MI5 knew terrorists

[Gromit]

As is now usual, it turns out the recent terrorists were known to the security services and at least one was on MI5s watch list, meaning their travel movements were being monitored.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml =/news/2007/07/04/nterror104.xml

Is this a failure of intelligence or a triumph?

[China Doll]

Well I'd say a triumph as from the link you've put up and what I heard it doesn't seem that they were known to be active terrorists (does that make sense?). Rather that they had communications from dubious people. So to me the fact that they had been flagged anyway seems very positive.

As an aside, I thought I read/heard recently that the USA had prior knowledge of the actual attack and didn't warn our security service. I'm slightly more concerned about that.

[IggyB]

well the speed of the investigation has been very quick (if the number of arrests is any judge) so i would suggest that the intelligence agencies will be quite pleased with their information - they can only monitor the people they suspect not read their minds, so when it comes to small scale primitive homemade devices like these its going to be very difficult to stop the actual attack

[Booldawg]

Unfortunately we can't either top them off on the sly or incarcerate them for long terms in prison just because they're 'under suspicion' like they do in Guatanomo Bay or any muslim country you can care to think of.

[vehelpfulguy]

Even if we identify a potential terrorist, we have no powers to hold them because it would infringe their human rights (this was decided in the courts by a judge).

So we put them on a control order where they stay free and we trust them to report to the police every so often.

But 7 of these people on control order have disappeared and the police and security people have no idea where they are. see here:

http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=976252007

Strange that when the second world war started EVERY German in this country was put in a prison camp or fenced in area, even if we had no evidence against them.

Nowadays we identify a potential terrorist and cant even lock them up but have to allow them to walk free.

How about we lock EVERY muslim up in a prison camp. Those that dont like it can leave the country.

Wouldn't that be wonderful, we could have our country back.

[DottyH]

In some countries they still do things like that i am sure, in this country it saved many lives back in the war years, both first and second world war, i have posted recently about the camps, there were many of them all around the UK, there were many prisoner of war camps in the UK too, I wonder how many of the POWs and detainees actually died?

[vehelpfulguy]

Allowing so many Muslims into this country has been a DISASTER.

All through history people of different religions dont mix, it is like oil and water.

We are basically a Christain country (I know not many actually go to Church) and allowing in so many Muslims was a BIG BIG mistake.

How I wish we could trun the clock back.

Maybe they will all start to hate it here and go somehwere else.

No more rows about veils and burkahs, no more rows about Mosques, far less worry about terrorism.

That would be bliss !

[Reverandfunk]

Helpful - Just picking upo on your point at the same time we should get out of Iraq and Afghanistan and just let them do what they like, can't see why we are sticking our noses in in the first place. Distancing ourselves from Israel would also help.

[feist]

A triumph I suppose, at least the M15 were aware of them (same way US intelligence was aware of 9/11 hijackers but failed to stop them).

Their actions were something nobody could really havesecond guessed, especially given that they were Supposedly intelligent/educated doctors ..... just goes to show idiots can be found in all levels of society, has nothing to do with education, money or status.