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OSAMA BIN LADENLondon Plot Uncovered by MI5I5 officers have discovered plans

for a terrorist attack devised byLondon-based supporters ofOsama Bin Laden, the world’smost wanted man. According toM

sources, the gang had intended using thecapital as a base to organise a prolongedbombing campaign against Western targets,though not necessarily in the UK.

Anti-terrorist police swooped on severaladdresses and arrested 10 Muslim mensuspected of being terrorists linked to theSaudi-born millionaire. Some of the men arebelieved to belong to ‘The Base’, or Al-Qa’ida,Bin-Ladens’ worldwide organisation regardedas militant by most nations. Computers andother items are thought to have been confis-cated by police.

MI5 believe one of The Base’s active serviceunits had been using London and that anattack was imminent - hence the raid. Like theFBI and CIA, MI5 officials believe Bin-Ladensupporters were responsible for the massiveblast at the US Embassies in East Africa inAugust 1998 that left more than 200 peopledead and hundreds more injured. It is believedthat one person arrested in the London raid is

© TALISMAN INTELLIGENCE LIBRARY

MI5 believe one of The Base’s active serviceunits had been using London and that an

attack was imminent

united kingdom

fighting an extradition order by Washingtonover the African blasts.

Al-Qa’ida sits high on the list which HomeSecretary Jack Straw has outlawed in the UK.Indeed, in February 2001, police arrestedseveral men during a series of dawn raids inLondon, including Omar Mahmood Abu Omar,40, an Islamic cleric who has been convictedon at least two occasions for his role interrorist acts in Jordan. Released on bail, ithas been alleged Abu Omar has links with BinLaden. Omar is better known as Abu Qatadawho has been living in England as a politicalrefugee for some eight years. He runs anIslamic library from rented accommodation innorthwest London.

Omar rejects any connection with Bin Ladenand terrorist actions in Jordan. He was,however, found guilty in absentia by a court inAmman last year of financing and coordinatinga gang of suspected terrorists who wereplotting to blow up tourist locations in Jordanduring the millennium celebrations.

The Jordanian Government claim the gangwas sponsored by Al-Qa’ida, and that prior totheir arrest, some of its members had visitedAfghanistan - the country ruled by the Talibanwho are shielding Bin Laden. Qatada was alsoconvicted in absentia over his involvement in anumber of bombings in Jordan in 2000.

Qatada says he is a peaceful man: “I denycompletely the Jordanian allegations. I do nothead any group or follow Bin Laden.

His views, however, are radical according toMI5 sources, and he was once involved in thenow defunct newsletter called al-Ansar, whichoften published views and press statementsissued by the Armed Islamic Group (GIA), anAlgerian terrorist organisation. Qatada andthree other men were released after question-ing. Six other Algerian nationals aged between18 and 38, were charged with owningcomputers, electronic devices, false credit

cards, false identity documents andmoney for terrorist purposes.

The operation followed a similarseries of arrests made by GermanIntelligence in the city of Frankfurtjust before Christmas. Berlin issued astatement saying the men werebelieved to belong to the GIA andwere plotting to explode a number ofbombs in Strasbourg. MI5 wasalerted after a number of Londonaddresses and telephone numberswere discovered on the men.

EYE SPY!

E Y E S P Y ! I S S U E 2 , 2 0 0 1E Y E S P Y ! I S S U E 2 , 2 0 0 1

EYE SPY JUNE 2001

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Osama binLaden - the

World’s mostwanted man

TERRORISM