Not long back from his six-month tour in Iraq, the young Muslim soldier was
puzzled when police called at his family home in Birmingham. What they had
to say left him speechless with disbelief.
Officers described how a gang from his home town was allegedly plotting to
abduct the soldier, aged in his 20s, and then force him on film to
“apologise” for what he had done in Iraq.
After this propaganda coup, the gang intended to video themselves executing
their hostage. His murder would be seen worldwide on the internet as a
warning to other British Muslims regarded by the kidnappers as “traitors”.
According to security sources, he was not the only soldier being targeted. At
least one other Iraqi veteran was given the same warning that he was to be
the first hostage in the West to be kidnapped and killed by Islamic
extremists.
For the past six months, every police force in the country, backed by the
intelligence services and foreign security agencies, has been involved in
uncovering what, if proved, would be the most extraordinary terror plot yet
uncovered in Britain. Known as Operation Gamble, the focus of their
attention was about a dozen men, most of them British-born, and from a
corner of south Birmingham known locally as Muslim Central. All of them were
of Pakistani origin.
Some of them had apparantly followed the well-trodden path of travelling to
Pakistan where they were put in touch with extremist groups which could
offer their own brand of terror training. Al-Qaeda and its affiliates needed
some new tactic to terrify their enemies in Britain.
The July 7 attacks on the London transport system had seen the first homegrown
suicide bombers to strike in the West. Subsequent bomb plots were foiled,
not least because the police got wise to would-be terrorists trying to buy
the materials they needed for bombs. Kidnapping a British Muslim was seen as
simpler and far more sinister. There were plenty of websites instructing new
recruits how to stalk then seize their victim. These sites stressed the need
for publicity.
One password-protected al-Qaeda affiliated forum posted in June last year: “It
is preferable if you photograph or video the operation so that it can have a
bigger set of viewers and can be used by the media.”
It also advises that a large cell is not required and that anyone who could
handle a camcorder could produce what experts have come to call “the theatre
of terror”.
Will Geddes, who is head of the security firm, ICP Group, said that this
alleged plot bore the hallmarks of a training document known as the
al-Bat-tar manual, which was intercepted in 2005. “It was then translated
and showed to be a guide to how small terror groups should go about
recog-nising targets, seizing hostages, holding them and then executing
them. It is now known that these books were distributed to many groups
associated with al-Qaeda,” he said.
A senior security official told The Times: “This plot appealed to the
extremists for several reasons. We can’t give personal protection to every
one of the 300 or so Muslims who are in the Services, so it leaves them
vulnerable.
“It also embarrases the Government that this operation is a direct consequence
of the war in Iraq. It will also spread panic among other Muslims working
for the Government in any way connected to military operations in Iraq and
Afghanistan that they could be at risk.”
Operation Gamble was to be the first real test for an elite group of
counter-terrorist detectives based in the West Midlands — one of four units
set up around the country after the 7/7 bombings. Homes, businesses,
bookshops and cars were bugged and the alleged conspirators were tailed.
Police knew that they dared not let the alleged gang kidnap their victims, but
officers had to gather as much evidence as they could about this
“Baghdad-style” hostage-taking. Tony Blair was briefed about the plot, as
was John Reid, the Home Secretary.
A warning was given to police chiefs that at least some of the group were
becoming increasingly agitated. They were reportedly arguing among
themselves about when to strike and police decided thay had to act. Just
before 4am yesterday, more than 700 officers, some of them armed, were
involved in the synchronised sweep of eight homes and four buisnesses.
Residents in the city’s predominantly Asian areas of Alum Rock and Sparkhill
have grown used to the early morning raids and become sceptical of their
value. But, as officers arrested suspects in a dozen homes and businesses,
including further afield in Edgbaston, Kingstanding and Washwood Heath, it
became clear that this was a much bigger operation than normal.
The raids included eight residential properties, a corner shop, two Islamic
bookshops and an internet café. A ninth suspect was later picked up on a
motorway in Birmingham shortly before 3pm. There was a sense of shock in the
Pakistani and Kashmiri community as word spread that one of those arrested
was Amjad Mahmood, 29, a well-known figure behind the counter of his grocery
on the corner of Jackson Road in the Alum Rock district. A second man was
understood to be the 38-year-old owner of a pizza takeaway whose family
arrived from Kashmir two decades ago. Police raided Mr Mahmood’s terraced
home only yards from Khan’s general store, which advertises English and
continental groceries, but serves the local Asian populace.
Mr Mahmood’s brother, Ziah Khan, protested his brother’s innocence, describing
him as a hard-working small businessman whose life revolved around the shop.
He has two young sons, aged 3 and 7. Mr Khan said: “He is a very decent man.
His whole life is taken up with working in his shop. He gets up at 6am every
day and goes to the market and is often working in his shop until 8pm. He
does not have much time for anything else. He never leaves the city.”
Mr Khan described the moment when officers arrived. “I live on the same street
as him, so I heard what happened. There was a big bang at about 4.30am and
then the sound of glass smashing. I went outside and there were police
everywhere. They went in the front door to get Amjad.
“About eight of them went around the back of the house. All I could hear was
screaming. The little boys were shouting, ‘Please don’t take our father’,
over and over. They must have been petrified.”
Shamir Hussain, who runs the Ludlow Mosque, where the family worships, also
spoke of Mr Mahmood as a “peaceful, happy man” who runs his shop.
He said: “I know his father well. He attends the mosque, but his son is not
really religious. The family originate from Pakistan and have been in
Britain for some 20 years. When you go into the shop, they are always
smiling and always very friendly people.”
Officers later stood guard outside a grimy terraced house in Asquith Road.
Neighbours described how officers drew up in three vans shortly after 5am.
“They knocked through the door and took away an Asian man in his 20s,” a
neighbour said. Police moved swiftly to quell growing resentment of what
Asian residents regarded as heavy-handed policing. They have distributed
5,000 leaflets to explain their actions.
Senior officers contacted Muslim religious and political leaders as soon as
they could. Sensitive to criticism of previous arrests under the Terrorism
Act, when large numbers have been rounded up only to be released without
charge, the police needed to assure locals this was a credible plot.
Mr Hussain, who runs the Ludlow Road Mosque, said: “People are asking, ‘How
can something like this happen? What has gone wrong?’ No one any more can
trust their own children. People are very worried. They ask, ‘Where is my
son going and what are they doing?’, which is all very damaging for our society.
For the first time, I feel worried.
“Nothing like this has happened before on my doorstep. It is tearing families
apart. It creates distrust when you have to challenge your own son and say
to him, ‘Where are you? What are you doing tonight and what are you watching
on the internet?’”
Last night the main targets for the alleged kidnappers were in protective
custody with their immediate families. Police have not said how long they
will have to remain so.
First outing
- Operation Gamble was the first large action by an elite group of
counter-terrorist detectives, which is based in the West Midlands
- Formed with detectives from six local forces, the unit works alongside MI5
and a terrorist intelligence cell
- Other similar police units exist in the North West, based in Manchester, and
the North East, centred on West Yorkshire. A fourth will open in the South
East
- The units have been set up in areas that have produced extremist Muslim
groups
- Nine regional intelligence cells manned by police and MI5 have also been
created Units are funded by the £2 billion allocated by the Government to
fight terrorism
- They are an extension of the investigations after the 7/7 bombings, seen by
police chiefs as an example of how forces can cooperate
- The units are expected to have about 3,000 staff when fully operational
- National co-ordinator ensures that operations do not antagonise communities
Stewart Tendler
