Germans investigate six in alleged airline plot: Knowledge Driven Revolution

Six people are under investigation in Germany in an alleged plot to blow up an Israeli airliner by bribing an airport worker to smuggle a bag packed with explosives on board the craft, officials said Monday.

Several of the accused approached a person with security clearance at an unidentified airport last summer, who agreed to smuggle an explosives-filled bag onto a plane in exchange for money, federal prosecutors said.

Prosecutors said in a statement that some of the accused then contacted their "so far unknown" terrorist backers, but could not agree on a payment amount.

A security official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment on the matter, said the plot was centered on the Frankfurt airport and the plan apparently was to attack a plane belonging to Israel's El Al.

Three of the suspects were apprehended in Hesse state, where the airport is located, the official said.

The six, who could face charges of belonging to or supporting a terrorist organization, were temporarily detained Friday, but five of them were released Saturday after questioning. The remaining suspect was kept in custody over an unrelated matter.

Under German law, authorities must release suspects after a maximum of 48 hours unless they have enough evidence to convince a judge that they can be held in long-term investigative custody.

"This case is encouraging in that our security authorities are clearly very observant, get very close to possible (terrorist) structures and, at least so far, have succeeded in intervening early enough," said Stefan Kaller, an Interior Ministry spokesman. He declined to offer further details on the alleged plot.

In a similar investigation, police in the northern city of Hamburg in 2002 arrested seven suspected Islamic extremists who were believed to be plotting new terrorist attacks, only to release them several hours later.

Authorities there later said that through five months of surveillance they had not managed to come up with enough evidence to charge the men, but that they were convinced they were getting ready to act and wanted to thwart their plot.

Germany stiffened counterterrorism laws after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, when it emerged that three of the suicide pilots in that plot had lived and studied undetected in Hamburg.

The country was shaken this summer by a failed attempt to blow up two trains. Two Lebanese men have been arrested for allegedly planting bombs on the trains at Cologne station on July 31. The bombs were found later in the day, and authorities said the detonators went off but failed to ignite the crude devices.

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HOME Rouge States and the 9/11 Truth Terrorists Canadians Should Pay NOT to be Poisoned: NDP V for Vendetta - R for Reality Canadian Bird Flu Pandemic Looming ? Shill of the Week: Stephan Harper Aspartame: The Sweetest Killer Chicken Little Terrorist of the Week: Creating Fake Terrorists Shill of the Week: Paul Martin The Number 1 Reason YOU became a Slave	Germans investigate six in alleged airline plot AP November 22, 2006 Six people are under investigation in Germany in an alleged plot to blow up an Israeli airliner by bribing an airport worker to smuggle a bag packed with explosives on board the craft, officials said Monday. Several of the accused approached a person with security clearance at an unidentified airport last summer, who agreed to smuggle an explosives-filled bag onto a plane in exchange for money, federal prosecutors said. Prosecutors said in a statement that some of the accused then contacted their "so far unknown" terrorist backers, but could not agree on a payment amount. A security official, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment on the matter, said the plot was centered on the Frankfurt airport and the plan apparently was to attack a plane belonging to Israel's El Al. Three of the suspects were apprehended in Hesse state, where the airport is located, the official said. The six, who could face charges of belonging to or supporting a terrorist organization, were temporarily detained Friday, but five of them were released Saturday after questioning. The remaining suspect was kept in custody over an unrelated matter. Under German law, authorities must release suspects after a maximum of 48 hours unless they have enough evidence to convince a judge that they can be held in long-term investigative custody. "This case is encouraging in that our security authorities are clearly very observant, get very close to possible (terrorist) structures and, at least so far, have succeeded in intervening early enough," said Stefan Kaller, an Interior Ministry spokesman. He declined to offer further details on the alleged plot. In a similar investigation, police in the northern city of Hamburg in 2002 arrested seven suspected Islamic extremists who were believed to be plotting new terrorist attacks, only to release them several hours later. Authorities there later said that through five months of surveillance they had not managed to come up with enough evidence to charge the men, but that they were convinced they were getting ready to act and wanted to thwart their plot. Germany stiffened counterterrorism laws after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, when it emerged that three of the suicide pilots in that plot had lived and studied undetected in Hamburg. The country was shaken this summer by a failed attempt to blow up two trains. Two Lebanese men have been arrested for allegedly planting bombs on the trains at Cologne station on July 31. The bombs were found later in the day, and authorities said the detonators went off but failed to ignite the crude devices. Read the full article here Broken Link? If the link to the original article is broken or has been altered you can view the article by clicking here. About KDR \| \| Home \| \| Weekly Features Archive	Weekly Features Archive
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