Al Qaeda plotters still at large in UK

Daily Mail:

Islamic extremists who plotted to launch murderous Mumbai-style attacks in British cities remain at large in the UK, it emerged today.

Intelligence sources have revealed that militants based in Pakistan, thought to be linked to al Qaeda, were planning simultaneous strikes on London and other European cities.

The attacks would have been similar to the commando-style raids carried out in Mumbai in 2008 which killed 166 innocent people, sources said.

Sources indicated today that the plot had been 'credible', and that surveillance of suspects was continuing in Britain and elsewhere in a bid to prevent them carrying out any future attack.

'This is an ongoing investigation into a major plot in the UK. It is not over yet,' said one source.

Others suggested that the plot, although at an early stage, had moved into the planning phase and was one of the most serious detected in recent years.

Some reports indicated that promi­nent buildings and other high-profile locations were to have been attacked by small teams of terrorists carrying out commando-style attacks.

American forces have intensified missile strikes against militants in Pakistan from unmanned drones this month, suggesting they were pre-empting an attack.

The latest plot is believed to target the UK, France and Germany, and was unearthed after intelligence sharing between spy agencies from all three countries and the U.S.

...

There is more.

As more details of the plot spill out we can see the scale of the attacks would be larger than anything in recent years. It seems to suggest the desperation of al Qaeda to do something rather than absorb blows while the surge is underway in Afghanistan. So far it is not working out for them.