Drummond
03-05-2015, 12:51 PM
Here's one story about terrorist scum that had US authorities take successful action, while the UK's version was, well ... pathetic, by the account I've heard today.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-31692375
Pakistani national Abid Naseer was convicted of plotting attacks in several countries after being extradited to the US from the UK, where police believe they averted an "atrocity" by his detention.
As Abid Naseer started his cross-examination in a New York courtroom of the police officer who searched his Manchester bedroom in 2009, he commented it was nice to hear a Mancunian accent again.
Six years ago, the Pakistani national had been living in the north-west English city where he plotted to kill hundreds in a bombing attack at the city centre's Arndale shopping complex during Easter weekend.
Naseer, who was extradited from the UK to the United States in 2013, was convicted of providing and conspiring to provide material support to al-Qaeda and conspiring to use a destructive device.
Defending himself at his trial in New York, the 28-year-old was polite, calm and professional. He denied he was involved in any form of extremism.
But, according to the police officer who headed up the British investigation into his activities, his courtroom conduct was a performance designed to con the jury.
In a cafe overlooking the Brooklyn courthouse where the trial was held, Det Supt Mark Smith said Naseer was a good actor, an al-Qaeda trained terrorist and a man with a determination to kill hundreds of people.
He said: "He has had lots of time to develop his Westernised social skills, but I would say don't be fooled. Beneath that cool, relaxed exterior is a cold, calculated terrorist."
UK police believe Naseer's target was the rebuilt Manchester Arndale Centre.
Held in custody in the US ahead of his trial, Naseer had spent the months preparing his legal case and working out.
One police officer commented that he had doubled in size since he was handcuffed and led away from a Cheetham Hill house in April 2009.
Were it not for his arrest, detectives are convinced he would have gone ahead with a "mass-casualty" attack in Manchester city centre.
Based upon intelligence gathered and the plots devised by other terrorists trained at the same al-Qaeda camp in Pakistan, police have pieced together what they believe would have happened.
Emails sent from an internet café near Naseer's home had been intercepted in the weeks before his arrest. The final message led police to believe an attack was imminent.
... and so the account continues ..
This terrorist planned an atrocity in a major British city, as well as concerning himself with the US. This made it, obviously, our business to not only apprehend him but to see to it that he was properly accountable to the British legal system.
INSTEAD ... we 'bottled out'. The US launched extradition proceedings. You had him delivered to your own country, tried him, found him guilty.
I listened to a spokeswoman from the Crown Prosecution Service this morning. The CPS, we were told, didn't prosecute in this case because they felt they had insufficient evidence ! Which begs the question .. how come your US equivalent had no such difficulty ?? YOU made him accountable .. THE UK FAILED TO.
As of this moment, I see no justification for British failure here. And kudos to your people, for doing what we failed to do ! :salute:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-31692375
Pakistani national Abid Naseer was convicted of plotting attacks in several countries after being extradited to the US from the UK, where police believe they averted an "atrocity" by his detention.
As Abid Naseer started his cross-examination in a New York courtroom of the police officer who searched his Manchester bedroom in 2009, he commented it was nice to hear a Mancunian accent again.
Six years ago, the Pakistani national had been living in the north-west English city where he plotted to kill hundreds in a bombing attack at the city centre's Arndale shopping complex during Easter weekend.
Naseer, who was extradited from the UK to the United States in 2013, was convicted of providing and conspiring to provide material support to al-Qaeda and conspiring to use a destructive device.
Defending himself at his trial in New York, the 28-year-old was polite, calm and professional. He denied he was involved in any form of extremism.
But, according to the police officer who headed up the British investigation into his activities, his courtroom conduct was a performance designed to con the jury.
In a cafe overlooking the Brooklyn courthouse where the trial was held, Det Supt Mark Smith said Naseer was a good actor, an al-Qaeda trained terrorist and a man with a determination to kill hundreds of people.
He said: "He has had lots of time to develop his Westernised social skills, but I would say don't be fooled. Beneath that cool, relaxed exterior is a cold, calculated terrorist."
UK police believe Naseer's target was the rebuilt Manchester Arndale Centre.
Held in custody in the US ahead of his trial, Naseer had spent the months preparing his legal case and working out.
One police officer commented that he had doubled in size since he was handcuffed and led away from a Cheetham Hill house in April 2009.
Were it not for his arrest, detectives are convinced he would have gone ahead with a "mass-casualty" attack in Manchester city centre.
Based upon intelligence gathered and the plots devised by other terrorists trained at the same al-Qaeda camp in Pakistan, police have pieced together what they believe would have happened.
Emails sent from an internet café near Naseer's home had been intercepted in the weeks before his arrest. The final message led police to believe an attack was imminent.
... and so the account continues ..
This terrorist planned an atrocity in a major British city, as well as concerning himself with the US. This made it, obviously, our business to not only apprehend him but to see to it that he was properly accountable to the British legal system.
INSTEAD ... we 'bottled out'. The US launched extradition proceedings. You had him delivered to your own country, tried him, found him guilty.
I listened to a spokeswoman from the Crown Prosecution Service this morning. The CPS, we were told, didn't prosecute in this case because they felt they had insufficient evidence ! Which begs the question .. how come your US equivalent had no such difficulty ?? YOU made him accountable .. THE UK FAILED TO.
As of this moment, I see no justification for British failure here. And kudos to your people, for doing what we failed to do ! :salute: