MI5 raise terror warning to severe

[BEER980]

MI5 RAISE TERROR WARNING TO 'SEVERE'

May 30 2004


By Rupert Hamer

AL-QAEDA suicide truck bombers are planning to strike at a British military base in the next two months, according to secret intelligence reports. Anti-terrorist agents have issued the warnings to senior officers from all three armed services - raising the threat level to "severe" at barracks and bases across the country.

MI5 bosses believe fanatics are planning to drive trucks packed full of explosives at military headquarters - and believe London, in particular, has been targeted. D-Day anniversary services are an obvious target. They are also examining new intelligence that al-Qaeda is plotting to bomb "highly populated areas" in an effort to cause maximum casualties.

In a series of briefings, intelligence chiefs revealed:

AL-QAEDA cells have easy access to explosives but are struggling to smuggle detonators into Britain. HUNDREDS of young Muslims in England have been recruited to the cause and are successfully fund-raising. MI5 agents are racing against time to infiltrate their ranks. The British intelligence reports follow revelations last week that the fanatical network - led by Osama bin Laden - is planning further attacks in America.

It also comes after the London arrest of Muslim cleric Abu Hamza who is wanted in the US for questioning over his suspected links with al-Qaeda. Last night a security source said: "We have warned the armed forces of what we believe is being planned. It would most likely involve some kind of vehicle, explosives, and someone prepared to lose their own life in the attack.

"The other scenario is an attack in a highly-populated area, an explosive device designed to kill as many people as they can. "At the moment the highest priority for the terrorists, however, appears to be to hit a military base, most likely in London. Although such an attack would be unlikely to kill or injure many soldiers it would be seen as revenge for our presence in Iraq."

Anti-terrorist officers are understood to have mounted successful operations in recent months to deprive al-Qaeda cells of bomb-making facilities. Despite being able to obtain ingredients to make explosives, terrorists are said to be struggling to get detonators or bomb "primers". But security chiefs are increasingly concerned at what they regard as "intensive" al-Qaeda recruiting in Britain.

The source added: "Terrorists are targeting young Muslim men who can be brainwashed. "Teenage Muslims living in large, rundown, urban areas are regarded as ideal material. "They are not only looking for these converts who are prepared to die in attacks on the West but also to raise funds in Britain to finance atrocities in Britain or elsewhere.

"Agents are attempting to infiltrate these groups but the situation is becoming increasingly worrying. "Stopping known al-Qaeda members or sympathisers from entering Britain is one thing - tackling a new generation of fanatics growing up in this country is another completely."

The briefings - to senior officers from the Army, Royal Navy and RAF - are believed to have been held in the last few days. Hook-handed Hamza was arrested in a pre-dawn raid on Thursday and remanded in custody as extradition papers are prepared.

The warrant for his arrest is believed to allege that the Egyptian-born fanatic conspired to set up a terrorist training camp and recruited young men to fight for the Taliban in Afghanistan. The latest intelligence warnings come just three months after the Sunday Mirror revealed that foreign agents with links to al-Qaeda had infiltrated the police, civil service and military.

Source

[janswizard]

I imagine we will probably see our terror alert system raised in the next month or so as well. Then again, I heard someone on TV say that our important holidays/events are not as important to the terrorists as some dates that they feel have more significance, such as dates of past events that they have been responsible for.

[cycloneye]

I imagine we will probably see our terror alert system raised in the next month or so as well. Then again, I heard someone on TV say that our important holidays/events are not as important to the terrorists as some dates that they feel have more significance, such as dates of past events that they have been responsible for.

You mean like 9/11 2004.

[Josephine96]

I'm surprised the alert level is still at yellow. I thought it may have been raised to orange again by now.

But I guess we'll just wait and see

[BEER980]

Let's wait and see what all the carrier groups being deployed out of Norfolk scare up.
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