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| Britain | |
| Al-Qaeda plotted to kill Blair in 2002 | |
| 2005-09-11 | |
| TERRORISTS linked to the Al-Qaeda organisation were suspected of plotting to assassinate British Prime Minister Tony Blair at a parade in 2002, the country's former senior police officer has admitted in a newspaper interview. John Stevens, who headed London's Metropolitan Police until earlier this year, told Blair about the feared threat against him and his wife, Cherie, according to his memoirs, serialised in the News of the World newspaper. Mr Stevens said that he was informed about credible intelligence of a plot to shoot the Blairs using snipers at a June 2002 parade in London to mark the 50th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession to the throne. As soon as he heard of the threat, "I went to see the PM at Downing Street and warned him we had come across something potentially dangerous", Mr Stevens wrote. "To his credit, he immediately said he put duty before his personal safety and that he intended to take part in the ceremonies as planned. Cherie was equally resolute." Both Blairs refused offers of bullet-proof vests, the Sunday newspaper reported. The couple were surrounded by "covertly-armed" officers during the celebrations, but Mr Stevens said he was worried as the dignitaries gathered near Buckingham Palace, the Queen's London residence. "I felt acutely nervous as the procession approached," he said. "I was constantly scanning faces in the crowd for signs of trouble and thinking: 'I hope to God nothing comes from somewhere.' "The fact that nothing untoward did happen was again a tribute to our intelligence gathering and the precautions we took." Mr Stevens, who served in the post for five years, has previously said eight terrorist attacks were thwarted during his tenure, but given no details. Both Downing Street and the Metropolitan Police refused to comment overnight, saying they did not discuss security matters.
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| Posted by:Dan Darling |
| #1 This really shouldn't come as a surprise. We face a mortal enemy who is hell bent to strike a serious blow to us. It's kill them before they kill us, let's get on with it. |
| Posted by: Captain America 2005-09-11 02:40 |