http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1843667,00.html
Police hunt 'two dozen' terror cells in Britain · Direct link to 7 July atrocity, says Pakistan · BA chief attacks airport chaos Jamie Doward, Ned Temko, Mark Townsend, Urmee Khan and Antony Barnett Sunday August 13, 2006 The Observer The full extent of the terror threat facing Britain became apparent last night as security sources revealed that 'up to two dozen' terror investigations were operating across the country and that a number of suspects associated with last week's plot to bring down 10 airliners remained at large. Pakistani intelligence sources alleged that one of the men arrested in connection with the bomb plot had been held following the London terror attack on 7 July last year. British security sources also linked the present investigation to that atrocity, saying the operation that led to Thursday's arrests began days after the 7 July attack. There are also claims that voicemails discovered after the first attack link the two events. Pakistani authorities are still searching for at least one suspect thought to be involved in the plot to blow up the planes over the Atlantic using liquid-based bombs. US officials estimate as many as 50 may have been involved. Two British airlines yesterday criticised airport authorities for failing to manage new security measures smoothly. As passengers faced a third day of delays, the chief executives of British Airways and Ryanair, Willie Walsh and Michael O'Leary, said that airport-owner BAA must tackle the ever-lengthier queues. Yesterday Cobra, the government committee dealing with national emergencies, chaired by the Home Secretary, John Reid, met to discuss the next phase of the operation against terror cells. The committee discussed intelligence on a number of suspects who remain at large following the arrests of men across the country last week. Downing Street sources emphasised that the threat of an attack by groups connected with those arrested still loomed. 'Despite the apparent breakthrough, it would be wrong to assume that in the case of groups like al-Qaeda it is a question of just one throw of the dice,' one source said. 'There are a series of interlocking cells. Cells overlap... certainly in this case, we can't be certain that everything has been disrupted.' Security sources told The Observer they were carrying out some two dozen serious investigations into suspected terrorist groups, leading to concerns one might 'activate' as police closed in. The Observer can also reveal that MI5 used a mole from within the Muslim community to infiltrate the alleged plot. According to Pakistani sources, the informer provided intelligence leading to the arrest of Rashid Rauf, a Birmingham-based businessman alleged to have links to al-Qaeda in Afghanistan. Rauf is the brother of Tayib Rauf, arrested last week in Birmingham in connection with the alleged plot. Pakistani intelligence sources say Tayib Rauf was held in connection with the 7 July bombings but released without charge. There was no confirmation of this from British police. Rashid Rauf is understood to have been watched after a UK intelligence tip-off that he was in Pakistan several weeks ago. 'He has been staying here for quite some time and has been under strict surveillance since then,' a Pakistani intelligence source said. 'His calls to Britain and internet communications have been under surveillance that helped in revealing the plot.' Britain's intelligence services had been watching some of the suspects since the informant tipped them off last December. But events in recent weeks convinced police of the need to act to prevent an atrocity which could have eclipsed 9/11 in terms of loss of life. Following Rauf's arrest, one of his associates is understood to have phoned the UK urging those alleged to have been involved in the plot to speed up their plans. The call was intercepted by British intelligence and triggered the decision to arrest the suspects. Last night, further details of Rauf's alleged terrorist links emerged. American and Pakistani officials claimed he had trained in al-Qaeda camps. He is also alleged to be affiliated to Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, a Muslim group close to al-Qaeda. Labelled by the US as a terrorist organisation, Lashkar has been linked to the kidnap and murder of Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl. Another Briton, who has not been named, was arrested with Rauf. Five other Pakistanis were also picked up, said local reports. Four of the suspects were detained in a Punjabi village following a tip-off from the British High Commission in Islamabad, acting on information from MI5. Two of them have been identified as Mohammad al-Ghadar and Ahmed al-Khan. One is understood to have recently travelled to Germany, where police are investigating their links with a number of terrorist suspects. Similar investigations are going on in Italy and Belgium. In Britain, last week's alleged plot has prompted renewed concern about the possible role of university groups in radicalising some young Muslims. Today's Sunday Telegraph says an investigation of portable buildings used by the Islamic Society at London Metropolitan University turned up 'documents advocating jihad and a pamphlet on how to deal with approaches from the security services'. One of the people arrested last week was a former head of the society. Muslim community anger over the arrests was reflected last night in remarks by Imitiaz Qadir, spokesman for the Waltham Forest Islamic Association, who said he had been in contact with several families of the people detained: 'They are devastated, and the manner of the tactics has shocked the community.' Rukshana Bi, 34, a mother of four who lives near the Rauf family in Birmingham, said she did not believe they had links to terror: 'They're good people. The dad is good, the mum is good. I've never seen any problems. I've been living here for five years and they've only been good religious people. I can't believe it.' Terror: What they are saying around the world The New York Times: 'What saved everyone was apparently superb intelligence work by the British. It is unlikely that any of the scanning machines or screening personnel at airports would have detected the potentially destructive materials before they could be carried aboard.' Dawn, Pakistan, via a blog: 'The part played by Pakistan in uncovering the plot to commit what a British spokesman called "mass murder on an unimaginable scale" is proof of Pakistan's deep commitment to fight terror. This should silence those, especially in Kabul and New Delhi, who allege every now and then that Islamabad is not doing enough and should "do more".' The Times of India: The 'war' on terror is unlikely ever to be won; political engagement with the causes of terror would be a sounder strategy.' The Thinking Lebanese, leb.blogspot.com: 'At the risk of being called a paranoid conspiracy theory freak, I would like to share some personal reflections I had about the so-called Terrorist Attempts in London. To be honest: I don't believe a single word of it. Those presumed attacks are a gimmick that are really in favour of the neo-cons and the trash kind of leaders who control this planet.' The Australian: 'Those who rallied in Canberra to "stop the war" and put the onus solely on Israel have things backwards. And cynics who create a no-win situation by claiming the latest British raids were a government set-up and distraction, while blaming officials when terrorists are successful, do no one any favours. For the rest of us then, the challenge is to continue living our lives unbowed.' EU Referendum (Eureferendum.blogspot.com) 'What of the terror plot? What can MPs do about that? If it turns out that the whole plot is non-existent there will have to be discussions about our and others' intelligence services. If, as seems more likely, it turns out to be entirely correct, the presence of MPs is entirely superfluous. We do not need more legislation. In fact, the alleged plot seems to have been uncovered without there being any ID cards, an unnecessary, stupid and wrong-headed proposal for a law.' Christopher Dickey, Newsweek: 'The American failure to limit scenes of carnage in the Muslim world, or even to understand them, has combined with shortsighted military policies to create a kind of breeder reactor for explosive terrorism. Lebanon has become a cause that can cement ties among radical Sunnis and Shias against the United States, the United Kingdom and Israel. Iran is cooking up nukes and the inflammatory issue of Palestine is farther than ever from resolution.' 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