| Submit your comments on this article | |
| Britain | |
| Al-Qaeda double agent duped MI5 | |
| 2004-03-26 | |
| I guess this gives credence to this old post claiming Abu Qatada was living in an Mi5 safe house when he was supposedly on the run. I’m suprised that British intelligence would be duped like this, and makes me wonder if Abu Hamza and others are also ’helping’ MI5.. One of al-Qaeda’s most dangerous figures has been revealed as a double agent who fooled MI5, raising intense criticism from European governments who had repeatedly called for his arrest. Britain ignored warnings from friendly governments about Abu Qatada’s links with terrorist groups and refused to arrest him. A leaked copy of a judgment by the Special Immigration Appeals Commission has revealed how British intelligence chiefs hid from their European allies how they were hoping to use the cleric as an informer against Islamic militants in Britain. Qatada boasted to MI5 how he could prevent terrorist attacks in Britain and hoodwinked agents into believing he would expose dangerous extremists arriving, while all along he was setting up a safe haven for his terror organisation in the country. Abu Qatada is a very big fish, his religous credentials seem to put him on a similar level to other holy men like Abu Bakar Bashir and the Blink Sheikh. Among the scores of young militants who visited him was the chief suspect in the Madrid train bombings. His followers also included volunteers to be suicide bombers for al-Qaeda, including Richard Reid, the shoe bomber. The judgment copy, obtained by Britain’s Channel 4, revealed yesterday there was evidence that Qatada "has been concerned in the instigation of acts of international terrorism". A security source in Madrid said: "How much violence and bloodshed could have been prevented if Britain had heeded the warnings about this man a long time ago." Authorities in many countries asked to question Qatada about his links to al-Qaeda, but were refused. A Jordanian, Qatada arrived in Britain with a forged passport in 1993 claiming asylum. Jordan told Britain he had been convicted of terror attacks in Amman seven months before September 11. Spanish investigators produced evidence of how a militant in custody in Madrid - Abu Dahdah - had visited the cleric more than 25 times, bringing money and recruits. Implying that Abu Qatada was in charge of Europe in an operational sense, and not just issuing bloodthirsty fatwas now and then.
| |
| Posted by:Paul Moloney |
| #5 dot com - this was a man who was high up in the jihadi movement in Britain, and was recruited PRECISELY because of his high level role - using him was clearly a high risk operation. Using an off the street muslim, of average piety, is clearly not in the same category. Like the difference between recruiting a local commisar as an agent, and trying to turn a Politburo member. OF course the people you recruit as agents (distinct from operatives) arent trustworthy - hell if they were they wouldnt be agents, right? But you got to watch them. Muslims first and always? Like Kemal and his followers in Turkey? Like the troops who have just died fighting Jihadis in South Wazirstan? Like the Zalmay Khalilzad? Bulldogs point is well taken - the Israelis have made excellent use of informants, who are ALSO muslims. But they seem to run them more intelligently than MI5 ran Qatada. The difference isnt a war of civs thing, its a smart intell thing, I think. |
| Posted by: Liberalhawk 2004-03-26 10:05:02 AM |
| #4 Informants work well enough for the Israelis. You've just got to keep a close eye on them, and acknowledge that an informant, particularly a big fish, who seems too good to be true, probably is. |
| Posted by: Bulldog 2004-03-26 9:09:06 AM |
| #3 I think that the UK is slowly beginning to overcome its naivety in this regard. There are a hell of a lot of them over here and the unjugged ones are currently having the time of their lives - Abu Hamza, you'll get yours one day, sunshine. |
| Posted by: Howard UK 2004-03-26 4:25:29 AM |
| #2 And, if you recall, the UK has been ADVERTISING to recruit Agents. Prolly with a strong preference for native Arabic speakers, too, ya think? I dunno about you, but this episode certainly doesn't inspire confidence. So does "M" stand for Mahmoud, now? Get a grip, guys - THEY CAN'T BE TRUSTED - ESPECIALLY IF INDOCTRINATED FROM BIRTH. In the unguarded or rare moment of honesty you hear the hardcore fact: they are Muslims First and Always. It's in the programming. Get it? |
| Posted by: .com 2004-03-26 1:00:46 AM |
| #1 Abu Qataba is a Palestine muslim cleric who has also been linked to 911. More here |
| Posted by: phil_b 2004-03-26 12:48:11 AM |