Brittany Dolan

Recent reports show that on Thursday, June 16th, a document which is believed to be a “threat-list,” was found on the body of former al Qaeda in East Africa (AQEA) leader, Fazul Abdullah Mohammed.  Mohammed was killed on Wednesday, June 8th, when he and Kenyan extremist Musa Hussein failed to stop at a security checkpoint in Mogadishu, Somalia, causing the Somalian military (SNA) to open fire.  It was later determined that the “threat-list” found on Mohammed’s body included prominent London hotels such as the Ritz (pictured on the right) and the Dorchester, as well as Eton College of Windsor UK, as potential targets for future “Mumbai-style” attacks.  According to officials, the plot called for operatives to rent strategically selected rooms on the first floor of the hotel and set fire to the rooms in order to trap guests staying on the above floors.

On Wednesday, June 15th, UK Intelligence officials and counterterrorism specialists briefed the ministers in London as well as the institutions targeted to discuss the threat.  United States intelligence agencies have also issued a warning to the hotel sector.  At this time, there is no evidence that the plot has advanced beyond the aspirational stages.

During the Mumbai attacks in November 2008, 10 gunmen carried out a raid on hotels and cafes.  The attack was a three day siege in which 174 people were killed and more than 300 others were wounded.

The Mumbai attacks appear to serve as inspiration for terrorist attacks.  This latest threat goes along with the recent trend that we have been seeing in past plots, which call for similar commando-style attacks using small arms and explosives.  While Saif al-Adel was serving as the interim “caretaker” of al Qaeda in recent weeks, he called on his followers to attack London.  There were few details released about the threat, but officials in the UK were concerned about a potential commando-style attack similar to the 2008 Mumbai massacre.  Last year, what has become known as the European Terror Plot called for simultaneous, “Mumbai-style” attacks throughout major European cities in Germany, France and Britain.  Additionally, terrorist operatives continue to place a high value on soft targets in heavily populated areas. 

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