Author: Agencies
Publication: Expressindia.com
Date: January 7, 2009
URL: http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Mumbai-terrorists-had-links-to-UK-says-MI5-chief/407856/
Warning that the Mumbai attacks, in which
the terrorists targeted public places, could become a 'model' for future terror
strikes, Britain's intelligence service MI5 chief has said his agency has
uncovered links between the gunmen who struck in the Indian metropolis and
the UK.
Jonathan Evans, in a rare interaction with
the media, said the terrorists, who attacked Mumbai in November, had indirect
links with Britain.
"We have looked at individuals' communications,
where they have been and so on and found they have got connections with most
countries including the UK, but not of national security significance,"
he said.
But the MI5 director general warned that Mumbai
could become a model for future terrorist attacks in the same 'iconic' way
as September 11 strikes in the US.
"If the method used in Mumbai of using
firearms in public places becomes adopted as a model, it changes our most
likely scenarios," he added.
Evans said that scores of British Muslims
were still travelling to terror training camps in Afghanistan and Pakistan
every year. Others are travelling to lawless areas of Somalia.
The main threats to Britain come from al-Qaeda's
core in Pakistan and their 'assets in this country', he said.
"We continue to believe that the ability
lies in Pakistan to attack the UK," Evans said, adding that 75 per cent
of their investigations have connections with Pakistan.
