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Dialogue: Why terrorists target Britain again? |
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17:02, July 06, 2007 |
Britain has not spent a day in peace since Washington launched "terror combat" in Iraq. On July 7, 2005, explosions within London's public transportation system killed 52 people and injured more than 70. Two years later, the main terminal of Glasgow Airport became a terrorist target. Although the burning car that drove into the building did not explode, and the street car bombs found a day earlier did not cause any causalities; these events have plagued Britain with a "long-term and sustained" terrorist threat.
Editor: "Have there been any developments in the investigation of suspects after the terrorist attacks occurred?"
Wang Rujun (People's Daily correspondent in Britain): The British police have revealed that the two car bombs found in London's West End on Friday morning and the attack at Glasgow were linked to Al-Qaeda activity. The police had arrested eight suspects by July 2nd, including three medical doctors. The investigations have gone beyond Britain, as one of the suspects was detained at an Australian airport.
Editor: On Saturday evening, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown raised the country's terror alert level to "critical." What new precautions have the British government and police taken to prevent further terrorist incidents?
Wang Rujun: The local police have intensified the investigation and have searched at least 19 places. The Brown administration has received support for the actions taken. Now Brown is discussing the extension of anti-terror justice, such as prolonging the current 28-day custody limit to 90 days. Security is tightening everywhere, especially at airports, railway stations and subway interchanges in London and Glasgow. Armed policemen are intensifying patrol in target areas, and have warrants to stop and search cars and people. Cement barriers are being built in front of traffic hubs and buildings in London. The ongoing Wimbledon tennis championships are currently under protection; barriers have been placed before gates leading to the venue, and the audience is encouraged to travel by bus and each audience member is required to undergo a search before entering the venue.
Li Wei (Director of the Center for Counter-Terrorism Studies, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations): In the aftermath of the July 2005 London bombings, the British government, in addition to tightening security, revised the Terrorism Act and cracked down on foreign missionaries who spread radical opinions and closed down the gathering places of religious extremists. With numerous additional monitors in public places and the police's close watch on people they suspect, the nation's anti-terror campaign finally yielded a result: on August 10, 2006, Britain decoded an appalling terrorist scheme. Terrorists planned to blow up more than ten aircraft flying from Britain to the United States with liquid bombs. If it had succeeded, the number of casualties and impact might have surpassed those of September 11th. Now that investigations have intensified, the British government may use tougher measures.
Resources say the MI5 and local police are working round the clock to search through current data to determine whether the people they have been tracking are linked to the London and Glasgow incidents. Another source has stated that there is a group of people who have a motive and the capability to act in Britain; and according to our judgments, they may attack again.
Editor: As you know, Europe is not the primary target of international terrorist forces with Al-Qaeda as their core. So why is it, in the most recent two years, that European nations, including Great Britain, have become targets of attack more frequently?
Li Wei: In the wake of September 11th, the United States spared no effort in terrorist combat: laws were made to enhance intelligence and security departments; the Department of Homeland Security was founded; and technological input was increased. Additionally, to keep terrorists at bay, Washington developed new international "game rules" such as a proliferation security initiative, a containment policy, and an anti-terror trading partner agreement. In contrast, Europe has not been able to keep up with Washington in terms of anti-terror efforts; while terrorists are good at spotting weak links. Thus, Britain has sustained must damage.
As a nation of immigrants, the United States also enjoys better relationships between immigrants and locals than European nations with a single ethnic group. On the one hand, Britain has immigrants arriving from areas within its former empire- south Asia in particular. South Asia has become the shelter of Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahiri, the top two Al-Qaeda leaders. Even before September 11th, Britain had been regarded as a haven for terrorist groups. Many of them fled there when they could not survive in other countries. Britain, in the name of human rights and freedom refused to deport them, saying they had not violated any British laws. The government allowed the groups to hold publicity and fund-raising events. Although the government changed its policy after "September 11th"; it would have been impossible to go back to the situation as it was originally. As a result, there was a deep penetration of terrorist ideology in the country.
Editor: Britain has just experienced a change in its administration. There have been indications of the Brown administration's intention to change Blair's foreign policy. Under such circumstances, the latest terrorist attacks have been called a "gift to the new British government". What's your comment on that?
Li Wei: Although Blair has stepped down; Britain is still the firmest ally of Washington. No matter how Brown changes the nation's foreign policy, especially that of Iraq, Britain will never yield to terrorism. Therefore, as number two in the western world, following the U.S., Britain will remain an important target of international terrorist forces. Nevertheless, these forces will continue to primarily target the U.S.
Editor: Shortly after the attacks in Britain, explosions were heard in Yemen. Eight people, including six Spanish tourists, were killed in car explosions. Why does terrorism rebound with increasing strength against ever intensifying crackdowns?
Li Wei: The U.S. went to war with Iraq without UN authorization, and the negative impact of "combating terrorism by force" is increasingly evident, creating a hot bed for the rapid growth of international terrorism. A noticeable outcome of the Iraqi war is that western countries are not only becoming targets for "terrorists" and "extremists" from all parts of the world, but are also themselves producing generating more "new-generation terrorists."
Terrorist combat in the West still remains at a technical level. When they seal borders and customs, local terrorists surge up. When they improve probing techniques, flammable and explosive objects used in daily life became weapons. The situation will not improve if countries only consider their own interests. If the root of terrorism is not addressed, it will only be a question of time before the U.S. suffers a next attack.
By People's Daily Online</I>
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