UK claims to have foiled 'terrorist' plot against airbase

[Jack by the hedge]

If the fact that it wasn't terrorism wasn't established, why release them on bail?

If it was, why not announce that?

"It wasn't terrorism" is not necessarily the same thing as "the arrested men are not terrorists".

That they were released on bail allows us to infer the police are satisfied the arrested men are not terrorists. That's all we have so far. Sorry if the tantalising wait is agonising to you.

 

[Ziggurat]

"It wasn't terrorism" is not necessarily the same thing as "the arrested men are not terrorists".

I struggle to see a realistic scenario where that distinction actually matters. But no matter: just announce "the arrested men are not terrorists", if that's what you know for certain.

 

[Jack by the hedge]

You could make "But why won't they just tell us?" your signature and save time.

 

[zooterkin]

I struggle to see a realistic scenario where that distinction actually matters. But no matter: just announce "the arrested men are not terrorists", if that's what you know for certain.

The very fact that they were released within a day tells us that.

 

[Ziggurat]

The very fact that they were released within a day tells us that.

Obviously it didn't tell everyone that. You can argue that it should have, but it did not.

 

[Darat]

I struggle to see a realistic scenario where that distinction actually matters. But no matter: just announce "the arrested men are not terrorists", if that's what you know for certain.

I'm struggling but perhaps they were found to have been "hired" by the terrorists but they had no knowledge they were terrorists?

 

[Ziggurat]

I'm struggling but perhaps they were found to have been "hired" by the terrorists but they had no knowledge they were terrorists?

Hired to do what? Steal petrol?

 

[Nessie]

My film plot.

An Iranian hires a group of low level London criminals nominally to steal fuel, telling them the best location to go to, where they will meet an American air force man, who will sell them some. Nearby, they find a fuel tank and decide to steal some more, which is when one of the Londoners realises they may being set up, so he phones the police. Meanwhile, the SAS are plotted up, having known about the Iranian for some time and that he was planning some sort of attack, such as setting fire to vans full of fuel at an air base front gate. Just as the SAS are about to pounce, a local farmer disturbs them so they beat a retreat. The farmer phones the police, who make arrests. Then the US President puts pressure on the British to pretend it was a terrorist attack, but the plucky Brits refuse and release the confused London criminals on bail. The film ends with the arrest of an air force man for illegally selling fuel.

 

[Darat]

Hired to do what? Steal petrol?

I said I was struggling - and I meant with trying to think of a scenario that meant some people involved weren't terrorists but terrorists were behind it. So who knows - perhaps to drop off a load of petrol/diesel somewhere in the woods for the terrorists to use later?

ETA: Ninja'd by a much superior plot by Nessie!

 

[Pixel42]

Hired to do what? Steal petrol?

Trigger a major international incident, possibly unknowingly, was my previous suggestion.

Remember the deliberate misinformation that resulted in lots of Moroccans crossing the board into part of Spain, and the major international incident that resulted? Similar to that.

 

[Andy_Ross]

My film plot.

An Iranian hires a group of low level London criminals nominally to steal fuel, telling them the best location to go to, where they will meet an American air force man, who will sell them some. Nearby, they find a fuel tank and decide to steal some more, which is when one of the Londoners realises they may being set up, so he phones the police. Meanwhile, the SAS are plotted up, having known about the Iranian for some time and that he was planning some sort of attack, such as setting fire to vans full of fuel at an air base front gate. Just as the SAS are about to pounce, a local farmer disturbs them so they beat a retreat. The farmer phones the police, who make arrests. Then the US President puts pressure on the British to pretend it was a terrorist attack, but the plucky Brits refuse and release the confused London criminals on bail. The film ends with the arrest of an air force man for illegally selling fuel.

It would be CI5, not the SAS.

 

[Ziggurat]

Trigger a major international incident

But this isn't actually a major international incident. Absent some actual terrorism or demonstrated Iranian ties, I don't see how it could actually become one either.

 

[Nessie]

The Glasgow airport terrorist attack consisted of driving a vehicle full of fuel into an airport building.

 

[Pixel42]

But this isn't actually a major international incident.

It was headline news in many countries and prompted reactions, some verging on hysterical, from all sorts of people at all levels, which may prove a source of embarrassment when the full story is known. All for very little work, risk and outlay.

[Still speculating wildly, when I would have preferred to wait until more information became available, solely because you demanded I do so].

 

[Ziggurat]

The Glasgow airport terrorist attack consisted of driving a vehicle full of fuel into an airport building.

Were they planning on tricking these thieves into self-immolation? And if you want to drive a truck full of fuel into a target, do you need the fuel to be stolen, or can you just buy it? Did the Glasgow attacker steal it?

 

[Ziggurat]

It was headline news in many countries and prompted reactions,

It caused a Twitter storm. That's not an actual major international incident.

 

[Norman Alexander]

To be fair, most Yanks can't find England.

Most MAGA can't find their ass with two hands.

 

[Pixel42]

It caused a Twitter storm.

It caused hysterical knee jerk reactions from many prominent people, up to and including the POTUS.

That's not an actual major international incident.

If it really had been what it was designed to look like - an attempted terrorist attack on a RAF base used by the US in its war on Iran - I'd say it would have qualified.

If my wild speculation is correct then no, it wasn't actually a major international incident. It was a trick designed to initially look like one, which lots of people stupidly fell for when they should have waited for more information before reacting.

 

[Ziggurat]

It caused hysterical knee jerk reactions from many prominent people, up to and including the POTUS.

Those reactions being what, exactly? They said stuff (often on Twitter) which people on Twitter got offended by. Did they actually do anything? No, they didn't.

 

[Nessie]

Were they planning on tricking these thieves into self-immolation? And if you want to drive a truck full of fuel into a target, do you need the fuel to be stolen, or can you just buy it? Did the Glasgow attacker steal it?

They were two doctors who hatched the plan themselves, buying both the car and petrol. Fairford is far more complicated, so not like that at all, which again suggests it is not terrorist.