Christmas Bomb Plot: Nine Men Remanded Over Plan To 'Blow Up Big Ben And Westminster Abbey'

[Turborama]

Source: Telegraph (UK)

Nine alleged terrorists plotted a Christmas bombing campaign targeting sites that included the London Stock Exchange and Big Ben, a court heard.

By Caroline Gammell | 9:19PM GMT Dec 27 2010

They are alleged to have carried out reconnaissance missions before deciding on their possible targets.

Police were said to have found a list of six sites, including the full postal address of the Stock Exchange, Boris Johnson’s London mayoral office and the US embassy.

Defendants were seen studying the tower of Big Ben, before inspecting Westminster Abbey, the London Eye and the Church of Scientology. Al-Qaeda inspired books and leaflets, including instructions on making a pipe bomb, were also uncovered during the counter-terrorism operation.

Details of the alleged plot were outlined at City of Westminster magistrates’ court.

Read more: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/terrorism-in-the-uk/8227193/Christmas-bomb-plot-nine-men-remanded-over-plan-to-blow-up-Big-Ben-and-Westminster-Abbey.html

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'Christmas terror plot' suspects are remanded in custody

Source: The Guardian

Nine men accused of carrying out reconnaissance missions on targets and testing incendiary devices

Paul Lewis | Monday December 27 2010 18.53 GMT

The accused are aged between 19 and 28 and come from Cardiff, London and Stoke-on-Trent. They are accused of reconnaissance missions on agreed targets, and testing incendiary devices ahead of the thwarted attack.

Reports tonight suggested prosecutors believe that the London Stock Exchange and the US embassy, as well as religious or political leaders, were among the targets.

Channel 4 News said the alleged plan also included making parcel bombs based on an al-Qaida newsletter.

Appearing at City of Westminster magistrates court in three batches, each of the accused spoke to confirm his name, date of birth and address. The senior district judge, Howard Riddle, remanded them to appear at the Old Bailey on 14 January.

More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/dec/27/christmas-terror-suspects-remanded

[sudopod]

1. Church of Scientology?

lol wat?

[Akoto]

6. Those Thetans have the worst luck with explosions. n/t

[sudopod]

7. FACT

Osama bin Laden and Xenu both live in caves. Coincidence? I THINK NOT!

[TheMadMonk]

12. Indeed. I was already chortling at the rest of the list. That one...

...is uproarious.

London Eye? maybe. Stock echange? Synbolic, but not particularly dammaging. Mayoral office? Possible, but that's an atack on London, nothing else. US Embasssy? For THAT I can imagine potential vest wearers/van drivers being forced to queue.

WM Abbey & Big Ben? NOT. A. FUCKING. CHANCE. Not unless your goal is "no-quarter" conflict.

Just how well do you think it would go down if someone chose to: Blow up The Wailing Wall as a sign they were serious about Israel coming to the table and negotiating in good faith with Palestine; Or, drop a nuke on Mecca to push the message that the world is sick of Islamic jihadistic bullshit.


First Commandment be damned. Iconoclasm, is and always has been the order of the day. Anyone, who is anyone in the circles of manipulated sentimented knows this, if they know nothing else. Never, ever, fuck with someone's Icons, unless your goal includes securing that someone's undying hostility.


This looks very much like the other side of the FBI ginning up terrorist sentiments amongst the merely cheesed off. And if it's at all possible, even more clumsy. Listing a number of highly iconic targets with some that might and just one obvious target that have legitimate value as terrorist targets in an attack that didn't happen (and may well be never was).


Grow a fucking brain people. Take a look at the big picture. Almost nothing makes any great sense in terms of the openly stated goals. However, if you look at these matters (collectively) as an attempt to incite conflict, or fear of conflict, sense not only emerges, but jumps out and slaps you in the face with a three day old haddock.


There's a cliche oft cited here on DU: "Don't ascribe to conspiracy, that which can be explained by stipidity/ignorance."

For me, at least, there's the flip side: "Don't appeal to stupidity/ignorance when obvious conspirators would clearly benefit."

Pick your evidence: Passenger side vs. worker side airport security and the projected (by the TSA) expansion of "user" side intrusion into interstate rail and even grocery shopping. The choice to secure only the oil fields in Iraq, while leaving the museums, armouries and even nuclear power plants freely accessible to the looters.

THAT is Gomer Pyle class ignorance/stupidity. However, if you want a fight lasting past next week, it's worthy (if only just barely) of Machiavelli. Look at every "fucking stupid" thing that's happened in the world just over the life of this website. What looks sensless in isolation all too often makes a good sense if you consider it as a part of a larger whole, one in which the ultimate goal is concentrating wealth and power into the hands of a few.

[Rage for Order]

2. They are probably Christians n/y

[valerief]

3. I quickly read remanded as reprimanded and figured the bombers

were bank execs or something.

"That was a bad idea. Don't go bombing our things. Off with you now. Go steal the commoners' life savings."

[rucky]

4. Here's a video still of the suspects:

http://bp1.blogger.com/_2RrhdyJFL5g/RkM8FLuIxFI/AAAAAAAAAXI/2t7yMmBYcLE/s400/look+kids.JPG

[EFerrari]

9. . . . .

:spank:

:rofl:

[Cirque du So-What]

5. Compare the style of writing in those two publications

The Torygraph story reads like dreck out of FAUX News. The Guardian article is more informative without veering off into sensationalism.

[Turborama]

11. It's very noticeable, isn't it. Here's the BBC's version...

Terror suspects in custody over 'pre-Christmas plot'

Nine men charged with conspiracy to bomb high-profile London targets in the run-up to Christmas have been remanded in custody after appearing in court.

They were also charged with preparing for terrorism by agreeing potential targets and testing materials.

The court was told that one of the potential targets was the London Stock Exchange.

The men are aged between 19 and 28 and three are from Cardiff, two from London and four from Stoke-on-Trent.

The prosecution told the court the police investigation indicated potential targets in the days before Christmas included the US Embassy, political and religious figures.

Full article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12081828

[pam4water]

8. The articles say they are from Bangladeshi origins? Did know Al-Qaeda had a foot hold in Bangladesh

[Lydia Leftcoast]

10. It doesn't, AFAIK, but some of the disaffected Muslim youth of all backgrounds

have been attracted to radical mullahs.