Ex-MI5 Chief Calls WMD Attack a Continued Threat

Former British spy chief Eliza Manningham-Buller has warned again that terrorists could acquire and detonate a weapon of mass destruction in the United Kingdom, the London Telegraph reported yesterday (see GSN, July 6).

“It remains a very real possibility that (terrorists) may, sometime, somewhere attempt a chemical, biological, radiological or even nuclear attack,” wrote Manningham-Buller, who retired as head of MI5 in April, in an article published last week.

About 1,700 terrorists scattered in 200 networks across the United Kingdom are preparing up to 30 attacks at any given time, she stated. “In addition to these 200-plus networks and groupings now identified, there are sure to be others at large, which we have yet to uncover,” she wrote.

British courts are waiting to hear more than 40 terror cases involving more than 100 suspects, including the alleged plot to detonate liquid explosives on passenger airliners flying to the United States (see GSN, Nov. 2, 2006).

There a “pressing demand” for British authorities to organize a network of Muslim informers who could help provide intelligence on suspect activities, Manningham-Buller stated (Sean Rayment/The Telegraph, July 8).

The former head of the British navy warned yesterday that the fight against Muslim extremists could take as long as 15 years, Agence France Presse reported.

“This is not a quick thing.  I believe it will take 10 to 15 years.  But I think it can be done as long as we as a nation apply ourselves to it and it's done across the board,” said Alan West, new security and counterterrorism minister under Prime Minister Gordon Brown.  His statement came in the wake of foiled car bombings in London and the use of a burning car against the Glasgow airport (Agence France-Presse/IOL, July 8).

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