I wonder how many of us are aware how close Britain came to suffering terrorist attacks on a scale equal to or exceeding that of America’s own 9/11 terrorist attacks? Recently 8 British Muslims were charged in court (in a costly retrial) and now we know details of that thwarted acts of terrorism.
In details gleaned from the trial at Woolwich Crown Court, we hear of an Al Queda plot to blow up seven airliners over the Atlantic Ocean. American and Canadian airliners were targetted, and like the Lockerbie bomber case, explosive devices were to be used to bring down the airliners flying enroute from Britain to North America. These seven aircraft were to be hijacked from British airports and blown up by suicide bombers over a 2-3 hour period. The explosive device was none other than liquid explosives smuggled on board in soft drinks bottles. The discovery of this plot in August 2006 led to the sudden implementation of the ban on liquid and gel-like substances from being carried into the passenger cabins of airliners.
When arrested, these British Muslims claimed that it was all a joke. But Britain spent US$50 million and 3 years of time and resources to prosecute this case.
America suffered its worst ever terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 when Muslim extremists belonging to Al Queda hijacked 4 airliners and converted them into crude but effective human guided missiles, crashing 3 of the hijacked planes into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. The fourth plane crashed before reaching its target, due to the courageous acts of the passengers who took on the hijackers after learning of what was happening elsewhere. Close to 3,000 people died both onboard the hijacked planes and on the ground. The bulk of the casualties was in the World Trade Center complex where 2 of its towers became instant towering infernos.
Al Queda in Pakistan masterminded the plot to hijack these 7 airliners and to create a British equivalent of America’s 9/11. The terrorist attacks on America in 2001 involved guiding the hijacked aircraft to bring down buildings. The British version would see planes exploding over the Atlantic Ocean, with no buildings to crash into. But the plot included a second phase, which would involve terrorist attacks on targets like the Canary Wharf skyscrapers, the Greenwich foot tunnel underneath the Thames, nuclear power stations, oil refineries, gas terminals and other UK airports.
7 of the 8 accused were convicted, one was cleared of terrorist charge. Of the remaining seven, three were found guilty of plotting to blow up airliners and conspiracy to murder, another three admitted planning to commit a public nuisance and one was found guilty of conspiracy to murder but cleared of plotting to destroy airliners. All seven are awaiting sentencing.
Think about it. Why do people willingly become mass murderers? Why be suicide bombers. Don’t they value their lives? Don’t they realize that innocent people will die as a result of that they are doing? How can such terrorist activities be eliminated?
Earlier posts
Remembering 9/11 Victims
Ritualistic Or Religious?
Suicide Bombers – Are They Also Victims?
When The Bomb Scared off Manchester United
A Hero’s Welcome For A Mass Murderer
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