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UK 'number one al-Qaeda target'


__Kratos__

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Al-Qaeda has become more organised and sophisticated and has made Britain its top target, counter-terrorism officials have told the BBC.

Security sources say the situation has never been so grim, said BBC home affairs correspondent Margaret Gilmore.

They believe the network is now operating a cell structure in the UK - like the IRA did - and sees the 7 July bomb attacks "as just the beginning".

Each cell has a leader, a quartermaster dealing with weapons, and volunteers.

According to our correspondent, each cell works on separate, different plots, with masterminds controlling several different cells.

They were often aware they were being followed and so were meeting in public spaces.

In addition, training is taking place in the UK and Pakistan.

'Indoctrination weekend'

It was thought that five years ago al-Qaeda was a number of "loosely-connected organisations" with common aims, but it is now more organised, she said.

Security officials are concerned the group is targeting universities and the community, and are "less worried" about mosques, she added.

The network is targeting "carefully selected" new recruits - mainly young Muslim men - according to the Guardian newspaper, which also quotes security sources.

The paper tells how recruits are then put through a "psychologically compelling" indoctrination of weekend and evening briefings.

This starts with religious lectures and prayer, but moves gradually to more radical teachings and political discussions about the position of Islam in relation to the western world.

The leadership of al-Qaeda does appear to ... be more coherent and organised than had been thought in recent years

Gordon Corera

BBC security correspondent

BBC security correspondent Gordon Corera said the view was Britain was particularly vulnerable because "it may be easier for al-Qaeda to strike the UK than other targets".

He said these views were "based on activity they are actually seeing. Plots they're disrupting, trials which might be coming up soon".

"There is hard evidence behind it, rather than just theories," said our correspondent.

"That's based partly on what they are seeing, in terms of the types of activity, and partly based on the coincidence, that al-Qaeda's leadership is based in the tribal areas of Pakistan where there are links to the UK and flows of people going back and forwards.

"It makes it easier to make the UK a target than the other countries it might wish to target."

The network also appeared to be better organised, he continued.

"The leadership of al-Qaeda does appear to have been re-grouping and to be more coherent and organised than had been thought in recent years.

"The view is it clearly was an organised group before 9/11, but the campaign in Afghanistan disrupted that leadership very heavily.

It is no longer about looking for a needle in a haystack

Crispin Black

Security analyst

"But in recent years, particularly in the tribal areas between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the al-Qaeda leadership has been able to re-group and re-organise itself.

"In doing so it's able to open up channels of communication, contact, recruitment and planning around the world, and operate those in a more coherent fashion than maybe we were seeing three years' ago."

However, intelligence analyst Crispin Black said another attack in the UK "was not inevitable", citing the UK's "considerable successes against the IRA".

He said the security services had a good idea about who they were dealing with, saying: "We still have that expertise and training present within our military forces and intelligence."

"It is no longer about looking for a needle in a haystack. We have some pretty good clues and information on where we should be looking."

Source

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Pretty scary stuff... I hope our brothers and sisters across the pond don't have to suffer yet another attack. :no: I hope the counter-terrorism forces can stay valiant and prevent the possible up-coming attacks.

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Security sources say the situation has never been so grim, said BBC home affairs correspondent Margaret Gilmore.

They were often aware they were being followed and so were meeting in public spaces.

Security officials are concerned the group is targeting universities and the community, and are "less worried" about mosques, she added.

The network is targeting "carefully selected" new recruits - mainly young Muslim men - according to the Guardian newspaper, which also quotes security sources.

This starts with religious lectures and prayer, but moves gradually to more radical teachings and political discussions about the position of Islam in relation to the western world.

"There is hard evidence behind it, rather than just theories," said our correspondent.

"That's based partly on what they are seeing, in terms of the types of activity, and partly based on the coincidence, that al-Qaeda's leadership is based in the tribal areas of Pakistan where there are links to the UK and flows of people going back and forwards.

He said the security services had a good idea about who they were dealing with, saying: "We still have that expertise and training present within our military forces and intelligence."

"It is no longer about looking for a needle in a haystack. We have some pretty good clues and information on where we should be looking."

This is my guess of where they are watching.

Aston University Birmingham

UCE University of Central England Birmingham

The College of Law of England and Wales Birmingham

Queen's Foundation Theological EducationBirmingham

Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College Birmingham

College of Food Tourism Creative Studies Birmingham

Aston Business School Birmingham

Josiah Mason College Birmingham

South Birmingham College Birmingham

Bournville College of Further Education Birmingham

City College Birmingham

Fircroft Adult Residential College Birmingham

North Birmingham College Birmingham

Matthew Boulton College Birmingham

The University of Birmingham

Sutton Coldfield Sixth Form College Birmingham

North Birmingham College Birmingham

University of Birmingham

Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College Birmingham

Selly Oak Colleges Birmingham

Josiah Mason Sixth Form College Birmingham

South Birmingham College Birmingham

Matthew Boulton College Birmingham

City College Coventry

Hereward College Coventry

Coventry University Coventry

Henley College Coventry

Dudley College Dudley

Halesowen College Halesowen

Wyke Sixth Form College Hull

Wilberforce College Hull

University of Lincoln Hull

Hull College Hull

University of Hull

Cadbury Sixth Form College Kings Norton

Sandwell College Oldbury

Solihull Sixth Form College Solihull

Solihull College Solihull

Stourbridge College Stourbridge

King Edward VI Sixth Form College Stourbridge

Sutton Coldfield College Sutton Coldfield

Walsall College of Arts and Technology Walsall

Sandwell College West Bromwich

Wolverhampton College Wolverhampton

University of Wolverhampton

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I wonder if they have gotten the students involved at all in their own security?

Edited by Bella-Angelique
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Bella...... What is the obsession with the Black Country? :)

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They believe the network is now operating a cell structure in the UK - like the IRA did - and sees the 7 July bomb attacks "as just the beginning".

There was an article in a newspaper I read a while ago that was exploring the possibilty of the IRA helping Al-Qaeda with bomb making tatics and technologies. Like they were selling there 'modern' expertise to them.

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Bella, what was the reasoning behind suggesting those particular colleges & universities?

I trust it is not the racial divide as with Bradford?

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My guess is this is scare-mongering BS.

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i think you should get it right it is only england that are targets for

Al-qaeda as anyone that has spoken to the english they think they are

better than everyone else as they USED to run the world, since they have

not run it for over nearly a century.

Nearly every english person who i have spoken to thinks that everyone else

is second class citizens

:ph34r:

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i think you should get it right it is only england that are targets for

Al-qaeda as anyone that has spoken to the english they think they are

better than everyone else as they USED to run the world, since they have

not run it for over nearly a century.

Nearly every english person who i have spoken to thinks that everyone else

is second class citizens

:ph34r:

WHAT? Are you serious??

My husband is 100% British (English) , and moved here from near London and has never thought this sort of thing - ever. Nor do any of his family over there. And I am sure that others from the UK that visit this forum will also disagree with you on that.

I did record and upload a bit of this news (as well as other news they had) from BBC today- about 6.27 minutes into this video, is when they speak on how they determine UK as key Al-Qaeda target (along with the US of course)

See this HERE (If the video hangs, just click on it to pause for a bit so it can load then hit play )

Edited by Cinders
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My guess is this is scare-mongering BS.

I agree the agenda is to create gripping fear; and remove all civil liberties. :ph34r:

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Bella, what was the reasoning behind suggesting those particular colleges & universities?

Large population of young, male, islamic fundementalists that can gather on these campuses in small groups without too much attention since they live in these areas.

I did a demographic sweep.

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My guess is this is scare-mongering BS.

Don't you claim every threat as that?

death to all infadels

britain will be a muslim country in 10 years

all woman will adhear to islamic law or be put

to death

:ph34r:

No kidding. Though, it might take a bit more then 10 years if the UK keeps standing up for their values. It's not really a question though that the muslims want it to be Islamic law really.

Wow.. and this was your VERY first post on this forum. You must be so proud... :rolleyes:

Wow, this is the second n00b today you've bashed for really no reason but they disagreed with you today by not even addressing their thoughts or offering your opinion. I bet you feel really proud.

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Don't you claim every threat as that?

No kidding. Though, it might take a bit more then 10 years if the UK keeps standing up for their values. It's not really a question though that the muslims want it to be Islamic law really.

Wow, this is the second n00b today you've bashed for really no reason but they disagreed with you today by not even addressing their thoughts or offering your opinion. I bet you feel really proud.

WTF is wrong with you?!.. so you agree with his ali ickbar's comment?!

Oh sorry. .. thats right you seem to think I can't post on YOUR threads! Jeez! Yea.. it's better to have comments such as what ali ickbar has to say on here.. whatever Kratos

Edited by Cinders
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WTF is wrong with you?!.. so you agree with his ali ickbar's comment?!

Oh sorry. .. thats right you seem to think I can't post on YOUR threads! Jeez! Yea.. it's better to have comments such as what ali ickbar has to say on here.. whatever Kratos

I do agree with ali ickbar. The Koran clearly states kill infidels and do what you can to spread the Islamic faith. While the muslim population is causing rifts in the UK.

I don't care if you post, I just found it weird to attack a n00b that has one post after you went after another one earlier with 2 posts.

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death to all infadels

britain will be a muslim country in 10 years

all woman will adhear to islamic law or be put

to death

:ph34r:

Whoa there, not on a world conquest are we? I think history will show that Britain will be a harder foe than a pocket of terrorists can handle. And what exactly do you consider an infadel? I guesse since I ask this qusetion you want me dead to. Sad very sad.

Edited by ohio tsunami
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The way I see, it, it would be easier to take Muslim control of Britain by putting up a Muslim candidate for Prime Minister. Since nobody here among the non-Islamic population bothers voting, it should be a walkover for them. Then we'll see who's tolerant.

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i think you should get it right it is only england that are targets for

Al-qaeda as anyone that has spoken to the english they think they are

better than everyone else as they USED to run the world, since they have

not run it for over nearly a century.

Nearly every english person who i have spoken to thinks that everyone else

is second class citizens

:ph34r:

Go and flap your kilt at some Northern English ;)

The way I see, it, it would be easier to take Muslim control of Britain by putting up a Muslim candidate for Prime Minister. Since nobody here among the non-Islamic population bothers voting, it should be a walkover for them. Then we'll see who's tolerant.

Fact. However..... I would suggest BNP are getting more votes than Muslim candidates.

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Most of the al-Qaeda cells were outside London. source

October 20, 2006

The future belongs to Islam

The Muslim world has youth, numbers and global ambitions. The West is growing old and enfeebled, and lacks the will to rebuff those who would supplant it. It's the end of the world as we've known it. An excerpt from 'America Alone'.

MARK STEYN

Sept. 11, 2001, was not "the day everything changed," but the day that revealed how much had already changed. On Sept. 10, how many journalists had the Council of American-Islamic Relations or the Canadian Islamic Congress or the Muslim Council of Britain in their Rolodexes? If you'd said that whether something does or does not cause offence to Muslims would be the early 21st century's principal political dynamic in Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, France and the United Kingdom, most folks would have thought you were crazy. Yet on that Tuesday morning the top of the iceberg bobbed up and toppled the Twin Towers.

This is about the seven-eighths below the surface -- the larger forces at play in the developed world that have left Europe too enfeebled to resist its remorseless transformation into Eurabia and that call into question the future of much of the rest of the world. The key factors are: demographic decline; the unsustainability of the social democratic state; and civilizational exhaustion. source

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This is infact a very real, and scary threat.

Yes, in worst case scenario it will be China, Japan, the Koreas, Vietnam, North America, Central America, and South America vs just about the rest of the planet.

Well, at least we all like rice. :rolleyes:

Lets hope it never gets that bad.

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Now I'm confused, because several people here have posted all these "facts" that the "silly war on terror" was invented by George Bush to take over the world.

So I guess we have nothing to worry about. Right? :tu: (except Dick Cheney et al) ;)

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Fact. However..... I would suggest BNP are getting more votes than Muslim candidates.

You would suggest!?

The BNP are a bunch of Fascist morons and if you support them then your no better.

On another note it kind of scares you to know that terrorists could be lurking within our streets

just waiting for moment to attack innocent civilians including your family and friends. :no:

its all Bush's fault Really

Edited by AKUMA166
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You would suggest!?

The BNP are a bunch of Fascist morons and if you support them then your no better.

The BNP acquired a record number of seats in the last elections...

People vote them more as a stance against immigration rather than what BNP stand for, although there will be followers.

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