(British) Agent infiltrated terror cell, U.S. says (CNN)

[Roland99]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/08/10/us.security/index.html

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Terrorists were in the "final stages" of a plot to simultaneously blow up as many as 10 jets leaving Britain for the U.S., sending the planes and thousands of passengers into the Atlantic Ocean, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Thursday.

British and Pakistani authorities teamed up to thwart the attacks, and 24 men were arrested in overnight raids in Britain, authorities said.

An undercover British agent infiltrated the group, giving the authorities intelligence on the alleged plan, several U.S. government officials said. (Watch as neighbors describe the dramatic arrests -- 2:18)

...

Information gathered after recent arrests in Pakistan convinced British investigators they had to act urgently to stop the plot, sources said.

Anyone taking bets on whether this turns out to be like the entrapment of the Miami 7?

[HysteryDiagnosis]

1. Oh great... CNN just leaked our anti-terror tactics.... I hope they

are ready to do time.

[soothsayer]

2. yes, and the entrapment in canada, too, where the fbi or cia or

mounties for all I know, CREATE a terror ring by offering to sell them all kinds of stuff and putting dumb ideas in their heads, then busting them. Hoo, boy, I feel much better knowing that WE create all the terra-ists.

[wakeme2008]

3. I would not bet on this,,, the UK people are a little more professional

than the FBI... :shrug:

[Kelvin Mace]

5. Yeah, but the fact that the Pakistanis were involved

makes me VERY leery.

[Roland99]

6. Pakistan is about to cut a deal for US F-16s (and nuclear technology?)

I know they're working to buy F-16s and I thought I remembered a story recently of the US providing nuclear technology to Pakistan (where A.Q. Kahn worked out of and a country filled with millions of wouldbe Islamic terrorists that's held together by a thread).

Assistance on this "foil" would be a nice quid pro quo

[Warren Stupidity]

7. Like they were with de Menezes?

That sort of professional? They are just as incompetent as we are.

[daleo]

8. They shot and killed that Brazilian electrician

They also shot another innocent guy, who lived, a few months back in a botched terrorism raid.

[w4rma]

4. I doubt this one was entrapment. Although I don't fault you for being

skeptical considering how much Bush wants to paint himself as tough on terror and a "war president*". And also considering how much Karl Rove wants a hail mary play to save his butt from prison.