Super Secret Terrorist Group Takes Credit for London Blasts
It's interesting that terrorism and Iraq was originally not on the agenda at G8. Guess it is now.
I guess I'm just sort of surprised that this kind of thing doesn't
happen more often. Also, it just seems sort of, well, small for
al-Qaeda, especially considering London's history of being a frequent,
smaller-scale terrorist target. At this point they're saying
it was 4 bombs-- 3 on the Underground, 1 on a doubledecker with 160
wounded and 40 or so deaths.
Regardless, it's tragic and my heart goes
out to Londoners everywhere. We're all Londoners Today!
So far the most interesting, honest thing I've heard anyone say was on
NPR this morning, from a former CIA-agent who used to work on the Osama
Bin Laden team. He pointed out that if it's al-Qaeda that this is
mutually embarassing for both British and American intelligence
operations because no one had any warning whatsoever. He said he hopes
it's a significant wake-up call for America, that this summer had
started shaping up like the summer of 2001-- with the news obsessed
with missing girls, shark attacks, etc. He said he was worried about
our complacency most of all because people aren't paying attention to
how little things have really changed
since the War on Terror began. He also had some heavy criticism for the
way the war on terrorism has been fought thus far.
A group calling itself "The Secret Organization of al-Qaida in Europe"
posted a claim of responsibility for Thursday's blasts in London,
saying they were in retaliation for Britain's involvement in Iraq and Afghistan.
The group al-Qaida in Europe claimed responsibility for the last
major terror attack in Europe: a string of bombs that hit commuter
trains in Madrid, Spain in March 2004, killing 191 people. Two days
after that attack, a video was found in a trash can outside a Madrid
mosque with a statement purported to be from the group's spokesman,
called by the nickname "Abu Dujan al Afghani."
In the new statement, the group said "the heroic mujahedeen carried
out a blessed attack in London, and now Britain is burning with fear
and terror, from north to south, east to west."
"We warned the British government and the British people repeatedly.
We have carried out our promise and carried out a military attack in
Britain after great efforts by the heroic mujahedeen over a long period
to ensure its success."
"We continue to warn the governments of Denmark and Italy and all
crusader governments that they will receive the same punishment if they
do not withdraw their troops from Iraq and Afghanistan," the statement
went on.
It was signed "The Secret Organization of al-Qaida in Europe."
