The Plot
In “the biggest anti-terrorist surveillance operation ever mounted in the UK”, British intelligence officials uncovered a plot the magnitude of which surpassed even the tragedy of 9/11.[1] The goal was to have terrorists board several US-bound airliners in Britain carrying homemade explosive devices.[2] These explosives would be liquid-based and disguised as standard beverages in plastic bottles. In reality, a concoction of hydrogen peroxide and powdered drink mix would be blended with one another onboard the flight and triggered by a small detonator hidden inside a disposable camera.[3] The terrorists planned to trigger these explosives either mid-flight while over the Atlantic or above each destination city prior to landing. The explosives were designed to emit powerful enough blasts to result in critical fuselage failure.[4] In other words, the devices were intended to rip apart the airplane. According to various reports, between seven and eighteen planes were to be targeted, with no less than 240 passengers on board each.[5]
Behind the Scenes
The “ringleader” responsible for the plot, Abdulla Ahmed Ali, first became sympathetic to extremist Islamic causes through a charity organization called the Islamic Medical Association, located in East London.[6] This charity raised money and collected various supplies to send to refugee camps on the Pakistan/Afghanistan border.[7] Through his work with the organization Ali elected to travel to the refugee camps himself. Later revealed in the trial of the plot’s conspirators, Ali quickly became dismayed by what he experienced abroad. The conditions in the camps were appalling and instantly changed his view of the world that had been previously shaped solely through Western eyes.[8]
After his return Ali frequented a decidedly more radical set of Islamic circles. Subsequently, the discourse regarding the situation on the AfPak border took on similarly radical tones. The appropriate response, it seemed, was terrorism. The Islamic organizations Ali was apart of were soon debating whether the UK was a legitimate and/or worthwhile target for such acts.[9] Their anger over the situation witnessed by many of the organization’s followers led them to conclude that it was. All this discussion, however, proved “loud” enough to attract the attention of the kingdom’s security agencies. Soon, Ali was under surveillance by MI5.[10]
In their operations against Ali the British domestic intelligence service twice contacted a known friend of Ali’s, and future co-conspirator, Arafat Khan.[11]Reaching out came to no avail, however, and Ali made another trip to Pakistan – this time for very different reasons. On his return flight home in June of 2006, investigators clandestinely opened his luggage and found the powdered drink Tang as well as an unusual number of batteries.[12] This finding was the impetus for the massive surveillance undertaking that would follow. An additional 220 officers from other security agencies were pulled onto the investigation immediately.
Back in the UK, surveillance tracked Assad Sarwar – a senior leader in the plot – “busily” buying items that were both out of step with his regular routine and that, when used in conjunction with one another, could produce deadly results.[13] Further, Sarwar was seen via a store’s security camera purchasing a suitcase, later found to have been used for the burial of bomb components in the woods. Afterwards, he was seen disposing of “empty hydrogen peroxide bottles at a recycling center”.[14] (Hydrogen Peroxide is a common ingredient in the construction of homemade bombs). As suspicious activity increased, the dots began to connect. When Sarwar and Ali were seen meeting outside in East London surveillance teams deemed this a red flag. “Smack[ing] of a counter-surveillance ploy”, meeting outside proved to be at loggerheads with the gentlemen’s standard routines.[15] This was indeed corroborated when MI5 broke into Ali’s apartment and found what they described as a “bomb-making factory”.[16]
MI5 planted a microphone and a camera in the apartment room and on August 3, 2006, Ali and a gentleman named Tanvir Hussain were seen constructing devices out of plastic drink bottles.[17] Three days later Ali spent approximately two hours at an Internet café searching flight schedules. By now it was obvious an operation was building. Further Internet traffic showed the surveillance team that this operation would include airliners and possible mid-flight explosions over the Atlantic.[18] However, intelligence officers were soon forced to make a move, as the pieces of the case showed an operation could be imminent. Four events led them to this conclusion: A call about the plot was intercepted; Internet traffic relating to the operation had increased markedly; A significant transfer of funds from Pakistan was made to the plotter’s accounts; And finally, two men under surveillance disappeared from the map.[19] It was time to move.
Raids and Arrests
On Thursday morning, August 10, twenty-four individuals were arrested at homes in London, High Wycombe and Birminghan.[20] By 2 AM the UK’s security threat level was lifted to its highest degree. Airports were sent into chaos as staff tried to respond as quickly as possible implementing the appropriate security measure.[21]In this flurry of chaos, the largest investigation in the UK’s history, extending over the previous twelve months, had come to a close.
The investigation was lead by Peter Clarke, deputy assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police.[22] Along with MI5, Pakistani government officials sought credit due to their own intelligence work and sharing. The case was also monitored by US intelligence, with their involvement becoming most significant in the final two weeks prior to the coordinated raids.[23] During these raids, UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair, called George Bush to inform him that the operation was underway. The following day saw the Department of Homeland Security in the US increase the threat level for incoming flights originating in the UK (the first time a threat level had been addressed for that category of air traffic) and had dispatched further air marshals to Britain.[24] Airliners were not told of the plot until the operation was almost completed. It was hoped that this action would reduce panic and mitigate unintended consequences resulting from potential overreaction.
Results and Information Obtained
The raids and arrests of the twenty-four suspects yielded a plethora of intelligence. Seven martyrdom videos made by the leaders of the group; A handwritten diary ostensibly defining the constructs of the plan[25]; Several thousand pounds in various accounts[26]; And a plastic bin filled with liquid, batteries, approximately twelve plastic drink containers, rubber gloves, digital scales and a disposable camera were all found in the initial raids.[27] As the investigation continued, the building dubbed by intelligence officers as “the bomb factory” - located in Pakistani-heavy Walthamstow, London – was found to have been paid in cash, equivalent to $260,000.[28]
Some of the men in the investigation were in Pakistan in 2004 with individuals who helped organize the London bombings of the following year. US officials involved stated that “substantial sums” were wired from Pakistan to two of the ringleaders, alluding to the potential that the Pakistan trip was undertaken for fundraising purposes. Others arrested had been under investigation before for extremist activity or ties to radical networks.[29] All twenty-four suspects ranged in age from seventeen to thirty-five.[30]
Evidence obtained helped piece together the details of the plot. The explosive devices were to be concealed in plastic drink bottles. A syringe would extract the consumable liquids from the bottom of the container (so as not to break the sealed cap of the bottle, alerting airport security), and would be replaced with a concoction of hydrogen peroxide and powdered drink mix. The detonator would be concealed in a disposable camera and use the flash mechanism to emit a charge, triggering the explosives.[31]These explosives were called HMTD.[32]
However, the intelligence collected elicited different conclusions from different people. Some were not convinced the plot was imminent. For instance: the bombs found were never fully constructed and airline tickets were never purchased.[33] Further, two of the gentlemen did not yet have passports. Other evidence suggested recruitment for the plot was still underway.[34] Travel plans were discovered though, highlighting destinations that included Boston, Chicago, Washington DC and Los Angeles.[35] Additionally, it appeared as if a dry run of the operation was likely.[36] Ultimately, the twenty-four individuals involved in the plot were held on “suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism” under the 2000 UK Terrorism Act.[37] Twelve of those were charged. Eight with conspiracy to murder and preparatory acts of terrorism, the others with failure to disclose information that would help prevent terrorist acts.[38]
The Trial
Eight of the suspects were brought to trial. Those included Abdul Ahmed Ali, Ibrahim Savant, Arafat Waheed Khan, Waheed Zaman, Tanvir Hussain, Mohammed Gulzar, Assad Sarwar and Umar Islam.[39] All eight denied the charges brought against them. The trial was held at Woolwich Crow Court in south London. During the proceedings testimony helped not only corroborate evidence discovered during the initial raids and arrests, but alluded to a plot slightly more ambitious in scope.
Though no tickets had been purchased at the time, seven planes had indeed been selected for the operation. Their destinations were San Francisco, Toronto, Montreal, two for Chicago, Washington DC and New York City. The destinations selected would allow for all seven planes to be in the air within two and a half hours of each other. This was important as the plan called for the bombs to be detonated once all the airliners were in the air simultaneously.[40]
Ali refuted these claims, stating that they were merely trying to set off a “harmless explosion” that would garner media attention. The chemicals used were to give the publicity stunt the appropriate dose of authenticity and were not intended to inflict critical damage or injury.[41] Ali’s right-hand man, Assad Sarwar, exhibited a less ostentatious defence during his testimony. He admitted that traveling to Pakistan in July of 2006 taught him how to make the HMTD explosives. Somewhat more vague, he claimed that when “whatever incident” they had planned was carried out they intended to contact police immediately to blame al Qaeda.[42] However, when pressed, Sarwar denied any involvement in the plot to blow up airliners.
The Verdict
Abdul Ahmed Ali, Tanvir Hussain and Assad Sarwar were found guilty of the airliners plot at the second of two trials. The first found them guilty of conspiracy to murder but failed to link them specifically to the larger terrorist operation.[43] Umar Islam was also convicted of conspiracy to murder, short of implication in the airliners plot.[44] Jury’s for the rest either failed to deliver a verdict or found them not guilty.[45] The three who were convicted face life sentences. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer, is seeking a retrial for three of the other men. He hopes to reach a verdict of conspiracy to murder.[46] The Judge in the case found the “ultimate control of this conspiracy [resided] in Pakistan”.[47] What that means for future surveillance programs is hard to say. Current events show that the link between Pakistan and the Western world may exist for more than just those put on trial. Intelligence collection should be tasked as such.
10, 2006, Sec. In Depth
http://news.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7564184.stm
Murder’,” Times Online, August 11, 2006, Sec. UK News
[4] Ibid
[7] Ibid
[8] Ibid
[9] Ibid
[11] Ibid
[12] Ibid
[13] Ibid
[14] Ibid
[15] Ibid
[16] Ibid
[17] Ibid
Murder’ ”
[19] Ibid
[21] Ibid
[22] Ibid
[23] Ibid
[24] Ibid
New York Times, August 28, 2006, Sec. International
Murder’ ”
[28] Ibid
Murder’ ”
Murder’ ”
[36] Ibid
Telegraph, April 7, 2008
[42] Ibid
[47] Ibid
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