Maxie Zeus
09-17-2001, 04:19 PM
It is too easy to react to last week's atrocity by thinking that the US was and is a special target, deserving either of special sympathy or whose suffering can be isolated. So it is important to keep in mind evidence that the radicals' hatred is directed at the West in general, and not simply at Israel or the United States, comes from this article (http://portal.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2001/09/16/wbin16.xml) in the Daily Telegraph (excerpts follow):
Bin Laden British cell planned gas
attack on European Parliament
By David Bamber, Chris Hastings and Rajeev Syal
(Filed: 16/09/2001)
ISLAMIC terrorists based in Britain and controlled by Osama bin Laden planned a devastating attack in February on the European Parliament building in Strasbourg.
A six-strong terror cell funded by the Saudi fugitive planned to kill all 625 Euro-MPs, and scores of officials, by releasing sarin gas into the parliament building.
The attack was scheduled to take place during the session of parliament from February 11 to 14 this year and was to be the first in a series of assaults against prominent buildings across Europe. Algerian terrorists based in London and funded directly by bin Laden worked with counterparts in Milan and Frankfurt.
The plot was foiled after German police smashed the Frankfurt operation in a series of raids. The British-based six men were arrested and charged with offences under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
The charges were subsequently dropped just days after the men appeared at Horseferry Road magistrates' court, London. The Crown Prosecution Service said that the decision was made for security reasons.
Senior Special Branch officials have told The Telegraph that the decision to cease action was prompted by a request from MI5. It is believed that the intelligence agency had uncovered details of further atrocities and wanted to monitor the group.
Details of the plan were kept secret from Euro-MPs. They were, however, sent an e-mail giving a warning about lapsed security in the building. One said: "Even after the e-mail was sent we still have a situation where people can wander in and out of the building."
Sarin gas is an easily made chemical weapon, 26 times more deadly than cyanide. Developed during the Second World War by the Nazis, it is odourless and almost impossible to detect. Its potential for use in a large crowd was proved when Aum Shinrikyo, a Japanese cult, killed 12 people and affected 5,000 more using sarin gas on the Tokyo underground in March 1995.
A spokesman for the European Parliament said: "We take all threats to security seriously and are constantly monitoring the situation."
Bin Laden British cell planned gas
attack on European Parliament
By David Bamber, Chris Hastings and Rajeev Syal
(Filed: 16/09/2001)
ISLAMIC terrorists based in Britain and controlled by Osama bin Laden planned a devastating attack in February on the European Parliament building in Strasbourg.
A six-strong terror cell funded by the Saudi fugitive planned to kill all 625 Euro-MPs, and scores of officials, by releasing sarin gas into the parliament building.
The attack was scheduled to take place during the session of parliament from February 11 to 14 this year and was to be the first in a series of assaults against prominent buildings across Europe. Algerian terrorists based in London and funded directly by bin Laden worked with counterparts in Milan and Frankfurt.
The plot was foiled after German police smashed the Frankfurt operation in a series of raids. The British-based six men were arrested and charged with offences under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.
The charges were subsequently dropped just days after the men appeared at Horseferry Road magistrates' court, London. The Crown Prosecution Service said that the decision was made for security reasons.
Senior Special Branch officials have told The Telegraph that the decision to cease action was prompted by a request from MI5. It is believed that the intelligence agency had uncovered details of further atrocities and wanted to monitor the group.
Details of the plan were kept secret from Euro-MPs. They were, however, sent an e-mail giving a warning about lapsed security in the building. One said: "Even after the e-mail was sent we still have a situation where people can wander in and out of the building."
Sarin gas is an easily made chemical weapon, 26 times more deadly than cyanide. Developed during the Second World War by the Nazis, it is odourless and almost impossible to detect. Its potential for use in a large crowd was proved when Aum Shinrikyo, a Japanese cult, killed 12 people and affected 5,000 more using sarin gas on the Tokyo underground in March 1995.
A spokesman for the European Parliament said: "We take all threats to security seriously and are constantly monitoring the situation."