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Heathrow: mock-up, set-up, or cock-up?

Please excuse the following question... that's just me thinking that something doesn't quite add up.

Please excuse the delay.... that's just me waiting for the crowds to abate.

(cough)

If there's a real risk that multiple terrorists are carrying disguised explosives into an airport, why respond in a way that results in crowding, uncertainty and chaos at the target airport when one small explosion in such circumstances could (via placement and/or panic) cause loss of life that would be unacceptable (if not 'unprecedented')?

I smell a blown operation.

(Oh, and please excuse me for suggesting that such a thing would have something to do with Blair briefing Bush on the developing situation... that's just me knowing that Monkey Boy has screwed us on this kind of thing before.)

UPDATE - Guardian - Blair forewarned Bush of terror threat to US airlines: Downing Street admitted Tony Blair would not have left the country on Monday for his Caribbean holiday if he had known the police would need to swoop so quickly to disrupt a terrorist plot. He has known about it in general terms for months, and has spoken to President George Bush about it on a number of occasions. The two leaders discussed it in more detail on Sunday, during a conversation on a secure line in which the prime minister outlined what he knew of the British cell being monitored by the security services. Downing Street officials said he had also mentioned the specific surveillance operation. Mr Blair warned the president that it showed there was a specific threat to US airlines and urged total secrecy, warning premature leaks would destroy the monitoring of the group.

UPDATE (12 August) - Independent - Police recover bomb-making equipment as search goes on: The police were rushed into making the arrests after one of the alleged ringleaders - a British citizen - was arrested in Pakistan on Wednesday, US intelligence sources have disclosed. The police acted swiftly because they were fearful that the arrest in Pakistan would alert British based suicide bombers and prompt them into carrying out the planned attacks in the next few days, the US sources confirmed.

Please note the presence/involvement of US 'intelligence'...

More:

IOL - Intercepted phone call 'urged plotters to attack': An intercept of a telephone call made from Pakistan to Britain that urged plotters to go ahead with attacks on US-bound aeroplanes played a crucial role in foiling the alleged terror plan, Pakistani officials said today. The arrest in Pakistan of a key suspect with alleged al-Qaida links, British national Rashid Rauf, prompted an unidentified associate of his to make the call from Karachi to one of the suspects subsequently arrested in Britain, the officials said.

Independent - Arrest of British man in Pakistan triggered raid: A series of arrests in Pakistan appears to have been instrumental in uncovering the alleged plot ­ the Home Secretary, John Reid, singled Pakistan out for thanks. But Pakistan was being cagey about the arrests. Pakistani officials said that was because they had been asked by the British not to release any further information.

Yes, well, we wouldn't want to embarrass our trigger-happy, vote-hungry neo-con chums, now would we?

We've just moved from unpleasant whiff to rising stink, folks.

UPDATE (14 August) - Independent - Bomb plot: What we know... and what we don't: What happened on Wednesday to accelerate the raids? Initially it appeared the alleged co-conspirators were believed to be about to board their target planes. But we now know that the arrest of Mr Rauf in Pakistan led the police to carry out the dawn arrests hours later for fear his detention could force the cell to take premature action. What is not clear is why he was arrested; it may have been a mistake by the Pakistani security services or he could have been picked up for a criminal arrest. Either way his arrest caused a crisis for the British police.

UPDATE (14 August) - MSNBC - Source: U.S., U.K. at odds over timing of arrests: A senior British official knowledgeable about the case said British police were planning to continue to run surveillance for at least another week to try to obtain more evidence, while American officials pressured them to arrest the suspects sooner. The official spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the case. In contrast to previous reports, the official suggested an attack was not imminent, saying the suspects had not yet purchased any airline tickets. In fact, some did not even have passports. The source did say, however, that police believe one U.K.-based suspect was ready to conduct a "dry run." British authorities had wanted to let him go forward with part of the plan, but the Americans balked. At the White House, a top aide to President Bush denied the account... Another U.S. official, however, acknowledges there was disagreement over timing... The British official said the Americans also argued over the timing of the arrest of suspected ringleader Rashid Rauf in Pakistan, warning that if he was not taken into custody immediately, the U.S. would "render" him or pressure the Pakistani government to arrest him. British security was concerned that Rauf be taken into custody "in circumstances where there was due process," according to the official, so that he could be tried in British courts. Ultimately, this official says, Rauf was arrested over the objections of the British. (via)

Posted by Manic on August 11, 2006 12:39 AM in the category The War on Stupid

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