France and Saudis knew of plans to attack UK

[Behind the Aegis]

Both France and Saudi Arabia had advance warning that Britain was about to be attacked by al-Qaida, according to a classified report and claims by the Saudi ambassador to London. The warnings came at a time when the British intelligence services had concluded that there was no imminent attack planned.

In a classified report on the Pakistani community in France, presented to the French interior ministry in late June, the Renseignements Généraux, or DCRG, France's equivalent of the Special Branch, said Britain "remains threatened by plans decided at the highest level of al Qaida ... They will be put into action by operatives drawing on pro-jihad sympathies within the large Pakistani community in the UK."

Three of the four July 7 London bombers were Britons of Pakistani origin.

The 20-page report, parts of which were published in the daily paper Le Figaro, was presented soon after British intelligence chiefs had lowered the al-Qaida threat to "substantial", from "severe - general". At the time, a report by the Joint Terrorist Analysis Centre concluded that "there is a not a group with both the current intent and the capability to attack the UK."

Story continues here.

[JAbuchan08]

1. I just KNEW they were in on it together!!!

just joking.

[leveymg]

2. Explains the shakeup in Saudi Ambassadors to London and Washington

in late June. Bandar went back home from DC and then al-Turki was transferred to DC. Reminds me of al-Turki's sudden resignation as head of Saudi intelligence just a couple weeks before 9/11.