Daily Mail : 'Jet terror plot was to mark 9/11 anniversary'

'Jet terror plot was to mark 9/11 anniversary'

By BEN TAYLOR and STEPHEN WRIGHT | August 17, 2006

The airline terror plot to blow up at least seven transatlantic jets was intended to mark the fifth anniversary of September 11, intelligence sources have revealed.

But it was not executed because its alleged conspirators were too 'inexperienced' to carry it out.

The claims, by senior Pakistani security officials, came as Scotland Yard requested more time to question 23 of the 24 suspects arrested since last week.

The officials also alleged that many of those held learnt how to handle weapons and bomb-making training by reading textbooks.

A highly placed source said: 'Look at their ages ... their faces, you will hardly believe that they are terrorists, but the fact is that they were motivated and had a plan to carry out attacks.'

'I don't know how close they were from executing the attacks, but I personally believe that they wanted to do it to mark the (5th anniversary of) 9/11 attacks.

'I personally think they would have carried out the attacks if they had been experienced enough.'

It has also emerged that up to 17 people are now being held in Pakistan on suspicion of collaborating with the British 'cell'.

They include alleged ringleader Rashid Rauf, 25, a father of two young children.

Rauf, a former fridge salesman, is said to have been in contact with Al Qaeda leaders in neighbouring Afghanistan before he was arrested last week.

There have even been claims that British investigators planted a 'mole' to stay close to Rauf and regularly provide updates to London.

Yesterday a man claiming to be Rauf's brother-in-law admitted the family had links to a banned Pakistani militant group. But neighbours and relatives insisted that he is innocent and is more interested in the historic dispute between India and Pakistan over Kashmir.

His uncle, Liaqat Zamil Qazi said: 'We are shocked that he has been detained. He was polite and gentle.'

Rauf, whose family moved to Britain when he was a young child, returned to Pakistan in 2002 after his uncle was stabbed to death in Birmingham.

He has two young daughters - one of who is less than a year old.

Rauf's family village is in the Mirpur area of Pakistani Kashmir, from where many families emigrated to Britain beginning in the 1960s when residents were displaced by the construction of a dam.

Police in Britain yesterday continued to search woodland in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.

Officers are said to have recovered 'items of interest' and the hunt for clues is likely to last several weeks.

In all, 46 addresses have been raided and 20 vehicles seized.

Police yesterday outlined their case to a judge as they requested more time to question 23 of the 24 suspects.

Under new laws, they could be granted up to 28 days before they have to decide whether to charge anyone.