[Marxism] NBC: U.S., U.K. at odds over timing of arrests - attack not imminent - no tickets - some did not even have passports

[Steve Palmer <spalmer999@xxxxxxxxx>]

Source: U.S., U.K. at odds over timing of arrests

British wanted to continue surveillance on terror suspects, official says
By Aram Roston, Lisa Myers, and the NBC News Investigative Unit
NBC News

Updated: 5:13 p.m. MT Aug 12, 2006

LONDON - NBC News has learned that U.S. and British authorities had a
significant disagreement over when to move in on the suspects in the alleged
plot to bring down trans-Atlantic airliners bound for the United States.

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.

"There was unprecedented cooperation and coordination between the U.S., the
U.K. and Pakistani officials throughout the case," said Frances Townsend,
Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, "and we
worked together to protect our citizens from harm while ensuring that we
gathered as much info as possible to bring the plotters to justice. There was
no disagreement between U.S. and U.K. officials."

Another U.S. official, however, acknowledges there was disagreement over
timing. Analysts say that in recent years, American security officials have
become edgier than the British in such cases because of missed opportunities
leading up to 9/11.

Aside from the timing issue, there was excellent cooperation between the
British and the Americans, officials told NBC.

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.

The official shed light on other aspects of the case, saying that while the
investigation into the bombing plot began "months ago," some suspects were
known to the security services even before the London subway bombings last
year.

He acknowledged that authorities had conducted electronic and e-mail
surveillance as well as physical surveillance of the suspects.

Monitoring of Rauf, in particular, apparently played a critical role, revealing
that the plotters had tested the explosive liquid mixture they planned to use
at a location outside Britain. NBC News has previously reported that the
explosive mixture was tested in Pakistan. The source said the suspects in
Britain had obtained at least some of the materials for the explosive but had
not yet actually prepared or mixed it.
© 2006 MSNBC Interactive

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14320452/

"To the socialist it is not the horrors of war that are the hardest to endure 
... but the horrors of the treachery shown by the leaders of present-day 
socialism" - Lenin

"When the train of history goes round a bend, all the intellectuals fall off" - 
Marx

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