From Europe News:
Al-Qaida Still Planning Attacks in Germany
Spiegel Online 14 December 2011
By Holger Stark
German authorities last week arrested a suspected terrorist thought to have links to al-Qaida. Even more concerning, he appears to have been pursuing attack plans despite the arrests of three of his presumed accomplices in April. Officials believe that more members of the so-called Düsseldorf cell may still be at large.
Halil S. is a man who knows his way around computers. When he went online, he often used a special service for encrypted access that prevented investigators from tracing his Internet activities. As a result, crack officers from Germany's GSG-9 elite police force had to be patient. Before arresting him, they had to wait until S. had booted up his computer and established the encrypted connection.
The moment came at 12:05 p.m. last Thursday. S., whose last name may not be made public due to German privacy laws, was online when GSG-9 officers broke down the door to his student apartment in the western city of Bochum. He lived there under an assumed name. The officers threw him to the ground and quickly secured his computer.
German security officials allege that the 27-year-old is the fourth member of the so-called "Düsselfdorf Cell." The group is believed to be the al-Qaida cell currently active in Germany and tasked with carrying out a major attack in Europe.
Three other members of the cell, Moroccan Abdeladim el-K. and two accomplices, were arrested in late April and are being held in custody. Authorities believe that S. worked to carry forward their plot. In May, he tried to make direct contact with Anwar al-Awlaki, the American citizen and al-Qaida propagandist killed in a CIA drone attack in Yemen in late September. Calling himself "Abdullah," S. raved to him about automatic rifles and spoke about an attack using explosives. He also spoke of his illicit plans to raise money. From Yemen, he received both advice and instructions.
Among the Volunteers
For months, S. was considered the most dangerous terror suspect in Germany. And his activities weren't just being followed by hundreds of investigators. Chancellor Angela Merkel's Chief of Staff Ronald Pofalla and Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich made sure they kept well informed on the case. Investigators even tried to remotely search his computer, but their efforts failed. (...)
Posted December 14th, 2011 by pk
Al-Qaida Still Planning Attacks in Germany
Spiegel Online 14 December 2011
By Holger Stark
German authorities last week arrested a suspected terrorist thought to have links to al-Qaida. Even more concerning, he appears to have been pursuing attack plans despite the arrests of three of his presumed accomplices in April. Officials believe that more members of the so-called Düsseldorf cell may still be at large.
Halil S. is a man who knows his way around computers. When he went online, he often used a special service for encrypted access that prevented investigators from tracing his Internet activities. As a result, crack officers from Germany's GSG-9 elite police force had to be patient. Before arresting him, they had to wait until S. had booted up his computer and established the encrypted connection.
The moment came at 12:05 p.m. last Thursday. S., whose last name may not be made public due to German privacy laws, was online when GSG-9 officers broke down the door to his student apartment in the western city of Bochum. He lived there under an assumed name. The officers threw him to the ground and quickly secured his computer.
German security officials allege that the 27-year-old is the fourth member of the so-called "Düsselfdorf Cell." The group is believed to be the al-Qaida cell currently active in Germany and tasked with carrying out a major attack in Europe.
Three other members of the cell, Moroccan Abdeladim el-K. and two accomplices, were arrested in late April and are being held in custody. Authorities believe that S. worked to carry forward their plot. In May, he tried to make direct contact with Anwar al-Awlaki, the American citizen and al-Qaida propagandist killed in a CIA drone attack in Yemen in late September. Calling himself "Abdullah," S. raved to him about automatic rifles and spoke about an attack using explosives. He also spoke of his illicit plans to raise money. From Yemen, he received both advice and instructions.
Among the Volunteers
For months, S. was considered the most dangerous terror suspect in Germany. And his activities weren't just being followed by hundreds of investigators. Chancellor Angela Merkel's Chief of Staff Ronald Pofalla and Interior Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich made sure they kept well informed on the case. Investigators even tried to remotely search his computer, but their efforts failed. (...)
Posted December 14th, 2011 by pk
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