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An update on this story. "Al-Qaeda’s 'British propagandists'," by Sean O'Neill for The Times:
Violent al-Qaeda propaganda, including footage of the beheading of hostages, was distributed around the globe by computer by young men sitting in their bedrooms in Britain, a court heard yesterday.
Three men appeared before Woolwich Crown Court accused of inciting terrorism abroad. They were said to have a “close affiliation” with al-Qaeda in Iraq, the group founded by Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.
Younis Tsouli, 23, Waseem Mughal, 24, and Tariq al-Daour, 21, allegedly played important roles in al-Qaeda’s “media war” and had massive quantities of films, audio recordings, books and documents promoting the extremist ideology of Osama bin Laden and global jihad.
Among the footage found in police raids on their homes in London and Kent were films of the beheading of the British engineer Kenneth Bigley as well as the executions of American, Korean, Japanese, Egyptian, Iraqi, Turkish and Bulgarian hostages.
[...]
Other films found on the men’s computers or on discs in their rooms included footage of suicide attacks in Iraq, the video wills of “martyrs” and stylised productions eulogising the 9/11 hijackers.
“Possession of this material is strong evidence of the depth of their adherence to the cause,” Mark Ellison, for the prosecution, told the court.
“Collecting it, providing links for others to obtain it, applauding it, defending it — as we say these defendants did — as well as making it available to a wide audience on websites is strong evidence of the approval of it and of the ideology it seeks to justify.”
Mr Tsouli had a Powerpoint presentation entitled “carbom-bzip” and another file containing video clips of the World Bank building and the US Capitol in Washington DC and the George Washington National Masonic Memorial.
A CD was found in the home of Mr Mughal containing a file giving instructions on how to make a suicide-bomb vest.
Mr al-Daour had a CD file entitled “special course in manufacturing explosives”, a document with instructions for firing a rocket-propelled grenade and a data file, “The Mujahidin Explosives Handbook”.
Mr Ellison said that the defendants, who were arrested in October 2005, were “intelligent young men” who appeared to lead normal lives.
“Behind the apparent normality of their daily lives and for at least a year before they were arrested, the truth is that each of these young men firmly believed in, supported and set about inciting others to follow an extreme ideology of violent holy war,” he said.
[...]
Mr Ellison said: “The effective recruitment of new adherents to the cause and the inciting of them to join in the fighting and killing and become mujahidin, if not also martyrs, is the very lifeblood of achieving the religious dominance that has its root in this ideology.
“The central importance of powerfully expressed and constructed media in that process, and having the means of distributing and pushing the message to those prepared to listen and likely to be persuaded to join in themselves, is at the very heart of advancing this ideology.
[...]
All three deny possession of documents or records likely to be of use to a person preparing an act of terrorism, and incitement to commit an act of terrorism outside Britain. Mr Tsouli and Mr Mughal deny a charge of conspiracy to murder which, the jury heard, was connected to a plot involving individuals in Bosnia. The trial continues.
The accused
Younis Tsouli, from Shepherds Bush, West London, was born in Morocco but was granted indefinite leave to remain in Britain two months before his arrest. He studied Information Technology and computer technology at Westminster College of Computing in 2001-03 and, according to his CV, was fluent in French and Arabic
Waseem Mughal lived with his family in Chatham, Kent, and is a biochemistry graduate from the University of Leicester. While a student, he ran the website of the university’s Islamic Society
Tariq al-Daour was born in the United Arab Emirates of Palestinian parents and became a British citizen in May 2004. Shortly before his arrest he had applied to study for a law degree
Posted by Marisol at April 24, 2007 12:29 AM
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Wonder if these are friends of Abdullah of the UK.
I suppose the Brits though will send them to finishing school which is the British prison system now an al Qaeda training ground and network as it is developing all around the world.
Prison, the college degree for the more refined terrorist.
Posted by: Lame Cherry![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.jihadwatch.org/nav-commenters.gif)
at April 24, 2007 12:47 AM
There should either be a procedure for stripping these people of their British citizenship (on release from jail in some far distant future) and dumping them in some - any - failed Islamic state somewhere. Either that or they should revive the practice of charging people with treason and banging them up for life (meaning life), if found guilty. 'Inciting terrorism abroad' sounds a rather trivial charge for these enemies of the British public.
Posted by: wallyUK at April 24, 2007 12:52 AM
How many are here in the U.S.?
One of the most telling things about last week, for me, was Matt Lauer on the Today show saying--" Nobody here at NBC has a CLUE what Ismail ax means".
Perfectly stated! The blind leading the blind. The clueless leading the clueless. Hundreds of millions of people waiting for the next "shoe" to drop without knowing anything about the shoe or how or why or by WHOM it will be dropped. They wait helplessly and mostly vunerable and unprotected, frantically searching a "clueless" media for answers.
SOME in the Church and a very few in the media are beginning to "get a clue", as it were.
A heads up for all---Look for violent acts, weather, winds, fires, and especially strong earthquakes, soon, as the natural world mirrors the fullness of sin in the world in the spiritual realm.
Conversely, witness the Glory of God dramatically increasing on the true believers in Jesus.
Posted by: guide inside at April 24, 2007 1:14 AM
WallyUK is right.. British Citizenship should be a two-way street from now on.
Citizenship should be considered a contract. To be held by both sides. The individual holding it MUST be held accountable to the British Citizenry as a whole.
Any violation of this contract is a revocation thereof.
Hostile actions against Britain or Her Citizens is a clear demonstration of renunciation thereof.
Citizanship in Western Countries can no longer be granted unconditionally.
The time for idealism is over.
Posted by: Allahfanculo at April 24, 2007 2:37 AM
It's sinister that they were studying things which should be beneficial to society eg law, IT, biochemistry, but it is apparent that they were planning to use the skills they were acquiring to do harm.
There seem to be lots of other Muslims doing the same.
Posted by: Elephant at April 24, 2007 3:02 AM
The internet handle of Younis Tsouli was Irhabi007, Irhabi being the title of a 1994 movie about an Islamic terrorist group, this film also known as 'The Terrorist'.
Plot summary for
Irhabi, al- (1994)
advertisement Ali Abd-El-Zaher is a member of an Isalmic radical group which has been launching attacks against the government and the society under the orders of the spiritual leader Brother Saif. Ali manages to assasinate an officer but as he escapes from the authorities he gets hit by a car driven by Sewsan,the daughter of a respected Muslim family living in the Maadi district. Sewsan's father who is a surgeon and his family take care of the injured terrorist who then tries to conceal the truth about his personality,such as his dislike of music, unveiled women and Western life styles. Written by adriano_r.
at April 24, 2007 3:17 AM
There seems to be a link with Sarajevo:
SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina - Nov 24, 2005 - Quick cooperation by law enforcement officials in four European countries and the United States appears to have stopped a terrorist cell of 14 Muslims spanning from Bosnia to Britain that may have been planning a suicide attack in Europe or America, officials say.
The coordination underscores how Balkan nations that were once shunned by the West because of years of ethnic bloodshed have become an increasingly important ally in the war on terror.
Only three of the 14 suspects taken into custody in the case have been formally charged, and investigations in several countries remain under way. But police in Sarajevo confiscated a suicide bomber belt and a video of masked men begging God's forgiveness for the sacrifice they were about to commit.
"Bosnian law enforcement agencies have proven that they are a serious partner that can be counted on in the international fight against terrorism and a valuable link in the chain of anti-terrorist network," Kevin Carthy, the head of the European Union police mission to Bosnia, said in an interview with The Associated Press.
The probe began Oct. 19, when police in Bosnia arrested Mirsad Bektasevic, 19, a Swedish citizen, and Cesur Abdulkadir, 18, a Turkish national, in Sarajevo, on suspicion they were preparing terrorist activities. Neither has been formally charged.
Police searching their apartment found a suicide bomber belt, explosives, firearms and other military equipment, as well as a videotape showing masked men begging God's forgiveness for the sacrifice they were planning, officials said. The tape had been made 20 hours before the raid on Bektasevic's and Abdulkadir's apartment, and fragments of it were aired on Bosnian television.
Last week, Bosnian police arrested two other terror suspects, both Bosnian nationals, in Sarajevo and said they were linked to Bektasevic and Abdulkadir. The police did not identify the suspects or formally charge them.
Clues in the case were promptly shared with intelligence services in Denmark, Sweden, Britain and the United States, leading to arrests of other terrorist suspects in those countries.
On Oct. 21-22, British police arrested three British Muslim men, and officials in Denmark took seven others into custody on Oct. 27-31.
"There certainly have been a number of concerns raised since 9/11 over militant activity in a variety of Balkan countries, particularly Albania and Bosnia," said Alex Standish, editor of Janes Intelligence Digest.
He said that with U.N. and NATO forces still present in Bosnia, "it would be very unusual if there were not a degree of international cooperation."
A British official familiar with their case said the three British suspects were arrested in connection with the two in Sarajevo and the seven in Denmark. The official alleged that a conspiracy had been under way involving the three suspects in London and the two in Bosnia, and that they had exchanged phone numbers. The official said materials found during the Sarajevo raid included 19 kilograms (42 pounds) of plastic explosives.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the British court that is handling the three men's case has barred the British media from publishing evidence about it.
Two of the British defendants, Younis Tsouli and Waseem Mughal, both 22, face several charges, including conspiracy to murder and cause an explosion in an alleged terrorist bomb plot. One of the charges against Tsouli alleges that video footage stored on the hard drive of a computer in his bedroom showed how to make a car bomb and another showed a number of places in Washington. The charge sheet did not name the places.
A U.S. law enforcement official has said the American Capitol was among the locations contained in short video clips. The investigation is continuing, but U.S. federal authorities have said they were skeptical that an attack on the U.S. capital was being planned.
One of the charges alleges that police found a DVD in Mughal's bedroom titled "Martyrdom Operations Vest." He is also charged with possessing a piece of paper with information about a recipe for rocket propellant and guidance on causing an explosion. Police allegedly found a piece of paper in his home with the Arabic phrase: "Welcome to Jihad," or holy war.
The third defendant, 19-year-old Tariq Al-Daour, faces less serious charges, including conspiracy to obtain money by deception and Terrorism Act offenses relating to possession of money for terrorist purposes and fund-raising.
Danish police said the seven young Muslims who were taken into custody in Denmark are being investigated in a case linked to the detentions of the Bektasevic and Abdulkadir.
"We're in close dialogue with the authorities in Sarajevo," Skovgaard Larsen, a Danish police spokesman, said in an interview. The suspects have not been charged, but Copenhagen police suspect they belonged to, or assisted, a terror network planning an attack in Europe.
In Sarajevo, Bektasevic's lawyer, Idriz Kamenica, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that his client has been interrogated by American, British, Danish and Swedish investigators.
---
Associated Press writers Thomas Wagner in London, Karl Ritter in Stockholm, and Jan Olsen in Copenhagen contributed to this story.
Source: Calibre Macro*World
Posted by: Elephant at April 24, 2007 6:09 AM
young men sitting in their bedrooms in Britain,
perhaps like this abdullah, these "western part time muslims " get their little joys from the confort of their mommy's house, living off governemtn handouts, and have way too much time on their hands. they squel like little kids when caught and put in jail.
send them to some cesspoolstand where they can have the thrill of living in a sharia country.
at April 24, 2007 7:10 AM
http://www.muslim-responses.com/robert_spencer__jihadwatch_org_
:)
Posted by: Muslim Responses at April 24, 2007 7:35 AM
and now for some good news!!!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/6585411.stm
"Many Muslims (UK), fed up with what they see as Islamophobia, are upping sticks and heading for the Middle East. "
Posted by: leonthepigfarmer at April 24, 2007 9:08 AM
"Quick cooperation by law enforcement officials in four European countries and the United States appears to have stopped a terrorist cell of 14 Muslims spanning from Bosnia to Britain that may have been planning a suicide attack in Europe or America, officials say.
The coordination underscores how Balkan nations that were once shunned by the West because of years of ethnic bloodshed have become an increasingly important ally in the war on terror."
Could one of those countries in the Balkans "once shunned by the West because of years of ethnic bloodshed" that have "become" "an increasingly important ally in the war on terror" be Serbia? And was not Serbia, the only victim of that aggressive and entirely hysterical NATO bombing camaign (apparently Wesley Clark thinks that was his finest hour still, and Richard Holbrooke, still waiting for his chance on the main stage, still talks of "Dayton" and still reveals that he has learned nothing significant about Islam, for he never demonstrates any doubts but seems to think what happened with Serbia was a great success for American diplomacy and, of course, even more importantly, for Richard Holbrooke.
at April 24, 2007 9:35 AM
How many patriotic US and British citizens were/are denied places at universities in the name of diversity and chumps like the accused given spots in their stead?
Went to an information session at the University of VA a while back and the audience was informed that UVA would be heavily recruiting in Asia....Indonesia and Malaysia were noted in particular. What are these people thinking????
Nothing to see here folks, move along
Posted by: eve_anne_gelical at April 24, 2007 9:59 AM
IT, biochem, and a degree in law? Sounds like these guys had a very complimentary skill set. I'm sure they chose these areas of study for no other reason than to make themselves productive members of British society.
Posted by: Abu Allah at April 24, 2007 10:12 AM
Wouldn't the very Sharia Law that they are all in favor of establishing in the UK provide an answer?
Cut off their hands and they can't do any more keyboard jihad.
It's so Islamic, it hurts.
Posted by: profitsbeard at April 24, 2007 10:58 AM
"How many patriotic US and British citizens were/are denied places at universities in the name of diversity and chumps like the accused given spots in their stead?"
its called money. universites charge double for overseas students!
at April 24, 2007 11:33 AM
muslimresponses,
would have been somewhat convincing if no one here has seen the speech and deeds of your umma. Bad news is: WE KNOW.
Posted by: Excommie at April 24, 2007 12:28 PM
Muslim Responses
The Christianity section of what you self-servingly call a 'Muslim-Christian' dialog is full of stuff questioning the divinity of Jesus. While I'm not a Christian, there is no reason any Christian should participate in this 'dialog'. In fact, if they had standards similar to yours, they should trace the contributors to your website and hunt them down for blaspheming Christianity.
I saw your faith-freedom page, particularly the one foaming at the mouth about Ali Sina. Let me tell you - for one whining about Ali Sina's alleged call for the extermination of Muslims, the solution to that is simple. After all, the ummah specializes in holocaust denial, be it Jews or Hindus. So should this thing ever happen (if it does), we'll take a page out of the Mohammedan playbook and simply deny it. What could be easier?
Posted by: Infidel Pride at April 24, 2007 12:55 PM
Tariq al-Daour was born in the United Arab Emirates of Palestinian parents and became a British citizen in May 2004. Shortly before his arrest he had applied to study for a law degree
Giving a whole new level of meaning to the phrase "criminal lawyer".
Posted by: joeblough at April 24, 2007 1:35 PM
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