| Submit your comments on this article |
| China-Japan-Koreas |
| Al Qaeda Planned to Attack 2002 World Cup in Japan |
| 2004-02-14 |
| A senior member of Islamic militant group Al Qaeda has told U.S. authorities that the group had drawn up a plan to launch attacks in Japan during the 2002 World Cup, Japanese media said on Saturday. The United States has informed Japan of this information, which U.S. authorities are thought to have gained from Khalid Shaikh Mohammed. Shaikh Mohammed visited Japan for about three months in 1987 and received training in the use of rock-drilling machinery at a construction machinery maker in Shizuoka prefecture in central Japan. He told U.S. authorities the attacks were never carried out because it was difficult to establish a support system because of a dearth of Muslims in Japan, which co-hosted the 2002 World Cup with South Korea. |
| Posted by:TS |
| #8 Charles: The Ainu are the original inhabitants of Japan. They're often known as the "Hairy Ainu" among the Japanese since they're mostly Caucasian and can therefore grow thick beards, unlike the Asiatic races. As for the Eta? Also known as Burakumin, they're the "untouchables" of Japan. Ritually unclean due to their ancestors having taken jobs that Japanese consider beyond the pale (handling dead bodies, making leather goods, et cetera). (Did I get that right, Taro?) Ed Becerra |
| Posted by: Ed Becerra 2004-2-15 2:18:28 AM |
| #7 Great, so if we invaded Japan in WW2 we would have had to deal with a Eta Triangle? No, the eta would have been more like the Kurds. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2004-2-14 11:31:32 PM |
| #6 Ainu? Eta? You mean to tell me there are sub-catagories for people of Japanese descent? Great, so if we invaded Japan in WW2 we would have had to deal with a Eta Triangle? |
| Posted by: Charles 2004-2-14 11:16:10 PM |
| #5 Yes, there are millions of resident workers here. Theyr're still only a tiny minority but they're big enough to support a terrorist cell, in theory. In the cities, there are a lot of South Asians. I suspect that the majority of them are Indian but there may be some Pakistanis and there are certainly a number of Muslims among them. There's a tiny Hallal shop I've past in my neighborhood. There's also definitely a community of Indonesians and Malays. Iranians have long been an established community since they are one of Japan's largest oil provider. I bet that the number of Japanese converts is still too small to mention. |
| Posted by: Tokyo Taro 2004-2-14 8:24:17 PM |
| #4 Japan's primarily a mono-block country, Charles. This DOES give it something of an advantage in the WoT. I strongly suspect that the only weak spots they have (aside from home-grown loonies like the Aum Shinrikyo) will be the resident workers in Japan, and the two surpressed "racial" groups in Japan. The Ainu are dying off, and the Eta are savagely repressed. Both groups are possible openings of resentment that terrorists can exploit. Ed. |
| Posted by: Ed Becerra 2004-2-14 8:10:27 PM |
| #3 Japan's primarily a mono-block country, Charles. This DOES give it something of an advantage in the WoT. I strongly suspect that the only weak spots they have (aside from home-grown loonies like the Aum Shinrikyo) will be the resident workers in Japan, and the two surpressed "racial" groups in Japan. The Ainu are dying off, and the Eta are savagely repressed. Both groups are possible openings of resentment that terrorists can exploit. Ed. |
| Posted by: Ed Becerra 2004-2-14 8:10:26 PM |
| #2 I don't know what's more shocking, soccer/football in Japan or the fact that they're Muslims in Japan. |
| Posted by: Charles 2004-2-14 6:42:32 PM |
| #1 "the attacks were never carried out because it was difficult to establish a support system because of a dearth of Muslims in Japan" And there you have it. I propose a dearth of Muslims, World-Wide. |
| Posted by: .com 2004-2-14 12:10:11 PM |