U.K. Monitoring Several Terror Plots

Britain's domestic intelligence agency is watching 200 groups and has foiled five major plots since the July 2005 attacks in London, the service's director general said Thursday.

Eliza Manningham-Buller, who has headed Britain's domestic spy agency, MI5, since 2002, said officials were "aware of numerous plots to kill people and to damage our economy," the British Broadcasting Corp. reported.

"What do I mean by numerous? Five? Ten?" she said. "No, nearer 30 that we currently know of. These plots often have linked back to al Qaeda in Pakistan, and through those links al Qaeda gives guidance and training to its largely British foot soldiers here on an extensive and growing scale."

Manning-Buller said Britain will see elements of chemical and even nuclear weapons in the future.

"Today we see the use of homemade improvised explosive devices, but I suggest tomorrow's threat will include the use of chemicals, bacteriological agents, radioactive materials, and even nuclear technology," said Manning-Buller, according to Britain's Press Association.

MI5 also believe al Qaeda in Pakistan is targeting the United Kingdom in a sustained campaign, CBS News reports.

Speaking to an invited audience, the BBC reported that Manningham-Buller said some of those plots could be less threatening, but that they still must be investigated.

MI5 agents are currently watching 200 groups or networks — "actively engaged in plotting, or facilitating, terrorist acts here and overseas," she said — and Manningham-Buller acknowledged it was likely there were more people involved in plots that the security services were not aware of.

Manningham-Buller warned that radicalization, especially of young people, was one of the biggest problems facing anti-terror investigators.

"It is the youth who are being actively targeted, groomed, radicalized and set on a path that frighteningly quickly could end in their involvement in mass murder of their fellow UK citizens," Manningham-Buller said. "Young teenagers are being groomed to be suicide bombers."

[ademeyer]

You twist every story you comment on into a leftist vs rightist opportunity. It disgusts me that your first reaction to a news story about potential bombings in the UK is to take a swipe at that old rightist bogeyman, the ACLU. You do not contribute one iota to our national discussion
about how to fight terroism. Why don't you find a sports team to follow? Basketball has a place for rabid fans.

[mihikatahdin]

Oh, I assure you, Mr. Reals, these same English opinions are alive and well right here in the USA. Long before he was elected President, many recognized him for exactly what he is...an arrogant, egocentric individual. There was a lesson to be learned in the number of his Cabinet members who chose to flee after his second election, if only they had delivered their message by leaving before the election. I have felt totally embarrassed for the American people at the state of American politics during the last six years. This presidency has provided us all with a potent reminder of the reasons why it was determined early in our history that church and state should be separate.

[ademeyer]

Shut up Jane

[ademeyer]

shut up Jane.

[grumpas]

I am no expert on terrorism! But, I never could figure out what Bush was doing using military action against them? Afganistan made sense to a point they were hiding out there and had training camps. But, Iraq has been a whole different story! Terrorist's are whole lot like the Mafia I would think! The only way to defeat them is through observation, informants and patience! Build a case against them and bring them to trial! Have enough concrete evidence you can put them away for years! Most terrorist's are independant groups. They are only loosely affiliated with a country! So, his supposed "war on terror" was a joke! He has been doing literally nothing for the terrorism problem by invading countries! Except creating truck loads of them!

[fritzalvarez]

Strange, isn't it, that the Brits are finding more terrorists with police action than we are with all of our very expensive military action? Maybe it is an investigative police role after all and not a "bombs away" military strategy that works in the war on terror.

Fritz
http://heathenmiddle.com

[pakaal]

Amen to that observantX.

[observantx]

We have seen this before. This is the radical Islamic plan. Find the young disaffected teenagers. Assign them to a radical cleric, who cherrypicks those portions of the Qu%u2019ran that he can use to turn these misguided missiles into human bombs. Set them loose to kill innocent people who never meant them any harm.

What a cynical filthy business. Sacrificing their own youth for politics. The Madrassas need to be purged of the lice that teach unIslamic doctrine to innocent children. These child killers need to be flayed for their apostacy. May Allah *** them to hell.

[observantx]

We have seen this before. This is the radical Islamic plan. Find the young disaffected teenagers. Assign them to a radical cleric, who cherrypicks those portions of the Qu%u2019ran that he can use to turn these misguided missiles into human bombs. Set them loose to kill innocent people who never meant them any harm.

What a cynical filthy business. Sacrificing their own youth for politics. The Madrassas need to be purged of the lice that teach unIslamic doctrine to innocent children. These child killers need to be flayed for their apostacy. May Allah *** them to hell.