Our Home Office has raised it's National Terrorist Threat, to critical..
Glasgow Airport.. who would have thought.. But today, two men of 'foreign' origin are now in custody in Glasgow, althought one, who was severly burned during the attach, was in posession of a suicide belt. They tried to drive a Jeep Cherokee into the waiting area of the airport,, a Jeep loaded with propane gas cylinders and petrol cans..
Police are making a direct connection between the attack in Glasgow Airport, to the two cars found in London.. and with al Q'aida.
Now, this raising of the 'threat level' to critical will lead to much more stringent security measures at all airports around the country. Those with high traffic levels, such as Glasgow, will likely have emergency construction in place to stop vehicles of any description getting close to the entrances.. But the question remains, 'How does one stop a man or woman, armed with a semtex vest, from walking in and setting their device off..'. A number of other airports have stepped up security, including Edinburgh, Newcastle, Birmingham, Manchester and Blackpool. John Lennon Airport in Liverpool has been closed as a precaution..The critical threat level indicates terrorist attacks are imminent. It is the highest possible level and was also in place after the 7 July 2005 suicide bomb attacks on London.
Britain has been one of the countries expressly targetted by al Q'aida, but this is the first time Scotland has been affected..
It would indicate that finally, we in this part of the United Kingdom, are in need of increased security..
And what makes it even more difficult for police, is that these attackers today, is that both of the men carried British Passports.. indicating there are active cells within this country, who have been here for some time.
Sleepers... a possibility mentioned in this particular blog some years ago, and repeated when it seemed necissary..
We, are at war.
We are at war with a group which is fanatical in nature, and which believes death while killing 'infidels' guarrantees them instant entry into 'Paradise'..
They have managed to set up an infrastructure within this country, to implement attacks when they are called upon..
Now there are analysts who are saying this is a 'home-grown' terrorist organisation, working along the lines, but not directly connected to al Q'aida. One has to believe this is a sop for the public.. something to make what could be a concentrated. co-ordinated attacks, something which does not have the training true a Q'aida operatives..
But it will be interesting to see over these next few days, when the former nationality of those who planned the London attacks is released..
Also intersting is a witness report, which states the man who's in hospital, in critical conditions from his burns, fought those who tried to help him.. shouting 'Allah..Allah..'
Meanwhile.. security has been vastly increased in the venues that will be heavily populated over the past couple of weeks..
Wimbleton.. the Princes Concert for Dianna.. and the Gay Pride Parade..
If these terrorist attacks, although foiled, had managed to be carried out, hundreds, if not thousands of Britons would have been killed or wounded.. And as stated earlier, while this country is used to attacks by groups the likes of the IRA, and can still remember the carnage caused by 'buzz-bombs' during the Second World War. it is not within our mentality to allow such incidents to die off without notice..
If the terrorists had thought to frighten the British people into a situation wherein every foreign national becomes a 'suspect'.. they will have failed. We are not a xenophobic country, but we are a vigilant one..
Those who preach violence or sedition will be immediately arrested, and when possible, deported. And when that is not a possibility, they will be put out of the public reach.. imprisoned for life, for Treason.
We expect those who hear those who preach such violence, to be reported by those who hear it.. such as in the case of Abu Hamza, a Muslim cleric who's message was to kill as many Britons as possible, even at the cost of one's own life.
While we expect more terrorist attacks.. and while we expect some of them to succeed, there is no fear in Britain that they will destroy our faith in our Government, or our Police..
After all, the foiled attack in Haymarket in London, was discovered by a witness to two cars parked illegally, and a Traffic Warden who reponded, and inspected the cars.
It was mentioned not that long ago here, that the US, in States the likes of Montana or Arizona, would never expect an attack in their neck of the woods..
Well tell the truth, we felt here in Britain, that the attacks would be concentrated on London..
We now know better.
But it should be underlined.. emphasised.. that such attacks on our Homeland does not inspire fear in our people.. but rather bolsters the conviction that such groups should be eradicated. It justifies our presence in Afghanistan, and to some extent, our presence in Iraq..
Terrorists fight a losing battle here, for while we may well increase our security measures, we will not turn into a Police State, which automatically distrusts foreigners, Middle Esterners, who visit, or come here for asylum..
We will simply be more vigilant in watching their movements.. and who they might contact while here..
If anything, the attacks on Britain may have been the worst tactic al Q'aida could have employed.. for they could not have chosen a worst enemy than the British public..