Eight German Nationals And Two British Nationals Behind Planned Jihadist Attacks On Europe

From Jihad Watch:

"Eight Germans and two British brothers" behind planned jihadist attacks on Europe


Livid Lutherans? Angry Anglicans? Cantankerous Catholics? Nope. More on this story. "Official: Germans, Brits behind Europe terror plot," by Asif Shahzad and Paisley Dodds for the Associated Press, September 30:



ISLAMABAD - Eight Germans and two British brothers are at the heart of an al-Qaida-linked terror plot against European cities, but the plan is still in its early stages, with the suspects calling acquaintances in Europe to plan logistics, a Pakistani intelligence official said Thursday. One of the Britons died in a recent CIA missile strike, he said.

The revelations underscore the role of Pakistan as a haven for many would-be Islamist militants with foreign ties, a worrying prospect for Western countries who face additional challenges when tracking terror suspects among citizens who have passports and easier access to their shores.

Pakistan, Britain and Germany are tracking the suspects and intercepting their phone calls, the official told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to release the information to the media.

The official is part of an intelligence team that has been tracking the two British brothers of Pakistani origin for nearly a year and the Germans for more than six months.

He said the suspects are hiding in North Waziristan, a Pakistani tribal region where militancy is rife and where the U.S. has focused many of its drone-fired missile strikes.

"They have been making calls to Germany and London," the official said. "They have been talking about and looking for facilitators and logistics they need there to carry out terror strikes."

Western security officials said Wednesday that a terror plot to wage Mumbai-style shooting sprees or other attacks in Britain, France and Germany was still active. Both European and U.S. officials said the plot was still in its early stages and not considered serious enough to raise the terror threat level. [...]

In Brussels on Thursday, Europol director Robert Wainwright said a drop in terror attacks in Europe -- coupled with intelligence that had thwarted major plots in the past -- masked an ongoing threat.

"There has been a significant decline in the number of terrorist attacks in Europe -- certainly committed by Islamist groups -- that hides the reality that these groups are still active," Wainwright told AP.

It's par for the course, but you may still want to read this last bit sitting down:



Asked about the suspected plot, Pakistan's Foreign Ministry spokesman, Abdul Basit, said the government was unaware of any such plans.

"Let me reiterate that Pakistan is committed not to allow its territory for terrorist actions anywhere in the world," he said.

No "terrorism." But how about jihad?

Posted by Marisol on September 30, 2010 6:10 AM