Friday, January 19, 2007

The Incredible Invisible West Yorkshire Terror Plotters Go To Court

Three men and a teenager, who were arrested in June in England and charged with terror-related offenses, appeared in court last Friday (one of them in person, the other three via a video link).

The accused are Sultan Muhammed, Aabid Hussein Khan, Ahmed Sulieman, and a 17-year-old who cannot be named.

Sultan Muhammed, Aabid Hussein Khan, and the teenager were were originally charged with conspiracy to murder and conspiracy to cause public nuisance by use of poisons or explosives.

But these charges have since been dropped, and the four now stand accused of "possession of articles in cirumstances that give rise to the suspicion it is for a purpose connected with the commission, preparation or instigation of an act of terrorism."

Sulieman is also charged with possessing a USB data storage device.

Generous readers may forgive me if I find the charges amazing, especially since I happen to own a USB storage device. (Please don't tell Scotland Yard.)

But here is the most amazing thing of all: Look at the coverage the hearing has received:

Dewsbury Today, January 16:
Teenager facing terror charge

icSouthLondon, January 17:
Teen is one of four in court on terror charges

Bexley Times, January 17:
Woolwich man in court over alleged terror plot

Dewsbury Today, January 19:
'Terror plot' accused appears at Old Bailey

That's it! Four stories in four days, from three local newspapers.

Why is there no coverage in any of the British national papers? Why is there nothing on this case from any international news service?

Do they know something we don't? Is the case is too weak to report on?

But how could that be? These guys are Muslims, after all. And the BBC has reported that one of them is believed to have visited Pakistan.

How much more evidence do you need?