MSK in his taped video directly cited the war as a reason for the attacks. "Your democratically-elected governments continuously perpetuate atrocities against my people all over the world. And your support of them makes you directly responsible, just as I am directly responsible for protecting and avenging my Muslim brothers and sisters. Until we feel security you will be our targets and until you stop the bombing, gassing, imprisonment and torture of my people we will not stop this fight. We are at war and I am a soldier." This is a subject area I have quite a bit of expertise in. I worked in counter terrorism for a number of years
You asked for evidence and I have provided it. Like I said, this was my work for a number of years. It was a CT held belief that the war acted as a catalyst for terrorist acts on UK shores, this is not just my view. I've worked on dozens of operations where videos of the Iraq war (e.g. the helicopter one whereby US gunners are picking off people and laughing about it) was used to radicalise British-born muslims who either went on to commit terrorist acts or were caught beforehand. They saw us as the same as the US. These aren't people expressing anger, it has motivated them to do something violent.
Have you ever read the magazine that ISIS published? Their mission statement reads somewhat differently. And given that you believe what terrorists say in their manifestos, you might want to check it out. It wholly contradicts the statement you quoted. The "evidence" you provide (which is actually just you saying 'keep quiet because I'm in the know and you're not') is all about impetus, anyway. Anyway, last time: Western intervention in the Middle East did not determine the method or expression (suicide attacks/bombings) of "resistance" that we have seen in recent decades.
I've seen Aspire, it was AQ that published it. And no that wasn't my intention to belittle your view, I was just saying it was my background and I have had training and experience of the subject matter. I provided a direct quote from the ringleader. No need to get arsey, but seems to be a recurring theme on this board.
People go on about Trump and Boris being close... Blair was the plaything of George Bush.. Campbell should be behind lock and key for his direct role in the info that led to the war.
Nah, it's the ISIS mag. I'll post the full text of it later. Not Googling that at work. Also, I'm not getting arsey at all. I was just pointing out the illegitimacy of the manner in which you're making points. You are not automatically right because you worked in CT. Especially given that what we are discussing are highly conceptual issues relative to cause and effect and thus (largely) unknowable. Also, do you accept that Western intervention didn't determine the expression of resistance that we have seen, or not? Do you think all Islamic terrorism is rooted in Western intervention in the middle east?
The attacks that occurred after the second gulf war such as 7/7 were inspired by AQ, not ISIS, so their manifesto isn't relevant to the initial attacks. IS became more of a force after AQ was gradually dismantled in the late 2000s. Of course I don't believe that all terrorist activity is rooted as a sole consequence of direct intervention, it is more complex than that. What I do believe is that the attacks that immediately followed our intervention in Iraq and Afghanistan came in retaliation, and the quote from MSK above and my personal experience working on operations supports that. I'm not asking you to believe me, I am entitled to my view and what I was told at the time, just as you are entitled to your view.
When talking about the middle East.. Saddam Husain.. Gaddafi and the yanks role in it all... Let's not overlook the main reason it all kicked off and the bigger picture involved... The yanks where Making sure the world continued using the American dollar has the world's trading currency.. Blair the Bush puppet (in my opinion... the war criminal ) seems to have done OK out of it all... Whilst the rest of us are living with the threat from terrorism daily that could so easily been avoided... The real terrorists of this world are the Yanks and their CIA...
Islamist extremism in the UK predates the second gulf war. Its been prevailent in the UK since the mid 90s. You have no doubt heard the phrase Londonistan. This was coined by French intelligence after several raids throughout France and Belgium to break a number of terrorist cells found multiple links to people and addresses throughout London and the British Authorities did **** all about it.
It wouldn't have happened in Corbyn was in humber 10. Robin Cook & Clare Short were excellent people, who took a stance at the time. We sadly went gung ho into supporting the USA, where most of our European allies stuck with the UN position.
That’s correct but it was cells operating in London against other nationals in other countries and they (to coin a phrase ) didn’t sh it on their own doorstep that was until Blair’s war.
and both France and Belgium (along with Germany) opposed the invasion of Iraq , all three have since suffered at the hands of islamic terrorists