In Washington, they discussed what to do if 100 or more members of Congress were killed. In London, there was a "specific threat" to the House of Commons. From The Telegraph, :
MI5 discovered a "specific threat" that terrorists were planning to use anthrax or ricin to launch a deadly attack in the Commons chamber, MPs were told yesterday. This helped to persuade them to vote in favour of spending £1.3 million on a permanent glass security barrier between the public gallery and rest of the chamber.But the move was approved by a majority of only seven votes and many MPs complained about the initiative before it was put to a free vote.
Some argued that the screen would not work. Others claimed it would undermine the principle that, in a democracy, elected MPs should be accessible to their voters.
A temporary glass screen was erected during the Easter recess and yesterday Peter Hain, the Leader of the Commons, explained that it had been put up "in the light of clear security advice at the highest level".
He said he needed to explain to MPs "in plainest terms" what the consequences of ignoring the advice would be.
"If an al-Qa'eda group managed to throw a phial of anthrax or ricin into the chamber - or maybe even worse, a suicide agent released it, without anybody noticing, which we have been advised is quite feasible - the particles would immediately begin spreading.
"Because of the way air flows work, within minutes total contamination could occur.
"Decontamination procedures would then be activated. Everyone - not just members - would be locked in and decontaminated before being allowed to leave."
Mr Hain disclosed that the warning had come from Eliza Manningham-Buller, the head of MI5. She briefed the Commons Commission, the body in charge of administration, earlier this year.
Although Mr Hain did not disclose further details, Sir Patrick Cormack, a Tory member of the commission, told MPs that a "specific threat" had been identified.
He said the security services had called for a screen to be erected 15 months ago, but on that occasion the commission vetoed the idea.
The temporary screen, which cost £600,000, means people in the public gallery can see what is happening in the chamber and hear debates via loudspeakers. But they are separated by an airtight screen running from floor to ceiling, and the chamber and the gallery no longer share a ventilation system.
Yesterday MPs voted to replace the temporary screen with a permanent one next summer. It will be more effective and more aesthetic.
Mr Hain also said a comprehensive review of security at Westminster, including the issuing of passes to the 12,900 people who work in the building, had begun.
Sion Simon, a Labour MP, said he did not think the screen would be effective because it did not cover the front three rows of the public gallery. Some of these seats will be allocated to members of the public personally invited by an MP.
"If I was a fully-fledged infiltrator dedicated to annihilating our democracy and who had the wherewithall to get his hands on a phial of poison, I think I would probably have got enough initiative to write to my MP and ask him for a ticket in front of the screen."
To all the Muslim apologists who wish to debate with me:
Why do you not make your arguments to me in this public forum? Why are you afraid to make your arguments public? Is it because you are afraid that your arguments are weak and easily refuted? If your arguments are so strong, let the world see them on this public forum. Of course, I already know what your response will be. I will never see a single one of you Muslim apologists on this forum because you know your arguments are weak and undefendable. In fact, you Muslim apologists have observed what happens every time you try and defend your views in public – you end up looking like fools and more people are turned against Islam.
I have news for you Muslim apologists. Every day more and more people find out the truth about Islam. Every day more and more people come to view Islam with suspicion and fear. Every day more and more people come to realize that Islam is their enemy. We are like a snake coiling up to strike. When we strike, you will know the meaning of fear.
Bit heavy Mentat! What you have said is true but a bit out of place on this posting - it was about Anthrax!
So in keeping with the style:
YAHWEHU AKBAR!!
Why would anyone want to debate with you, Mentat? You are irrelevant. Every day, more and more people embrace Islam. Every day, more and more Muslims pour across your borders. Every day, more and more mosques are built. Every day, more and more churches are converted into mosques or public latrines.
You fancy yourself a coiled snake ready to strike? Snakes make good kebab.
Allahu akbar
If anyone is unfamiliar with the debate, what I tried to point out is that if we analyse the Quran and islamic fanaticism, we might as well check the other side too. They're awfuly familiar.
The time has come to differentiate between two groups of foreign God worshippers (dhimmis and rahabs -- check Joshua for the latter) and rational people and not join the battle between two crazy folks. Our blood need not fall again for others.
Who understands this has been set free. The self-hate and distortion must come to an end!
"Or, could it be that the G-d of the Bible actually made that happen?..." [the walls to fall by themselves]
Paula
Thats the intellectual failure I was talking about. The intellectual failure of "westerners" stuffing their minds with asiatic tribal religious speak and superstitions.
I'm not going to try to explain whats the error, caise it would take some time and you are anyway captive to that delusion.
The only way I can help you is by directing you to studying your own past.
P.S. The Jews waged "cherem" on Jericho. That is, Holy War. Slaughtered them all. Stole everything. Sound familiar (Quran maybe?)...
Islam and Judaism are the same asiatic fanatical thing. Each trying to impose its God, convert everybody.
Yet you people, former rationalists, understand not the picture. You are superstitious, fearful of shadows and CONVERTED.
Why does your Christianity devolved into a mere carcass of Jewish Might/God worship???
Why no laws banning homosexuality. Why same sex marriage. Why no racial talk as in OT?
Because its unfortunately a sham.
The role of it all was not to destroy the former pagan Gods and festivals (as they survive today too, in "christian form"), but to SUPERIMPOSE over all the other Gods, the Jewish God.
Alas, you understand not. Or do you?
Thinking the walls came down by powerful (the power of) God, and the Sun stood still while cherem slaughtered everything and Rahab did the right thing... (Joshua). This is sickness, poison and Idol worshipping. In the West, in the 21st Century!!!
Think about it.
Might it be hard that those spies had something to do about it? (like spy the inner defense works and spread some confusion from within?).
PPS An amazonyan tribe conqueres a nearby village. The shamans write about it, interpreting their influence, military and economic might and victory as coming from a monkey God.
The book gets shipped to the US by "chance". The rahabs wonder. Under Paulinical influences start to believe. The Amazonian tribe, still financially strong show further signs of might. The Rahabs worship the Monkey God by now.
When the "amazonians" will reach your gates, the rahabs will allow as many spies as they can.
This is the Tribal God. Each tribe/nation/race had its God. Harlot Rahab started worshipping the foreign God whose subjective goal was to smash all other Idols and their temples.
(I know some will jump on me, after all, the majority of you are zealot rahabs. May the others realise their errors.)
Do not presume to disparage the Monkey God, you blaspheming heathen!
"what I tried to point out is that if we analyse the Quran and islamic fanaticism, we might as well check the other side too. They're awfuly familiar.
Posted by H2O.
Your charge of Allah and Yahweh being the same is rather old, and with a little research in to the doctrines of the Qur'an and Old Testament, unfounded.
In the Old Testament, Yahweh asked the Israelites to kill once. He told Moses and Joshua to remove the Canaanites from the land. The Canaanites were like Muhammad’s followers: immoral, terrorizing, plundering, enslaving, and murdering. Their religion was as corrupt as Islam—equally demonic.
If you knew the people responsible for the Madrid, Bali & September 11th bombings, And having read their scriptures, knew that they had been poisoned to believe that mass murder is a service to God. Left alone, they will corrupt thousands and will murder thousands. Would you kill them before they perpetrated these crimes or would you let them go ahead? Would you do it to keep them from growing strong enough to kill you, your neighbors, and your children? What is the most moral, just, and compassionate choice?
God’s (Yahweh’s) last command to kill was 3,200 years ago. His command wasn’t open ended. It was directed at a specific group of people, in a specific time and specific place. Apart from self defense, that’s the end of the story.
So when people defend Muslims violent doctrine, saying that the Bible is equally warlike, It is not.. Yahweh asked once. He identified the reason and the people. The order wasn’t open ended, either. What’s more, the Jews were expressly forbidden from taking a spoil. When the walls of Jericho fell, its storehouses remained filled. Children were not sent off into slavery; women were not raped as if they were booty.
Allah, by contrast, gave Muslims hundreds of commands to kill. His orders were open ended—surviving throughout time. And his intended victims were many: those who worshiped the one true God, many gods, or no gods at all. Ordering Muslims to fight them until they were “wiped out to the last.” This is fundamental Islam—the very core of Muhammad’s message, and, is in stark contrast with the true God, Yahweh, and His message to us, The Bible.
The whole thing is a crock. Why the heck anybody believes what these cave dwelling savages wrote down 2000+ years ago is beyond me. It is ALL superstitious mumbo jumbo. ALL OF IT. Fighting over which "God" is the right one is like 2 bald men fighting over a comb.
Purge yourselves of your fantasy ideologies and ancient histories...NOW! Look at where they have brought you.
Bob, the Bible talks about people like you. It says, "The fool has said in his heart there is no God".
The issue at stake here is that Islam has come along and seeks to turn people away from pursuing the living God and instead turning to satan, sorry, Allah (as they like to call him.
Yahwehu Akbar
i am really tired of islamic apoligists. it always make me smirk , when i hear "blame it on the jews and americans" from what i have read and seen in the muslem world, the majority are living pre stone age. and this is what they are trying to impose on the rest of the world...i dont think so..... it appears to me no matter what part of the world muslems have settled, they dont intergrate but all to change to their ways then they wonder why no civilized country want them. irealy dont think they get it......the west are very very very happy with the judao-christian society we live in , we live side by side not trying to impose beliefs on each other .......muslems could learn a huge lesson, and if they dont like it go back to the middle east and live exactly how you want too, and please ,please leave us alone.we want nothing to do with allah or islam....get the picture??????
Yoo-hoo, folks--don't waste your time with Reza etc.
Remember, the argument isn't about religion per se, it's about REASON vs. Islam.
REASON will out. If we don't catch on to that pretty soon and stop quibbling over details of religion per se, it will just take a whole lot longer.
reza,your fooling youself,we dont want anyting to do with islam
Every day Reza makes the same baseless argument. Every day more and more nonsense pours across his lips. Every day he drops a few IQ points. You will drown in a tidal wave of stupidity, infidel. allah who ack what?
Why would anyone want to debate with you, Mentat? You are irrelevant. Every day, more and more people embrace Islam. Every day, more and more Muslims pour across your borders.
Posted by Reza at April 24, 2004 11:02 AM
Reza, do you simply copy and paste these words from a post you may have done a month or so ago, and re-apply it over and over? You puke out the same thing every time.
Like a robotic talking chimp......a trained seal, balancing the ball of Islamocult on your nose for our entertainment. You're fooling yourself (which doesn't appear to be too awfully difficult to do) into thinking you're a winner. That Islam will conquer all.
The world opinion of Islam could hardly be described as "embracing". The illiteracy rate among Muslims is astounding. With your thought process, I bet you figure that because a bear or gorilla is stronger than a human, that they should be on top of the food chain.....
This way of thinking will spell the end of Jihad, because the most intelligent ones win every time. Technique and application of skills will out do power and brute force every time. You and the fags you idolize will fall to the intellectually superior human race.
Instead of writing your thoughts in convoluted fashion H2O, why don't you come out and tell us where you are coming from. You rant in a fashion, not unlike Reza and Hood Jihadi, but you express your ideas as if you do not believe in G-d at all. Perhaps if you were to be a bit more honest with us, we could have a more honest dialogue with you.
All of this said, KC is 100% correct when he talks about the differences between what happened at Jericho and Ai when Joshua entered the land of Canaan. Since you are aware of the concept of "cherem," you should also have been aware that the spoils of those in Jericho, their cattle, sheep, women and children were all under "cherem" and therefore not to be touched by the children of Israel. All were "devoted to G-d" (the correct translation of the word.) When one of the men took something from Jericho a few weeks later, the whole camp was almost destroyed in the battle of Ai - again, because one man took that which he should not have taken and buried in under his tent. They children of Israel continued in defeat until the perpretator of the crime (he who removed that which was "cherem") was found and killed.
Some shrink from this whole story and say it was horrible - and yes it was. It was done, however, for a reason and it was not an eternal commandment for the Jewish people. The people of the land of Canaan were highly immoral. They would burn their living infants on their glowing hot idols, while making noise so they could blot out the sound of their shreiking cries. They would bury the infants in the walls of their houses. Sexual perversions of all sorts permeated the cultures of the Canaanite peoples and the G-d of the children of Israel did not want to expose the fledgling nation to those corrupt influences. This was the reason for this type of war. The children of Israel were to make a clean break and get away from this culture of decadent immorality.
Contrast this with Jihad and you get a different picture. In the inception of Islam, Jihad was waged for one purpose and one purpose only - to obtain spoil. It was nothing more than a rapacious and bloody outletting - a feast, if you might - covered by the rubric of religion.
Of course, you will see this differently. You will argue they are one and the same thing. I will say you are wrong and, yes, we will not come to any form of agreement.
Not knowing where you are coming from in your intellectual strain of thought, because you are not being straight yourself with us, I can only assume you are an agnostic who believes anyone who believes in anything is stupid and brainwashed. This would be a mistake - and an arrogant one at that. The truth of the matter is that many intelligent people have believed in G-d throughout the ages and many more will continue to believe after we are all lying in the dust. Just because you don't see the differences between the religious points of view, does not a. mean they are not there; and b. that you are right.
Thank you Bob, I liked the 'bald men fighting over a comb" bit.
But man must have his superstitions and his 'saviours'. It scares the hell out of most people that THEY have all the 'god' they need between their ears and in their hearts....how could THEY ever measure up?
I've learned patience over the years.
At least we don't still believe that the sun is driven across the sky by some God in a chariot! (But,of course, if YOU do, it's unkind and hardly PC of me to disparage that belief, so forgive me in advance.)
It seems that the term 'God' may have evolved from 'Good' and that the Devil may have evolved from d'Evil, so that's how I think of religion: good and evil and we all know which is which. Do unto others...is the best piece of religious teaching to come out of the whole business.
Interesting posting patricia - and since it was made respectfully you will receive a respectful answer in return.
I kind of liked the thought you expressed about the etymology of the words "good" and "evil," but how does your thought relate to other languages? In Hebrew the Word Tov (good) is Taf, bet. Evil is Ra - Resh, alef. The word for G-d is El, Elo(k)im or Yud (k) Vav (k). El is spelled Alef, Lamed; Elo(k)im is Alef, Lamed, He, Mem. As far as I can see, there is no crossover for the word good there. The concept of devil doesn't really exist in Hebrew. The closest you come to it is the satan - samekh, tav, nun. And there isn't a crossover in that way either to the word Ra.
My Greek is a bit rusty - sorry about that, but if I did the same thing in Koine (N.T. Greek) I would probably find the same problem. No crossovers. Given this, I think your thoughts on the etymology of english words might be spot on, but the concepts, which long predate the use of the English language fails to convince me.
Lastly, can anyone tell me what any of these comments in this comment section (and I know I have also been guilty of this) have to do with an Anthrax threat to the House of Commons???
just curious.