Police feared ‘Al-Qaida terror attack’ on UK was planned for Easter

Counter-terrorism officials believe an alleged al-Qaida terror plot against the UK, designed to cause mass casualties, was due to be carried out over Easter. The police raided fifteen locations in the North-West of England on Wednesday, 8 April, arresting 12 suspects of whom 11 are Pakistani nationals. They are believed to be part of a Pakistan-based and trained al-Qaida cell.

The arrests took place in the afternoon, being rushed forward after a security blunder. Senior police and top counter-terrorist officer Bob Quick had exposed a secret document on the ‘Operation Pathway’ to photographers on his way to a 10 Downing street meeting. The operation was then carried out within hours in the daytime and Quick resigned from his post. Most probably, a major terrorist plot has probably been foiled ; at the same time, the daytime operation endangered other residents, and solid evidence for the alleged plot must now be made public.

It is probable that the Pakistani nationals will now be deported to Pakistan, if the alleged accusations are proved. Their families back home expressed shock and anger and denied any connection of their sons to al-Qaida. The incident reveals the tense situation in British home affairs, and once again highlights the potential role of migration in the radicalization process. This also underscores the need for focused security strategy and integration policies that prevent radicalization in Britain.

April 9-13, 2009

Sources :

The Guardian - http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/apr/09/al-qaida-terror-uk

The Times - http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6063458.ece

The Times - http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6083205.ece

The Scotsman - http://news.scotsman.com/opinion/The-Easter-innocents.5164241.jp

The Daily Telegraph - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/5147298/Manchester-terror-plot-families-say-Pakistani-suspects-are-innocent.html