January 24, 2003
LULLED:
'Major al-Qaeda attack foiled': More than 150 police took part in the operation (BBC, 24 January, 2003)Spanish Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar says police have thwarted a "major terrorist attack", following the arrest of 16 suspected al-Qaeda militants in the north-eastern Catalonia region.Mr Aznar described the arrests as an extraordinarily important strike in the war against terror, adding that explosives and chemical materials were seized. [...]
The BBC's Margaret Gilmore says there has been a massive anti-terrorist investigation in the UK since the discovery of traces of ricin in a north London flat several weeks ago.
The investigation unearthed a huge number of names and phone numbers of terrorism suspects all over Europe which have been passed on to intelligence officers in the relevant countries.
"The dismantled network has connections with terrorists arrested recently in France and Britain who were preparing to carry out attacks, using explosives and chemical materials," Mr Aznar said.
"I want to highlight once again that when we talk about the fight against terrorism and the circles around it and when we talk about ensuring the safety and the peace of all, we are not talking about fantasies," he added.
That's the sad irony, that by thwarting attacks you enable people to comfort themselves that it's all just a big government fantasy. And since 9-11 we've been so successful in dismantling al Qaeda that we're returning to a business as normal atmosphere. It unfortunately seems likely that getting Western Europe on board the war on terror and getting the American people (and the Democrat Party) refocused will require a few successful attacks. Posted by Orrin Judd at January 24, 2003 8:53 PM
Frankly, I'm not so confident in law enforcement here and in Europe. There's another explanation for the lull in terror attacks since 9/11: the terrorists are lying low, hoping we'll grow complacent, suspend our efforts to remake the Middle East, and let sleeping dogs lie. But once we invade Iraq, the incentives change - to do as much damage as possible, so that we'll be discouraged from extending the war to Iran etc. I fear our attention may get refocused, within the next month.
Posted by: pj at January 24, 2003 8:34 PMI must say that this kind of success is chilling in that if it was not so then what was to be with these terrorists. Optimism aside for a second, it seems as though Al Queeda and the such are not lying low, rather we have been so successful and aggresive that we've properly defended ourselves up until now. Moving forward, as the anger they have becomes much more immediate, directed and focused towards us, due to Iraq, my logic says just as is suggested: a few successful attacks by them. It is indeed extremely chilling.
Posted by: neil at January 24, 2003 10:15 PMThank you, Spain.
Posted by: Melissa at January 25, 2003 9:38 AM