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The first plot you linked illustrates my point: they were able to get people into the UK easily, but failed because intelligence knew they were linked to known

by dkarl 17y ago

The first plot you linked illustrates my point: they were able to get people into the UK easily, but failed because intelligence knew they were linked to known terrorists in Pakistan. One of the plotters was already under police surveillance, so the plan was doomed from the start. I don't know why terrorists don't use guns for mass killings, but I suspect it has something to do with the psychological impact. You don't want the attack to be psychologically attributed to individual people who are captured or killed after the attack. It decreases the terror factor. You want the attack to be attributed to a group or a cause, which is much scarier because the force behind the attack is still out there operating. In a suicide attack, the perpetrators are seen as whatever force inspired and controlled the attackers, so there is a continued threat.

ja30278 17y ago
But part of the reason they were caught is that they were purportedly targeting airplanes, which are closely watched. If they had 18 people willing to act as suicide bombers, why not cruise ships or trains, where security is much lighter?
- dkarl 17y ago
  But part of the reason they were caught is that they were purportedly targeting airplanes, which are closely watched. I can't claim to have done any more research than simply reading the Wikipedia article, but it seems like the principle plotter was already under police surveillance, leading to a secret bag search when he came back from Pakistan, which kicked off a huge surveillance operation on the whole group. It was after the police already found a "bomb factory" (but decided to watch the group further) that they observed one of the men -- the same one who was already under police surveillance to begin with -- researching airline timetables. So, if the order of events as described in the article you linked is correct, the plot was busted wide open before the authorities realized they were targeting airplanes.

by dkarl 17y ago

ja30278 17y ago

But part of the reason they were caught is that they were purportedly targeting airplanes, which are closely watched. If they had 18 people willing to act as suicide bombers, why not cruise ships or trains, where security is much lighter?

dkarl 17y ago
But part of the reason they were caught is that they were purportedly targeting airplanes, which are closely watched. I can't claim to have done any more research than simply reading the Wikipedia article, but it seems like the principle plotter was already under police surveillance, leading to a secret bag search when he came back from Pakistan, which kicked off a huge surveillance operation on the whole group. It was after the police already found a "bomb factory" (but decided to watch the group further) that they observed one of the men -- the same one who was already under police surveillance to begin with -- researching airline timetables. So, if the order of events as described in the article you linked is correct, the plot was busted wide open before the authorities realized they were targeting airplanes.