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| Britain | |||||
| RAF surveillance planes hear Taliban fighters talking in British accents | |||||
| 2008-02-11 | |||||
The Taliban are thought to be recruiting an increasing number of fighters from Britain after RAF experts overheard secret transmissions from the Afghan frontline spoken in broad Midlands and Yorkshire accents.
It has been reported that RAF radio operators were able to hear the young fighters speaking in clear Bradford and West Bromwich accents. The linguistics experts were listening to the conversations from specially adapted Nimrod planes flying above the province.
It was quite startling to hear English being spoken with clear Bradford and West Brom accents. "They reverted to English when they couldn't remember the Afghan Persian or Pashto - the two local languages - for certain words." The newspaper said that the transmissions were picked up by three converted Nimrods that are usually based at RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire, with 51 Squadron. The planes fly at more than 40,000ft and with language specialists on board who operate surveillance equipment known as "The Package".
"Eavesdropping seldom has a good image. "But let's hope the perseverance and dedication of our listeners-in-the-sky continues to save the lives of our men and women." The Ministry of Defence said in a statement: "The Nimrod R1 operated by 51 Squadron has a highly sophisticated and sensitive suite of systems used for reconnaissance and gathering electronic intelligence. However, due to operational security, we are unable to discuss its operations." Inayat Bunglawala, assistant secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain, expressed his shock at the report. He said he was aware that some British Muslims travelled to Afghanistan to fight when hostilities began in 2001. He had heard of no cases since then, but accepted it was "not beyond the bounds of possibility", given that the conflict had lasted so long. Mr Bunglawala said: "I do know that when the initial bombing was occurring in late 2001, there was a lot of sympathy for the Afghan people, who had endured so much. "I am surprised if people are going now. I wasn't surprised then, but I am surprised now. That's the effect of the conflict having dragged on. We were told it would all be over in a few weeks, but the end is still not in sight." He urged British Muslims opposed to the war in Afghanistan to protest peacefully using the democratic means available in the UK. "I don't think it can be denied that our actions overseas have contributed to some British Muslims being radicalised," he said.
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| Posted by:lotp |
| #15 I do yield me, gentlemen all! And so I learn a new thing at almost 11 p.m. on the Monday before the big snowstorm (9" predicted by the morning!) in Cincinnati. I can go to bed content. :-) |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2008-02-11 22:43 |
| #14 Gentlemen don't eavesdrop, Grailing and Tenille1838. Nor do they read other's mail, nor take unfair advantage of the viciously stupid by beating them in an unfair fight... TW, that's a Henry Stimson Quote, wrong then, wrong now, history proved that. When evil speaks, better listen. |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2008-02-11 21:24 |
| #13 For instance the British were eager beavers reading the transatlantic cable traffic Wilson's time. |
| Posted by: ed 2008-02-11 18:50 |
| #12 TW, the line “Gentleman do not read each other's mail,” was said by Herbert Hoover's Secretary of State Henry Stimson in 1929. It's an American attitude. The British may claim they agree, but they've never acted like it. |
| Posted by: Eric Jablow 2008-02-11 18:35 |
| #11 Monkey Dust. "The Scorpion of Allah Oop Norf". http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T9WdXqLpqDI My sort of humour but perhaps not yours. |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2008-02-11 17:15 |
| #10 Labour? |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2008-02-11 17:08 |
| #9 British accents? French youts have their own distinctive accent (or more exactly accents) not accents from Paris or Marseille. |
| Posted by: JFM 2008-02-11 16:23 |
| #8 "The linguistics experts were listening to the conversations from specially adapted Nimrod planes flying above the province. One reason they're so concerned about losing the Nimrod. " While that may be true, the reality is that there are a multitude of airframes that can provide a satisfactory platform for 'The package" to be installed into; and i would also hazard a gueaa that there are many of these very same airframes sitting out in the desert Southwest, mothballed by the major airlines that would love to unload them. The UK is finacially and politically unable to gain support to acquire a few of these for even short term relief. instead they will continue to apply bandaids and holy water to the Nimrods in the hope that there are no in flight breakups. (last week there was a comment about the bizarre appearance of the Nimrod; i would sugesnt you look up the Gannett; another Britich creation that folds its wings in a 'z' configuration and has twin turboshafts driving through a combining gearbox to a set of couter-rotating propellors, mounted on the nose. I think it is also a tail-dragger! Looks vaguely like an old Navy AD-1 Spad as done by Peter Max....) |
| Posted by: USN,Ret. 2008-02-11 14:37 |
| #7 Take no prisoners, boys. If you do, you'll see how fast they go from Brave Jihadi Warriors Seeking Martyrdom to Persecuted British Citizens Seeking Protection Under British Law. Don't put them through that embarrasment... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2008-02-11 13:27 |
| #6 What an opportunity! The Brits should be organizing entire boatloads of bad Muslims on "secret" trips to Afghanistan! Hell, empty out their prisons! Pay for their tickets! Even losing a few hundred thousand could revitalize Britain more than becoming a US State. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2008-02-11 12:51 |
| #5 lotp__ I'm belaboring the obvious here, but the problem is that, as good muslims, they don't identify with a country, but rather a religion, so they don't see themselves as traitors, but rather as righteous. Since that's alien to western thought, at least in this century, it just points out the incompatibility of islam with western civilization. |
| Posted by: Titus Gleck3862 2008-02-11 12:50 |
| #4 Hear a Yorkshireman, or worse, Hear a Cornishman converse, I'd rather hear a choir singing flat. /My Fair Lady |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2008-02-11 12:40 |
| #3 What is wrong with these people. Gentlemen don't eavesdrop, Grailing and Tenille1838. Nor do they read other's mail, nor take unfair advantage of the viciously stupid by beating them in an unfair fight... One reason they're so concerned about losing the Nimrod. Not to mention the loss of native translators to turn Yorkshire into understandable English. ;-) |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2008-02-11 12:30 |
| #2 indicates that a growing number of British-born Muslim are turning their backs on the West and moving to Afghanistan to be trained as fighters. This has at least two huge upsides: UK jihadis are out of the UK; and, they will likely end up taking dirt naps a long way from the UK never to be heard from again instead of on welfare plotting terror in the UK. A win-win! |
| Posted by: anymouse 2008-02-11 11:39 |
| #1 "Eavesdropping seldom has a good image. "But let's hope the perseverance and dedication of our listeners-in-the-sky continues to save the lives of our men and women." WTH? So as long as they are listening in the sky, then it is ok, but it is bad to listen to them on land? What is wrong with these people. |
| Posted by: Grailing and Tenille1838 2008-02-11 11:32 |