Was London Bomb Plot Heralded On Web?

Internet Forum Comment From Night Before: "London Shall Be Bombed"

(CBS)  This article was written by CBSNews.com's Tucker Reals.

---

Hours before London explosives technicians dismantled a large car bomb in the heart of the British capital's tourist-rich theater district, a message appeared on one of the most widely used jihadist Internet forums, saying: "Today I say: Rejoice, by Allah, London shall be bombed."

CBS News found the posting, which went on for nearly 300 words, on the "al Hesbah" chat room. It was left by a person who goes by the name abu Osama al-Hazeen, who appears regularly on the forum. The comment was posted on the forum, according to time stamp, at 08:09 a.m. British time on June 28 -- about 17 hours before the bomb was found early on June 29.

Al Hesbah is frequently used by international Sunni militant groups, including al Qaeda and the Taliban, to post propaganda videos and messages in their fight against the West.

There was no way for CBS News to independently confirm any connection between the posting made Thursday night and the car bomb found Friday.

Al-Hazeen's message begins: "In the name of God, the most compassionate, the most merciful. Is Britain Longing for al Qaeda's bombings?"

Al-Hazeen decries the recent knighthood of controversial author Salman Rushdie as a blow felt by all British Muslims. "This 'honoring' came at a crucial time, a time when the whole nation is reeling from the crusaders attacks on all Muslim lands," he said, in an apparent reference to the British role in Iraq.

"We say to Britain: The Emir of al Qaeda, Sheikh Osama, has once threatened you, and he carried out his threats. Today I say: Rejoice, by Allah, London shall be bombed," the message reads.

Speaking at a news conference Friday after the bomb scare in central London, the Metropolitan Police force's Counter-Terrorism Commander Peter Clarke said that officials had "no indication that we were going to be attacked this way".

Prior to the Thursday night posting by al-Hazeen, there had been no specific allusions to threats against London or Britain seen on al Hesbah, or any other major jihadist forums in recent weeks.

Several responses to the posting by other forum members expressed hope that an attack against London would be realized in the near future.

In response, al-Hazeen urges patience, saying, "Victory is very close, but you are just rushing it."

Reached by CBSNews.com Friday, the Metropolitan Police's media office could not confirm whether investigators were aware of the Internet posting on al Hesbah.

Intelligence sources who spoke to CBS News Friday morning seemed to express surprise at the discovery of the device, suggesting there had been "no warning, no intel, no smell" as a prelude to the plot - a vacuum of information which reportedly had Britain's domestic intelligence agency "very, very worried".

The attempted bombing in London's Haymarket area came one week before the second anniversary of the July 7 bombings that killed 52 people on London's transportation network.

Also Friday, a London jury was expected to hand down a verdict in the case against five young men who were charged with trying to blow up city buses and trains in 2005.

The men, all from London, were arrested after police found homemade devices on trains and buses that had failed to detonate properly - sending puffs of smoke from backpacks that frightened commuters, but injured no one.

Early reports from law enforcement officials indicate that the car bomb found Friday morning may also have failed to detonate properly - causing smoke to appear in the passenger area. It was the smoke that prompted people to call explosives officers to the scene.

One explosives expert told the British Broadcasting Corporation that the device - comprised of gas canisters and nails - appeared to be a fairly crude construction, and not the work of anyone with an extensive knowledge of weaponry.

Britain has wrestled since the July 7, 2005, over how to deal with the threat of "homegrown" terrorism. Young men from the country's large Muslim population are easy prey for radical clerics and propaganda campaigns propagated on Internet forums such as al Hesbah.

In addition to messages calling for jihad in Britain, detailed video demonstrations of how to construct bombs using gas canisters are readily available on the forums.

[notblue]

This war on terror which the left refuses to acknowledge as nothing more than a bumper sticker or even worse some political fabrication or conspiracy theory is the scourge of the modern world. These evil jihadist barbarians PURPOSELY target innocent civilians with devices designed to create large casualties and mayhem. The people who believe that fighting these radicals will only recruit more refuse to acknowledge the fact that they will use any and all means. The day of reckoning and REALITy is copming for all those blinded by politics and hatred for Bush and America. Unforunately it will take another attack on a grand scale to open the eyes of the pascifists here at leftwing central!

[j-whitman]

It is bumper sticker rhetoric, if we are not fighting it correctly.... We again ignore the cause Isreal, Palestine & Western Relations --- Notice, that England uses good police work to fight terrorism....

For the last 60 years Isreal has responded to police actions with a military --- Our own generals tell you terrorism cannot be fought with a military..... It doesn't solve the problem, it fuels it.

[jasonking4]

In Afghanistan and Iraq, US forces are viewed as the EVIL JIHADI BARBARIANS.

However the major difference is US has killed many thousands of innocent civilians whereas the other EVIL JIHADI BARBARIANS have killed a few thousand.

Everyday in the UK we recieve information about the hundreds of people dying in Iraq and Afghanistan. Is it not just a bit pathetic to accept none of these people will fight back?

.

[j-whitman]

notblue,,, Think about it a moment -- When did any Bush foreign policy or war strategy work ???? Not once in 6 years...

The "Surge" has failed & it's not even September yet, so our generals now say.. Iraq army is no more capable of standing up to thier end of the plan than they ever where.

[drummer94]

The right just don't get it, do they? The war on terror is is Afghanistan, you moron. NOT,repeat, NOT in Iraq. When our troops leave (and they will shortly) Iraq, those people will continue to kill each other for other reasons until THEY will have had enough. If Alkida wants to fight us, let them come to the soil where it started. We'll put 'em down as we find that pos bin laden.

[rushlimpdrug]

"Hours before London explosives technicians dismantled a large car bomb in the heart of the British capital's tourist-rich theater district, a message appeared on one of the most widely used jihadist Internet forums . . . . . . the Metropolitan Police force's Counter-Terrorism Commander Peter Clarke said that officials had "no indication that we were going to be attacked this way".

Boy, sounds like Pete needs to hire some CBS folks to help in their monitoring.

So tell me again, these guyz are really smart?

[hypnotoad72]

Web, cell phones, morse code, carrier pidgeon, tv programs, pamphlets, stripper clubs...

Though I avoid the Islamic websites, I still wouldn't be surprised.

Regardless, that's not the Internet's fault. Only the sites that host it. Blame Al Jazeera.

[xzavierbrown]

the purpose of terrorism is to expect surrender and appeasement from the people..

dont forget who wanted to appease and surrender.

[notblue]

jwhitman, only a moron would beleive that "foreign policy and negotiations will work with militants. You sir are ignorant to the facts if you believe the war on terror is only in Afghanistan, tooooo funny!

[xzavierbrown]

The right just don't get it, do they? The war on terror is is Afghanistan, you moron. NOT,repeat, NOT in Iraq. When our troops leave (and they will shortly) Iraq, those people will continue to kill each other for other reasons until THEY will have had enough. If Alkida wants to fight us, let them come to the soil where it started. We'll put 'em down as we find that pos bin laden.
Posted by drummer94 at 11:34 AM : Jun 29, 2007
+ report abuse

**************

the war is against RADICAL ISLAM and not Afghanistan or Osama bin laden for that matter. As far as I know, religious influence is porous. That is where the danger resides. What we need to do is water down that firey ideology. something that the liberal could had done (because they are very good at it if they wanted to and IF THEY CAN GROW SOME B ALLS) instead of supporting it by attacking anything that oppose that ideology JUST TO BE SPITEFUL AGAINST A SINGLE MAN (bush).

[gangesdak]

Whenever you notice the mention of "compassionate" and "merciful" God you know something vile is going to happen. That appears to be the Islamic definition of God who always calmly and mercifully kills and maims. What a definition of mercy! Does He ever get angry?

[tomflint69]

haa haa haaaa.... if there was a messege on an Islamic website, then for what reaon/purpose the authorities had been waiting for, and not hurried to save people?????? I believe they are all drunk. They only know marking areas after something truly becomes a nightmare.
For an instant suppose what might happend if that bomb exploded?

[jasonking4]

one man's terrorist is another mans freedom fighter. just because you either get a sanitised version of the war on your screens, the whole world is seeing the CARNAGE in Iraq and the complete and utter shambles of Afghanistan every day.

the guy who said why should we trust Bush since he has got practically every foreign policy decision wrong since Iraq is dead right.

This ends when we extricate ourselves from an illegal war and from the continued SLAUGHTER of Iraqis and Afghanis most of whom are innocent civilians.

They have a London/Madrid/Indonesia type bombing everyday. Every 9 and a half days the equivalent of one 9/11.

.

[drummer94]

"The war is against RADICAL ISLAM..." Agreed. But you cannot kill an ideology. You CAN kill the humans who subscribe to that ideology. There is no such thing as "watering down" a belief whether it be Islam, Judeism, Catholicism, or whatever. We know from where the attacks came and that is Afghanistan. We still need to cut the head off the snake.

[papfpbe43]

every thing is gray to you, RADICAL



ISLAM = terrorist

[tomflint69]

If they (Afghans and Iraqis) want to live without democracy with their butts ******, let them live. Let their women suffer. Why should we help them out?
may be to insecure our own countries, to give them an excuse of bombarding our cities? or
maybe due to oil in Iraq and Uranium reserves in Afghanistan,
may be to insecure Russia and China while sitting in Afghanistan?

[jetranger7]

TERROISTS ARE NOTHING MORE THAN A BUNCH OF "SISSIES", THEY HAVE TO USE BOMBS TO KILL PEOPLE TO PUSH THEIR STUPID IGNORANT AGENDA THRU, THAT NOBODY ELSE REALLY GIVES A *** ABOUT !!!! I'D LOVE TO DIS-MEMBER ONE OF THOSE RAGHEAD JIHAD WORTHLESS PIECES OF ****, AND SEND HIS PARTS TO OBL, HIM SELF WITH A MESSAGE, THAT HE'S NEXT !!!! ROUND THEM ALL UP, AND GET RID OF THEM !!!!!!! THEIR WORTHLESS TO SOCIETY, ALL THEM JIHAD RADICAL S.O.Bs,, NEED TO BE EXTERMINATED,, GET OUT THE RAID AND THE BLACK FLAG, AND EXTERMINATE THOSE INSECTS !!!!!! THATS WHAT THEY ARE, INSECTS AND PESTS TO SOCIETY !!!!!!!

[j-whitman]

notblue,,,, Since you are not paying much attention, Condi Rice is using deplomacy now with militants. So, that makes her a moron right ??

[j-whitman]

notblue,,,,, The war on terror is in many countries Bush ignores, Iraq had no terrorists but they sure as hell does now..... The root of the problem is still Isreal, Palestine & Western Relations which Bush only fuels the fire.

[lars008-2009]

NOW CAN WE KILL THEM???
If they can kill us, we can kill them

Qaeda warns of attacks 'worse than 9/11'
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=070530102648.wuwa6k96&show_article=1

Hizbullah Deputy Sec-Gen Sheikh Naim Qassem: We Have Jurisprudent Permission to Carry Out 'Martyrdom' Operations, Fire Missiles on Israeli Civilians From Ayatollah Khomeini
http://memri.org/bin/latestnews.cgi?ID=SD154907

Switching Sides: Inside The Enemy Camp

But then in 2000, well before his arrest, something happened which would make Abas question everything he believed in: a fatwa, a religious edict, was issued by Osama bin Laden.

"It should be understood that killing Americans and Jews anywhere found are the highest act of worship and the highest form of good deeds in the eyes of Allah," Simon quotes bin Laden.

Abas and his fellow commanders were ordered to read the fatwa to their men and make sure they carried it out. The others obeyed, but Abas refused. It was his moment of truth. He firmly believed that jihad was to be fought only on the battlefield in defense of Islam; he had always been taught that the killing of civilians had nothing to do with holy war and that it was forbidden.

The fatwa justified killing non-Muslim civilians everywhere.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/04/60minutes/main2761108.shtml?source=RSSattr=60Minutes_2761108
American Al Qaeda Member Threatens Attack
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/29/terror/main2865282.shtml

[jasonking4]

JetRanger7- you should seriously seek pyschiatric help. You sound exactly like the people you purport to hate. That's right you sound like a sissy terrorist.

.

[notblue]

Jwhitman, you yourself have called Condi and this administration morons. Please give me ONE example were negotiations and diplomacy has worked with militants. The terrorists mission is to kill period! They will not be negotiated with, they will not stop killing innocent civilians because we stop fighting, they will not stop ther Jihad until all infidels are destroyed or conform to there 6th century ideology. Knowing your perspective on the terror war I would say it's time for you to join your brothers and eventually hell because that's where they are headed. Yes there are people in this world that will not surrender to there barbarism and are willing to fight if able, so just sit back, carp, complain, and blame the righteous who in the end will protect your life and right to do so.

[j-whitman]

notblue,,, I'm glad you remembered.. Condi's done a complete flip-flop on foreign policy's now.. She's even fighting against White House neo-cons.... On Iraq, Iran & Isreal, Pakistan & North Korea,,, Rice has done an about face

[octavianfdlr]

What does this have to do with science? (The article is linked from the CBS SCIENCE page.)

[notblue]

jwhitman, remembered what? You still haven't answered the question. Please tell me when negotiation and diplomacy have been successful in regards to radical jihadists?

[j-whitman]

notblue,,, This current concept of arming Sunni militants in Iraq to fight al Quaeda, are part of these negoitiations. As well as many cross-political dealing going on throughout Iraq ---- It will backfire on us, as before.

[demann4]

Few standing on the left wing of the political arena seem to get it. The terrorists do not care how much we ignore them, they do not care how much we fight them, they do not care how much we appease them; they only care about how much control they can exert on the general population of the planet.

Yes, that is correct, thier goal is NOT to get the West out of Iraq, or Afghanistan, or Palestine. Their goal is the subjugation of all other religions, and the destruction of Western Democracy in its entirety, and the supression of non-islamic peoples.

They don't care what we do, as long as we disappear or die ... and I'm pretty sure they'd prefer we die violently and bloodily as an example for thier propaganda machine.

Our only option for survival is the complete destruction of the jihadist's.

Apologists beware, your way leads to death and destruction. They will not ignore you just because you pretend their philosophy doesn't exist.

Goddess Bless America

[homeland6]

I expect there will be more.

[j-whitman]

notblue,,,,, Diplomacy as the Iraq Study Group says, is the only way out... Condi's recongnizing this finally, but, it's way too late.

Stop thinking of them as radical jihadists, or whatever --- Get to the heart of the issue which is in Palestine & Isreal terratories.... Solve that problem & you will solve Terrorism against Western Countries.

[seven-pesos]

georgia and south carolina...

land of rednecks, bush lovers, war makers, christian creeps, white trash.

georgia and south carolina...provoked the american civil war, attacked america, murdered yankee prisoners of war (andersonville, georgia)

georgia and south carolina...traitorous, unamerican, and unpatriotic.

nothing good comes out of the south.

[lars008-2009]

what do you call an organization that:

kills you if you don't join it...

http://islamqa.com/index.php?ref=82201&ln=eng&txt=islam%20law%20kill%20kaafir

kills you if you leave it...

http://islamqa.com/index.php?ref=696&ln=eng&txt=kaafir%20kill

kills you if you don't do what they tell you to do..

http://islamqa.com/index.php?ref=6035&ln=eng&txt=kaafir%20kill

kills you if you speak against it%u2026.

http://islamqa.com/index.php?QR=22809&ln=eng

kills anybody that is not a member of it...

http://www.hauns.com/~DCQu4E5g/koran5.html

still practices slavery

http://islamqa.com/index.php?ref=12562&ln=eng&txt=slavery

still practices pagan rituals...

http://answering-islam.org/Silas/pagansources.htm

allows the r a p e of babies and animals...

http://www.homa.org/default.asp?TOCID=2083225445

a. satanic cult???
b. islam???
c. all the above???

Our Prophet commanded us to fight the kaafirs when we are able and to attack them in their homelands and to give them three choices before we enter their lands: either they become Muslim and be like us, sharing our rights and duties; or they pay the jizyah (poll tax) and feel themselves subdued; or they fight, in which case their wealth, women, children and homes become permissible as booty for the Muslims.
http://islamqa.com/index.php?ref=13759&ln=eng&txt=before%20islam%20arabia%20pagan

[j-whitman]

Lars,,,, Go away -- You just deseribed the republican party

[consciousnes]

So how long is CBS going to continue to help the "al Hesbah" chat room to spread its propaganda?
CBS is doing just what al Hesbah wants, broadcasting their message around the world to try to instill terror and recruit help and finances from others who don't like the Unites States.
CBS is actually doing more damage then Osama al-Hazeen could have done with his car bomb.

WHEN IN THE MEDIA GOING TO BE PUNISHED FOR HELPING THE TERRIOREST?????????????

[j-whitman]

Consciousnes,,, You can't be serious ??? Our media is the only link to the truth, they risk thier lives to get the news as accurately & unbiased as possible.

[j-whitman]

Consciousnes,,,
We have an incapable & incompetent President who has taken this nation into an agressive war of choice, lied to American people every time he speaks,
, Lost Iraq the moment he invaded & now is failing in the war on terror ---- All the while Destroying Our Military & National Security

AND YOU WANT TO BLAME THE MEDIA & SHUT THEM DOWN ??

[demann4]

j-whitman - How childish ... to do what children always do when confronted with something that's true, but that they don't want to believe ... they say "go away" or "shut up"

D

[smirk5]

It's a good thing that Britain is fighting them in Iraq so they don't have to face them at home.

Oops for the London Bombings
and oops again.

Let's see. Spain pulled out of Iraq after getting bombed and they haven't been bombed again by Al-Qaeda.

[lars008-2009]

demonic-rats... freedom of speech as long as you agree with me..... hahahaha... right jihad j...lol

Feinstein might push for fairness doctrine
http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/Top_News/2007/06/24/feinstein_might_push_for_fairness_doctrine/9684/
REPORT: The Right Wing Domination Of Talk Radio And How To End It
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/06/20/radio-report
THE GREAT DIVIDE: REPORTERS GIVE DEMS MONEY OVER REPUBLICANS 9 TO 1!
Journalists dole out cash to politicians (quietly)
News organizations diverge on handling of political activism by staff
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19113485
GOP preps for talk radio confrontation
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/gop-preps-for-talk-radio-confrontation-2007-06-27.html
kerry against free speech
KERRY FOR FAIRNESS DOCTRINE; CORRECT 'IMBALANCE'
http://youtube.com/watch?v=6pwU0FygLlY

[j-whitman]

demann4,, I don't know about you, but I tought my children to confront people when they are lied to.... I also taught them, men & women are only as good as thier word.

[rdnearthezoo]

j-whitman, you are coming across as such a tool.

If the heart of the problem is the Palestine & Israel territory, then explain to me and everyone else here why there are almost-daily bombings by Muslims in southern Thailand? Explain for me why the Islamic Courts Union tried to enact shari'a in Somolia?

I'm sure that Bush is somehow involved. Didn't he say just the other day that he really liked Thai food? Yep, I'm sure that is what set off the Jihadis.

[profarmer999]

This is nothing but classic "Problem, Reaction Solution." Stop buying into this propaganda people! What an amazing coincidence. One day into office Brown now has the excuse to get his draconian laws passed through Parliament. Interesting how after all these "terror" events more freedoms are relinquished. when will people wake up to this ***!

[lars008-2009]

jihad j leads The Chorus of Useful Idiots... hahaha

Leftist Support of Islamist Terror
Most shocking is the outright sympathy of many leftist-liberals for Islamic fascism. They said little about the murder of 500 Russian civilians, many of them children, but screamed week after week because some Arab savage at Abu Ghraib prison wore a bag on his head. They cared nothing about the beheadings committed by the Islamo-savages or the execution of 12 Nepalese. David Horowitz gives an excellent discussion of who this "Left" really is. He calls them neo-communist, I call them Leftist-Liberals. I'm a classical Liberal myself and I feel it's time to remove this irrational element that has been allowed to poison our good name.
http://www.sullivan-county.com/immigration/list.htm
The Chorus of Useful Idiots
http://www.sullivan-county.com/immigration/thornton.htm
Supporters of Muslim Terrorism on the un-Religious Left
http://www.sullivan-county.com/id2/index1.htm
Exposing Leftists' Radical Islam Connection
http://www.sullivan-county.com/immigration/left_islam.htm
Definitions, Lies, and Losing Your Head
http://www.sullivan-county.com/immigration/def_lies.htm
Shocking (Liberal) Silence
http://www.sullivan-county.com/immigration/leftist_silence.htm
See no evil: Why the Left is blind to suffering
http://www.sullivan-county.com/immigration/no_evil.htm
When is violent speech still free speech?
http://www.sullivan-county.com/immigration/speech.htm

[jasonjaon]

jasonking4 you vile ignorant piece of trash. The US does not intentionally target civilians. The U.S. dies trying to protect civilians targeted by the animal jihadis. The U.S. kills civilians either b/c they mistakenly believed they were insurgents (as the cowards hide among the populace and use them as shields) or b/c as collateral damage to a strike. These animals do not seek to kill the policy makers, the people who started the war, who fight the war, etc. They seek to kill people, some of whom are sympathetic to their cause. You are the sort of useful idiot Stalin used in the past and these animals use today. I hope the next attack takes you instead of someone worth sharing O2 with.

Other morons, London was a target before the war. France is a target and they are not involved in the war. Get a grip on reality trash. We were targets long before Bush.

[j-whitman]

rdnearthezoo,,, Those are all sepreate problems, most are against problems within thier own countries & corrupt governments... Smolia you mention but don't understand how our government sponsered that problem & you don't mention Ethiopia or Chad problems..

You tell me why they want Sharia laws, they are prefered in some areas... In fact if you look at our own nation, radical Christians are imposing thier own version of Sharia laws on us through our courts.

[lars008-2009]

FASCIST NAZI ISLAM TO ENSLAVE NON MUSLIM WORLD

HAMAS MICKEY MOUSE SAYS
Islamic rule will benefit Christians and Jews
by Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook - May 14, 2007
The force behind Hamas TV%u2019s controversial Mickey Mouse clone said today that his children%u2019s television program will continue to promote worldwide Islamic supremacy, for everyone's benefit, including Christians and Jews.
In a long interview on Hamas TV, Hazim Al-Sha%u2019arawi, Deputy Director of Al-Aqsa TV and one of the creators of the Hamas children%u2019s TV show Tomorrow%u2019s Pioneers, said that using the program to promote Islamic rule over other religions is actually promoting %u201Cjustice, goodness and world love.%u201D
Al-Aqsa TV and the Palestinian Authority have been under fire since PMW reported last week that Tomorrow%u2019s Pioneers was using a character named Farfur, a knockoff of Disney%u2019s Mickey Mouse character, to convey messages about Islamic supremacy as well as hatred of Jews, Israel and the U.S. Despite public statements by PA Minister of Information Mustafa Barghouti that the show would be taken off the air until it could be reviewed and revised, a new episode of the program %u2013 featuring Al-Sha%u2019arawi as one of the hosts %u2013 ran Friday.
http://pmw.org.il/bulletins_may2007.htm
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S995NCeaUg

[ubrew12]

"If the heart of the problem is the Palestine & Israel territory, then explain to me and everyone else here why there are almost-daily bombings by Muslims in southern Thailand? Explain for me why the Islamic Courts Union tried to enact shari'a in Somolia?: rdnearthezoo at 01:25 PM : Jun 29, 2007
Daily bombings? Where'd you hear that? I find that doubtful. Its true that Muslims around the world are often taught to be confrontational and only loosely bound by 'mans laws'. Resemble not a few Christians in that respect. But its worth discussing why the religion is so confrontational. Nevertheless, solving the Palestinian issue would go far to end terrorism in the West, as would resolving Iraq.

[rafterman1]

===Most shocking is the outright sympathy of many leftist-liberals for Islamic fascism.===

The only liberal sympathy for Islamic facism is the one you create in your head to justify your support of mass murder of people solely based on fear, ignorance and religion. God will punish you neocons as rightly as he will punish the terrorists. A neocon is no better than an Islamic terrorist. Get rid of you both and the world will be mostly peaceful.

[j-whitman]

rdnearthezoo,,, It's a complex issue Bush lumps up into one cause & problem ---- Radical Militant Muslems -- He uses it as a bumper sticker rhetoric,,,, & it doesn't win wars, it excellerates them into loses

[smirk5]

Good thing this didn't happen in America. Cons would be peeing on themselves over it. Even though one's chances of dying by terrorism is less than by lightning, Cons would be scared crapless.

[profarmer999]

Terrorism was also Hitler's preferred method for grabbing power.