Trojan Horse Plot: How Birmingham became hub of jihadis from Pak and Kashmir
Birminghman has a distinction of being one of the major jihadi breeding grounds.
Birmingham is in the news again. The police had named the Westminster attacker as Birmingham-based Khalid Masood. Four persons were killed in the London attack that took place on Wednesday. Birminghman has a distinction of being one of the major jihadi breeding grounds.
Interestingly, there are several jihadis at Birmingham whose families are linked to Pakistan and Kashmir. Most of the jihadis who grew up in Birmingham have left to Pakistan and Kashmir to fight along with terror groups. Birmingham is considered to be the place where the first suicide bomber was born has become for jihadi elements.
Indoctrination
would
take
place
through
mosques.
One
such
plot
known
as
the
'Trojan
Horse
Plot,"
was
busted
in
Birmingham.
The
plot
revolved
around
organising
a
group
of
jihadis
who
sought
to
infiltrate
and
take
over
the
education
system.
Several
young
Muslims
were
brought
in
to
Birmingham
by
jihadi
elements.
They
were
radicalised
and
trained
to
launch
terror
attacks
and
also
fight
in
the
Middle
East,
Asia
and
Britain.
The
plot
circled
around
creating
a
pool
of
fighters.
What is interesting is that whenever one speaks of terror, there has to be a Pakistan link to it. Take the case of Rashid Rauf, an Islamist alumni from Birmingham. He is of British and Pakistan background and was one of the key players in a plot that sought to blow up the transatlantic airliner in 2006. Investigations showed that Rauf enjoyed the support and protection of the Inter-Services Intelligence. He, in fact, managed to escape from a jail in the UK with the support of the ISI. He was however killed in a drone strike in 2008. These reports remain unverified and another version is that he still lives in North Wazirstan.
Birmingham was also home to Moinal Abedin. He was the first al-Qaeda inspired terrorist. He too trained in Pakistan and returned to Birmingham. During a raid on his house a huge quantity of explosives were found. Another person with a Pakistan origin is Irfan Khalid. He was involved in the 7/7 bombings. He is currently in jail.
OneIndia News