Pakistan: We Helped Foil U.K. Terror Plot (before May's general elections)

[maddezmom]

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP) — Pakistan's interior minister said Wednesday that a terror attack was thwarted in Britain before the May general elections in that country — and arrests were made in several countries — because of help from Pakistan's government.
"Before the general elections in the U.K. we received reports that this sort of situation might arise, and attacks were aborted because of information provided by the government of Pakistan, and arrests were made in various countries and here," Interior Minster Aftab Khan Sherpao told a press conference in the capital.

He gave no specifics about the alleged plot.

Sherpao made the revelations at a press conference to discuss the alleged role of British citizens of Pakistani origin in last week's terror attacks in London. He said Pakistan was fully cooperating with Britain in the current investigation.

more:http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-07-13-pakistan-foiled-terror-plot_x.htm?csp=34

[krkaufman]

1. CYA... due to recent bombers' Pakistani heritage n/t

[varun]

2. Why didn't Pakistan warn US about 9/11?

Most of the guys who were involved got their orders from Pakistani ISI, and received trainnig in Pakistan / Afghanistan.

[norml]

3. 3 bombers were of Pakistani origin: London police

3 bombers were of Pakistani origin: London police

H S Rao in London | July 13, 2005 09:31 IST
Last Updated: July 13, 2005 10:02 IST


Police on Wednesday said at least three of the bombers involved in bombing the London transport system are believed to be British males of Pakistani origin who lived in West Yorkshire in Leeds.

The bus bomber is believed to be dead, and police said there was "strong forensic and other evidence" a second bomber died at Aldgate. Investigators are now trying to establish if the other two are alive or died in the explosions.

A relative of one of the suspects was arrested in West Yorkshire on Tuesday and was being brought to London to be quizzed by the anti-terrorist branch.

Six search warrants were served on Tuesday under the Terrorism Act on houses in and around Leeds.


snip


http://us.rediff.com/news/2005/jul/13bomb.htm

[norml]

4. Profile of the London bombers

Profile of the London bombers
13/07/2005 14:23 - (SA)


London - Here are profiles of what has been reported about four young British men of Pakistani origin who travelled to London last Thursday morning, each carrying a rucksack packed with explosives, and blew themselves up on three subway trains and a bus.

The police have yet to officially confirm media reports that the attacks, which left at least 52 people dead, were the work of suicide bombers, but home secretary Charles Clarke spoke of the influences that led "four young men to blow themselves and others up on the tube on a Thursday morning."

- SUSPECT BOMBER ONE: Shehzad Tanweer, aged 20 to 22, lived in Leeds, northern England, and is widely reported to have blown himself up on a subway train near Aldgate station, east London. The bombing left seven people dead.

Tanweer, who sometimes worked at his family's fish and chip shop in a suburb of Leeds, was a good student who played cricket for a local team, friends told the British press.


snip


http://www.news24.com/News24/World/Londonattacks/0,6119,2-10-1854_1736976,00.html

[norml]

5. Religious extremism in Pakistan

Religious extremism in Pakistan
By Bernard Gabony
South Asia editor, BBC News website



Some Islamic seminaries - madrassas - still breed extremists
The disclosure that UK police believe three of the London bombers were of Pakistani descent raises questions again about the rise of extremism within Pakistan.

Most analysts agree that the London bombers were probably trained by "minders" far more experienced in the use of explosives.

UK investigators will be keen to know if the London bombers had been trained at any time in Pakistan or neighbouring Afghanistan.


The family of one of the suspected bombers has confirmed that he studied religion in Pakistan, although it is not clear that he went to one of the Islamic schools which have been accused of fostering extremism.


snip


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4679563.stm