Al-Qaeda activities in Europe
Although there has been no evidence of Al-Qaeda Attacks in Europe, Al-Qaeda have claimed responsibility for bombings in London[1][2] and Madrid.[3] In the early 1990s, some members of al-Qaeda had participated with the Bosnian mujahideen, including 9/11 hijackers Khalid al-Mihdhar and Nawaf al-Hazmi.[4] And in August 2009 militants linked with Al-Qaeda claimed that they were planning a "spectacular attack" in Britain.[5][6]
United Kingdom
In 2003 Tony Blair sent armoured veichles and hundreds of troops to London Heathrow Airport due to a planned Al-Qaeda attack.[7] MI5 received detailed intelligence in February 2003 about a plot to hijack planes flying from Eastern Europe and to fly them into Heathrow, to punish the United Kingdom for supporting the Iraq War.[7]
In September 2009 Tanvir Hussain, Assad Sarwar and Ahmed Abdullah Ali were convicted of conspiring to activate bombs disguised as drinks on 7 aircrafts leaving from London and going to North America.[8][9][10] British and US security officials said the plan - unlike many recent homegrown European terrorist plots - was directly linked to al-Qaeda and guided by senior Islamist militants in Pakistan.[11][12][13][14][15]
North Caucasus
In August 2009 it was reported that during a raid the Russian police had killed an Algerian-born militant in Dagestan who according to the Federal Security Service, was the "the Al-Qaeda co-ordinator in Dagestan". The militant was an Algerian national known as "Doctor Mohammed" and was thought to be a member of the 'Jamaat Shariat of Dagestan'[16][17]
Italy
In May 2009 two French nationals were detained by Italian police due to suspected immigration offences however they are now suspected of being key Al-Qaeda figures. It is thought that they had planned to attack Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, France. Italian police stated that they are "two leading men for the communication of al-Qaeda in Europe".[18]
The Balkans
During the wars in the Balkans in 1990s Al-Qaeda directly funded and trained Bosnian Muslims to fight against the Serbian and Croatian forces.[19] There were also numerous Al-Qaeda training camps in the Balkans, the major camps were located in Zenica, Mališevo and Mitrovica.[20][21]
Germany
In September 2009 security measures were heightened in response to a direct threat against Germany, through an Al-Qaeda video, the threat came about due to German participation in the Afghanistan war[22][23] Osama Bin Laden stated:
"It is shameful to be part of an alliance whose leader does not care about spilling the blood of human beings by bombing villages intentionally" "If you had seen [the mass killings] of your American allies and their helpers in northern Afghanistan ... then you would understand the bloody events in Madrid and London,"[24]
France
In October 2009 a physicist of Algerian descent working for the European Organization for Nuclear Research was arrested due to his links with Al-Qaeda.[25] Officials said he had been in contact with people linked to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb and planned attacks.[25] He later admitted to corresponding with Al-Qaeda members located in North Africa over the Internet.[26]
See also
External links
- Foiled Plot Offers Clues to Recent Absence of Major Terror Attacks on West, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009
- Google Books - Al-Qaida's jihad in Europe: the Afghan-Bosnian network By Evan Kohlmann
Further reading
- Al Qaeda in Europe: The New Battleground of International Jihad, by Steven Emerson (Foreword), Lorenzo Vidino (Author). ISBN: 978-1591024330.[27]
- Al-Qaida's Jihad in Europe: The Afghan-Bosnian Network, by Evan F. Kohlmann. ISBN: 978-1859738078.[28]
References
- ^ Wikinews - Al-Qaida claims responsibility for London 7/7 bombings
- ^ Guardian - Al-Qaida in Europe claims responsibility for blasts
- ^ BBC News - Full text: 'Al-Qaeda' Madrid claim
- ^ McDermott, Terry (2005). Perfect Soldiers: The Hijackers: Who They Were, Why They Did It. HarperCollins. p. 191. ISBN 0060584696.
- ^ Al-Qaeda plotting 'spectacular attacks' in UK - August 2009
- ^ Europenews.dk Jihad Magazine Warns of Terror Attacks in Europe
- ^ a b The Times - Al-Qaeda's Heathrow jet plot revealed
- ^ Three Britons found guilty of transatlantic jet bombing plot
- ^ BBC NEWS UK | Three guilty of airline bomb plot
- ^ Al Qaeda podría intentar otro atentado con aviones comerciales en Occidente Template:Es icon
- ^ UK court convicts 3 of plot to blow up airliners International | Jerusalem Post
- ^ BBC NEWS UK | Airline plot: Al-Qaeda connection
- ^ Três britânicos são condenados por ter planejado explodir aviões em 2006 Template:Pt icon
- ^ Plano para atacar aviões teria elo com Al-Qaeda paquistanesa Template:Pt icon
- ^ Beramers vliegtuigaanslagen veroordeeld Template:Nl icon
- ^ BBC News - Russia 'kills al-Qaeda operative'
- ^ Al-Qaeda seeks foothold in North Caucasus
- ^ BBC News - Italy arrests 'al-Qaeda plotters'
- ^ Balkanpeace.org - Bosnia, 1 degree of separation from Al-Qaeda
- ^ Balkanpeace.org - Al Qaeda's Balkan Links
- ^ PBS Newshour with Jim Lehrer, A New Constitution for Bosnia, 22 November 2005 (Richard Holbrooke comments on Al-Qaeda involvement)
- ^ Times Online - Germany on edge after fourth consecutive al-Qaeda bomb attack warning
- ^ BBC NEWS | Europe | Al-Qaeda video threat to Germany
- ^ BBC NEWS | South Asia | 'Bin Laden' urges Afghan pull-out
- ^ a b BBC News - Scientist on French terror charge
- ^ JPost - French physicist admits to emailing al-Qaida
- ^ Amazon - Al Qaeda in Europe: The New Battleground of International Jihad
- ^ Amazon - Al-Qaida's Jihad in Europe: The Afghan-Bosnian Network