A police interview with one of the failed london bombers seems to bear out the modus operandi discussed in the book “Imperial Hubris”. The book describes how Al Qaeda websites openly ask supporters to post details of possible targets, asking for photographs, maps and anything else. The websites call upon all muslims to contribute in whatever way they can. The authorities obviously have access to everything that is posted, but the sheer volume makes it difficult to follow up.
The interview with Osman Hussain:
“We never had contacts with the Bin Laden organisation. We knew that they existed. We had access to their platforms through the internet, but nothing direct.”
He told investigators the cell was surprised by the 7 July bombs. “We have no link with the Pakistanis,” he said. However, his group took the 7 July carnage as a signal that it should also act.
Of course all this makes it nigh on impossible for the security services. Where there is no hierarchical structure there are no obvious command and control targets.
Reading “Imperial Hubris” i was reminded of CP Snow’s version of the three laws of thermodynamics:
You can’t win.
You can’t break even.
You can’t get out of the game.
