Police in the north of England have arrested 10 people on suspicion of terrorism, thereby reportedly foiling a suicide bomb attack aimed at a packed soccer stadium. Greater Manchester Police said Monday the raids included searches of a number of buildings and businesses. The 10 were detained "on suspicion of being concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism." The Sun newspaper reported Tuesday that the suspects planned to set off bombs during a match between Manchester United and Liverpool this weekend -- one of the biggest games in the English soccer calendar. The paper quoted an unnamed police source as saying the suspects had bought tickets for seats in the 67,000-capacity Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium. The arrests reportedly made after months of surveillance and eavesdropping on cell phone calls, the paper said. Six have since been charged with explosives or terrorism offences. A Canadian, Momin Khawaja, has been named as a co-conspirator in the case.
| Hmmmm... Just as he was in the last case... |
Although police have not released details of the allegations in that case, the fertilizer seized has fuelled speculation a bomb attack was being planned on a civilian target.
A fertilizer suicide bomber wouldn’t be that effective unless he looked like the Michelin man. I think they must have had commercial explosives and the journalist doesn’t know what he is talking about as usual. BTW, this boom would have been live on TV and watched by at least a hundred million people.| I think the writer ran this bust together with the previous bust, which did involve fertilizer bombs... |
A TERROR plot to bomb a target in Greater Manchester was uncovered today. Ten people - all with apparent links to extreme Islamic groups - were arrested in co-ordinated raids early this morning. Special branch officers confirmed they had arrested nine men and one woman. Seven addresses were targeted and seven people arrested in Greater Manchester. Three further people were arrested in the West Midlands, Staffordshire, and South Yorkshire. Those being questioned today are Iraqis, Kurds and north Africans.
| Tap, nope, didn't twitch. |
Police said they would neither confirm not deny rumours about possible targets.
A total of 400 officers from the four forces were used in the co-ordinated swoops. A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police, which oversaw the operation said: "All those arrested are being held on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism." It is the climax of a lengthy surveillance operation involving Special Branch and the security services, during which a number of messages have been intercepted.
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