Glasgow Airport. Is that the best they can do?

[Kentak]

Was anyone else struck by this thought? That these terrorists were inept and almost amateurish? Bunch of maroons who can't even put together a decent car bomb.

K

 

[jpk1md]

Its being reported that the driver was wearing a vest packed with explosives so it wasn't a real "Car Bomb" in the sense that is being seen in Iraq etc....thank god for small miracles.

 

[Double Naught Spy]

Maybe we should consider ourselves lucky that not all terrorists have the background to build better destructive devices.

Let's see, for being "maroons," they still managed to breech get far enough in with the weapon to damage the airport and shut it down, costing millions of pounds in the process.

Between the unexploded car bombs in London and now this, they have managed to put a whole country on its highest alert status and utilizing considerable resources in the process, all with no loss of terrorist life (so far). Maroons apparently can be very expensive influences.

 

[cassandrasdaddy]

the ira guy said "you got lucky today. you we only have to get lucky once."
words to remember

 

[SDC]

So far, it's only a matter of luck that these wingnuts all went to terrorist school on the short bus; if they actually put some RESEARCH into it, they'd be able to pull off a big one. The sad part is, the government is only going to use this sort of thing to take EVERYONE'S freedoms away.

 

[TexasRifleman]

That's not the point of Terrorism.

Property damage is NOT what this is about.

The idea is fear.

They want you to be afraid of every SUV, every blade of grass.

If they use sophisticated means, then you will only be afraid of sophisticated attacks.

They want you afraid to come out of your home, so they employ, for the most part everyday items.
They don't have to successfully blow up the airport for this to work for them.

Just by a flaming SUV stopped at barricades they have cost the UK and USA billions of dollars and untold wasted time.

 

[DWARREN123]

Let us hope it's the best they can do!

 

[no_problem]

they outed the response

This event in Glasgow Airport, although foiled, outed the response profile of western authorities.

They (The Brits), IMHO, should really come down hard and respond with multiple and accurate arrests, indictments, and convictions in a rapid manner, otherwise the terrs get the impression response is lackluster and get even more emboldened.

 

[p35]

The Brits, as someone else said, have been dealing with homegrown terrorism for decades- it's no secret how they respond.

In a way, I hope this was Al Quaeda- when you look at the ineptitude of these latest moves against the planning and training that went into 9/11, they're really going downhill. I suspect, though, that it will turn out to be some homegrown yahoos with minimal overseas connections.

Would a combination of gasoline, propane cylinders, and nails even work as a bomb? Seems to me it would probably start a big fire rather than a true explosion. These guys appear to have minimal skills at best.

 

[Creature]

I am sure their "bosses" are looking at it as a success on some level. Undoubtedly they accomplished a minimum of objectives (create panic and major property damage)...although they probably did not accomplish their ultimate objectives (kill many civilians and themselves).

They exposed a security problem where there should be none at the very least. Their perceived moronic ineptitude may end up cutting both ways latter. Agreed?

 

[p35]

Looks to me like the security measures worked. Witnesses said they were spinning the wheels trying to get into the airport building but were stopped by the bollards in front of the doors. Nobody but a terrorist injured, culprits in police custody, minimal damage to the target building- what more could you want?


Added:

For the "British are a nation of wimps" crowd, let's note that these guys apparently tried to run off and were tackled by bystanders before the police got there. Sounds like their fair share of cojones.

 

[Creature]

The bollards only "worked" in this case because the truck wasnt filled with explosives. That vehicle should not have gotten within 50 ft of that building.

 

[Limeyfellow]

Would a combination of gasoline, propane cylinders, and nails even work as a bomb? Seems to me it would probably start a big fire rather than a true explosion. These guys appear to have minimal skills at best.

Pretty much. Might create a nice ball of flame that would quickly dissipate. These are clearly homegrown terrorists that haven't got much of a clue of what they are doing. Thats a blessing right there but its being hyped up way too much. Many people in Britain are more afraid of what Brown will do in response to the people than the actual attempted terrorist strikes.

 

[Caimlas]

That's not the point of Terrorism.

Property damage is NOT what this is about.

The idea is fear.

They want you to be afraid of every SUV, every blade of grass.

Bah! No, no, no!

They didn't say, "hey, let's be terrorists and scare people". They are using bombs and other such weapons which kill. Yes, the result is that people are scared, but that is not the primary intent of the attacks. The intent is to kill, maim, and otherwise destroy what has come to be known as "The West" - and they're not too particular about how that result is accomplished; whether it's through the slow erosion of rights, the destruction of the economy, or the infusion of their own people to the point of being able to take over. They're using any and every means that they've got access to to complete the 6th pillar of their faith.

 

[Caimlas]

Pretty much. Might create a nice ball of flame that would quickly dissipate. These are clearly homegrown terrorists that haven't got much of a clue of what they are doing. Thats a blessing right there but its being hyped up way too much.

Unless the people who orchestrated these attacks are caught - soon, to the last man - then it's not a blessing. They have learned that the 'car bomb' technique outlined in their documents doesn't work, despite what they'd been lead to believe. They are not likely to simply give up and say "oh well, it didn't work" - they're going to try again using a different approach or technique.

In a way, I hope this was Al Quaeda- when you look at the ineptitude of these latest moves against the planning and training that went into 9/11, they're really going downhill.

Al Quada isn't a formal organization with a top-down model. It's a networked organization, which pretty much means that each group works independently but with interconnected communications, possibly training, and the central tenant of jihad. For whatever reason, the media and the government has lumped all Jihadists into the "Al Quada" group - possibly to distract people from the root of their motivations - but when it comes down to it, even if they were in the same extended network as the 9/11 bombers, it does not mean even a similarity in technique, skill, experience, or financing.

 

[FDC]

The best? Not even close.

Not really wanting to be the "New Member" taking an older member to task, but they can, and have done, much better with SVBIEDs.

These guys probably just took the short bus to the madrassa. Amateurs are everywhere, but they accomplished their mission even if they didn't cause casualties.

 

[ServiceSoon]

and what are these terrorist original explanations for attacking these countries?

 

[elrod]

Me thinks these terrorist hijinks, however amaturish, were meant to see how the new PM will react. This is too big of a coincidence to ignore. If Brown strikes back quickly and severely, IMHO, the threat will dissappear. But if the best he can do is more internal restrictions, then GB is in a world of hurt! After identifing who they are, there should be hell to pay.

 

[Kentak]

SVBIEDs?

I'm thick skinned and welcome being taken to task, taken to the woodshed, or whatever. We're all here to share, learn, and sometimes rethink beliefs and concepts. (Well, some of us are, anyway, )

I'm not suggesting that *major* events on a extremely serious level aren't possible. Actually, I'm surprised there hasn't been another one already. Unfortunately, I do believe it is only a matter of time. As it's been pointed out, the good guys have to get it right all the time; the bad guys only once.

Obviously, the Brits will continue this investigation, and it remains to be seen how deep this latest incident went. Certainly, I only know what I read and hear about the nature of the radical Islamist threat. Not totally monolithic, for sure, and this bunch seems to have been using rather limited resources, as an independent, self-appointed group might. But, we'll learn more soon, I hope.

K

 

[tinygnat219]

Kentak,

I wouldn't get smug with these terrorist attacks, remember they had two OTHER events planned that MI5 had NO IDEA was going to take place. The UK got lucky that the bombs didn't explode and cause all kinds of carnage. I remember a saying once that said: "It's better to be lucky than good". The UK was lucky.

 

[teknoid]

I look at it this way. How bright can someone be who thinks it's a good idea to strap a bomb on their a$$ and press the button?

I think they should tie a pound of bacon to 'em and feed them to the hogs. It'll either pi$$ them off, or be a great deterrent. I don't really care which.

 

[junyo]

They didn't say, "hey, let's be terrorists and scare people". They are using bombs and other such weapons which kill. Yes, the result is that people are scared, but that is not the primary intent of the attacks. The intent is to kill, maim, and otherwise destroy what has come to be known as "The West" - and they're not too particular about how that result is accomplished; whether it's through the slow erosion of rights, the destruction of the economy, or the infusion of their own people to the point of being able to take over. They're using any and every means that they've got access to to complete the 6th pillar of their faith.

But since they don't have the means to do that by sheer force of arms, they use terror as a force multiplier. Attacking an airport full of vacationing families accomplishes almost nothing militarily; but it does create a disproportionate level of fear among the general population. And that fear degrades morale, it makes negotiation harder and accomadation or capitulation more likely. It is absolutely about creating terror.

 

[no_problem]

<<they accomplished their mission even if they didn't cause casualties.>>

These guys have done some damage, even without killing.
Rememeber the London Tubes bombing? and now an airport.

1. They have gotten the world's attention, "Six years after 911, we are more high profile and can still strike you at home. Despite your high tech weapons and efforts in Iraq and afghanistan, we are still going and growing"

2. They have completed coordination, recruitment, and planning of repeated large scale attacks

3. They have executed a plan.

I hope the Brits come down, and come down hard on home front. It will have to get worse before it get's better

Another element we have not heard from is the homefront Muslim community. The Muslim leaders and community must be engaged in this as well. The Muslim community's indifference in the past few years and their lack of involvement can no longer be tolerated.

 

[coltrane679]

Anybody who thinks of gasoline as an "explosive" is such a moron that it is hard to take them seriously.

AQ is very dangerous--these DIYers are a joke, far less dangerous to the average American than lightning. Now I pay attention to lightning, but I don't crap my pants over it.

 

[robmkivseries70]

P35, I couldn't resist!
Quote,"For the "British are a nation of wimps" crowd, let's note that these guys apparently tried to run off and were tackled by bystanders before the police got there. Sounds like their fair share of cojones." Unquote:

Thats because it happened in Scotland.

Best,
Rob