So, people sure are scared of terrorists again and are not really thinking much about Iraq and stuff anymore. Yesterday, there was even a terrorist threat in Seattle (or not), and a terrorist cell was recently uncovered near my home town of Dearborn (or not).
Somehow, the following expressions of skepticism about the alleged terror plot in Great Britain don’t surprise me.
From “Mass murder in the skies: was the plot feasible?”
We’ve given extraordinary credit to a collection of jihadist wannabes with an exceptionally poor grasp of the mechanics of attacking a plane, whose only hope of success would have been a pure accident. They would have had to succeed in spite of their own ignorance and incompetence, and in spite of being under police surveillance for a year.
From Craig Murray:
None of the alleged terrorists had made a bomb. None had bought a plane ticket. Many did not even have passports, which given the efficiency of the UK Passport Agency would mean they couldn’t be a plane bomber for quite some time.
In the absence of bombs and airline tickets, and in many cases passports, it could be pretty difficult to convince a jury beyond reasonable doubt that individuals intended to go through with suicide bombings, whatever rash stuff they may have bragged in internet chat rooms.
What is more, many of those arrested had been under surveillance for over a year - like thousands of other British Muslims. And not just Muslims. Like me. Nothing from that surveillance had indicated the need for early arrests.
Then an interrogation in Pakistan revealed the details of this amazing plot to blow up multiple planes - which, rather extraordinarily, had not turned up in a year of surveillance.
And from an organic chemistry student:
…they could of course mix up their oxidizer in advance, but then finding a container to keep the stuff in that isn’t going to melt is a bit of an issue…. [But] lets say you have your oxidizer mixture and now you are going to mix it with acetone. On an airplane? On an airplane, the whole thing is ridiculous. You have nothing to cool the mixture with. You have nothing to control your mixing with. You can’t take a day doing the work, either. You are probably locked in the tiny, shaking bathroom with very limited ventilation, and that isn’t going to bode well for you living long enough to get your explosives manufactured.
Comments
I usually roll my eyes at conspiracy theorists, but I have completely decided that Cheney started the whole British airline crap. It's timed perfectly for primaries and elections.
Posted by: Jennifer | August 17, 2006 2:34 PM
What's interesting about this, I think, is it's sort of an anti-conspiracy. I don't think UK/US law enforcement planned this all out ahead of time. What's likely is that they over-reacted to a vague but implausible threat, and the Bush administration just rode in to fan the flames of panic.
Posted by: majorsteel | August 17, 2006 9:28 PM