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Bank Accounts of 5,000 UK Terror Suspects Tracked
Juha-Matti Laurio writes to mention an article over at the Guardian, reporting on the surveillance of over 5,000 bank accounts in the interests of terrorist tracking. Accounts at such reputable British banks as HSBC, Barclay, and Lloyds TSB are having their activity tracked for 'suspicious activity'. Financial details from these banks, it turns out, was part of the trail of evidence used to apprehend terrorism suspects in a plot to bomb airplanes last month. From the article: "However, the extent of the banks' involvement in neutering the terrorist threat has sparked a fierce backlash from some British Muslims amid claims of mistaken identities and the persecution of innocent account-holders. Ahmed Salama was stunned when his HSBC account was frozen nine days ago. He received a letter informing him that HSBC wished to end their relationship after 11 years. The decision left Salama unable to pay 12 bills and his mortgage. Despite repeatedly asking for an explanation, HSBC has only told him it detected 'suspicious' payments in his account."
He made a cross border payment to a "charity" in Afghanistan. There was a program on the T.V. in the U.K. less than a month ago that showed what some of these "charities" in occupied Palestine did with the money they where getting from the U.K. Lets just say it was *VERY* disturbing. Quite why you would make a cross border payment of 20GBP is another matter. It would have cost him more than that to make the payment, and there are plenty of reputable U.K. or international based charities working in Afghanistan that would have taken his money.
Did he do something suspicious, sure as hell he did. Is he innocent, quite possibly. However that does not change the fact that banks can and do routinely suspend accounts that have suspicious activity on them, and it does not just extend to terrorism. It happens all the time due to specious fraudulant activity, sometimes comited by random third party crimials.
Has tho good old cash withdrawal and paying for things with cash dryed out?
Yes. In the UK, 99% of employers will only pay wages into a bank account. It's also quite common to pay bills, mortgage etc. through direct debit - because our banks are quite tightly regulated, this isn't a huge concern to most. A direct debit taken in error can be revoked on a moment's notice - and it's not unknown for some organisations (including mortgage lenders) to stipluate that they're paid by direct debit.
So if you happen to be a normal person with a job, a car, a house and a mortgage - having your bank account frozen is a MAJOR pain in the backside.
Besides which, if you're account is frozen, how are you supposed to withdraw cash?
By the looks of it, probably refering to this: NOP Research for Channel4 TV in the UK: HERE Thats quite scary really...
References? Evidence? Figures picked out of your arse?
Somebody needs to learn how to use google. Even my 7 year old nephew can do that.
The poll results are from NOP Research, broadcast by Channel 4-TV on August 7.
yup... google for "fractional reserve banking", and then it'll be quickly apparent that diversifying your investments is vital.
The Muslim world produces more history than it can consume locally, so it has to export.
OK, I'm being facetious.
If you're really interested in understanding how all this came to pass, I'd suggest reading some books by Bernard Lewis. He's been studying the Muslim world for 70+ years, and has a lot of insights. Start with "What went Wrong?".
Then, there's "Gos has 99 Names", by Judith Miller and "Inside the Arab World" by Michael Field.
668: Neighbour of the Beast
From what I've heard, I believe there was a plot. I can't speak for their liklihood of success, but I'm glad they were caught. However, the fact is that the plot was uncovered by fellow Muslims who turned in the plotters, because they were concerned about some talk at the mosque. It is they who deserve the credit. When I head of this arrest, I just knew the government would try to credit their most legally questionable tactics for the bust, and here it is.
The Register article is insanely and factually wrong. It was never announced that the bombers would smuggle the constituent parts of the EXPLOSIVE onboard to assemble, just the BOMB. The explosive would have been smuggled onboard readymade and the bomb would have been assembled in the toilet. Its not that unlikely, and infact its been done before - Philippine Airlines Flight 434.
Also, a search of some woods local to the property of some of those arrested unearthed bomb making equipment hidden in buried suitcases.
This plot wasnt as farfetched as some would have you believe. Its one thing to cry wolf about terrorism, its another to cry wolf about antiterrorism all the time.