane ticket. Most of them do not fit the "Loner" profile you would expect - a tiny percentage of suicide bombers have happy marriages and young children. As they were all under surveillance, and certainly would have been on airport watch lists, there could have been little danger in letting them proceed closer to maturity - that is certainly what we would have done with the IRA. In all of this, the one thing of which I am certain is that the timing is deeply political. This is more propaganda than plot. Of the over one thousand British Muslims arrested under anti- terrorist legislation, only twelve per cent are ever charged with anything. That is simply harrassment of Muslims on an appalling scale. Of those charged, 80% are acquitted. Most of the very few - just over two per cent of arrests - who are convicted, are not convicted of anything to do terrorism, but of some minor offence the Police happened upon while trawling through the wreck of the lives they had shattered. Be sceptical. Be very, very sceptical. === Blowing Up Planes and the War on Terror. J. R. Kerr-Ritchie Submitted to Portside by the Author The world awoke on the morning of August 10, 2006 to discover that British intelligence services had reportedly foiled a plot to blow up a dozen aircraft in mid-air through the usage of liquid explosives. The targeted jets were scheduled to fly from London Heathrow to several U.S. airports. During the night, there were twenty-four arrests. Today (August 11, 2006) the Bank of England froze the assets of nineteen of those arrested, and published their names on its web-site in accordance with new anti-terrorism laws. Four of the suspects hail from Buckinghamshire county, one from Birmingham city, and the rest from London. Their names suggest all were British Muslims of mostly Pakistani provenance. The group had apparently been under surveillance since July 2005. That was the month when four British-born Muslims blew themselves up on Londonâs public transport system killing fifty-two people. The investigation into that attack still continues. Although Muslims have generally been integrated well into British society, it is clear that there are some major exceptions. Thus far, the authorities have established few links between the events of July 7 and August 10 beyond the fact that both involved British Muslims and that some of the plotters had traveled to Pakistan to attend religious schools or Madrassas. What has been the immediate reaction to this supposed plot? Some argue it demonstrates improved intelligence capabilities. The U.S. media pointed to "superior" services in the U.K., while others e-mailed the BBCâs "Have Your Say" to express their thanks and admiration to the intelligence services for saving lives and beating the terrorists. Other responses have been more cynical: the plot amounted to diversionary measures away from failed domestic policies; why were the plotters not arrested earlier if they posed such a threat?; how long would the new security measures last?; and, in what ways would airlines seek to make profits from the new circumstances? Not surprisingly, both official London and Washington used the supposed plot to remind us that the war on terror continues unabated. Bush talked of the "Islamic fascists," even though the two terms are contradictory, while one should demand better from the leader of a nation dedicated to the legal principle of innocence before guilt until proven otherwise. Blair currently vacations in Barbados, but on his return will no doubt remind us of the need to continue to act tough against those who would do us harm. Apparently, both leaders have been privately discussing this plot for several days now. It is nice to know that while they chatted away, thousands of us were flying into the United States the day before (August 9) with fellow passengers carrying hair gel, drinks, laptop computers and ipods--all the ingredients for do-it-yourself liquid bombs! More persuasive is the argument that events in Afghanistan and Iraq are continuing to "radicalize" young men and turn them towards destructive violence. This is the critical link between the events of July last year and this August. Young British Muslims are looking at the death and destruction raining down on the Middle East, and despair of any response short of jihad and holy martyrdom. The current conflict in Lebanon demonstrates daily how innocent Arab life is being lost at far greater rates than innocent Israeli life, while one of the worldâs most powerful military forces beats up on a defenseless Lebanon. Meanwhile, the North Atlantic Allianceâs support (Washington, London, Ottawa) for the actions of Israel in the name of self-defence simply breeds more support for besieged Muslims, and pushes young Muslims toward violent reaction in the war on terror. There are solutions. We could have more of the same. This is the military approach pursued by American, British, and Canadian forces in Afghanistan and Iraq, and Israeli troops in Gaza and Lebanon. It has yet to prove effective. Thousands of innocent civilians have already lost their lives, while countless numbers have suffered injury and loss of property. Only politicians in the twilight of their careers could maintain that progress has been made and that these places are safer, more livable, and on the road to a better way of life than beforehand. The truth is that this quagmire gets deeper daily. How long before the next tube or bus is blown up? When will we read about the first female suicide bomber in a major western city? Are the links between London and Pakistan (Londonistan) to be followed by Paristan, Madridstan, Berlinstan, or Amsterstan? Meanwhile, the killing fields spread. On the other hand, we could pursue long-term political solutions. This would involve phased troop withdrawals from Afghanistan and Iraq. As one contributor to the BBC's website put it:"Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are not making us safer. Bring the troops home." The implementation of a reconstruction program under the auspices of the United Nations must replace mercenary business interests from the United States. The Israelis are desperate for long-term peace and in the short term they can get it through bombing Gaza and "degrading" the armaments of Hezbollah. But they are also creating anti-occupation forces that have long term implications. They will have to negotiate with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon at some point. Why not get on with it now and save Israeli as well as Arab life? There is no guarantee that such political solutions will end Muslim unrest and disaffection in Europe and the United States. It is true, however, that such approaches will serve to prevent the further radicalization of young Muslims. It seems to this observer that the replacement of the total absence of any viable solution with fair play, honest negotiation, and political agreement, will make a fundamental difference to the ways in which young Muslims interpret the violence around them. And, of course, the much wished for end to the destructive Bush-Blair holy alliance over the next few years would have a huge impact. Dr. J. R. Kerr-Ritchie, 901 Clarendon Street, Durham, NC 27705. (h) 919 416 0130 (c) 919 656 9076 ____________________________________________ portside (the left side in nautical parlance) is a news, discussion and debate service of the Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism. It aims to provide varied material of interest to people on the left. To submit an article to portside, go to: http://www.portside.org/submit For answers to frequently asked questions: http://www.portside.org/faq To subscribe to the list: http://www.portside.org/subscribe To unsubscribe from portside: http://www.portside.org/unsubscribe For assistance with your account: http://www.portside.org/contact To search the portside archive: http://www.portside.org/archive John Johnson Change-Links Progressive Newspaper [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.change-links.org Subscribe to our list server. Email [EMAIL PROTECTED] (818) 782-1412 Cell (818) 681-7448. === --------------------------------------------------------------------------- LAAMN: Los Angeles Alternative Media Network --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Unsubscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Digest: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Help: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Post: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive1: <http://www.egroups.com/messages/laamn> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Archive2: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]> --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/laamn/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
