UK attacks - lots of hype, few facts

By Libby
Updated below

I had a hellacious work week so I've been a bit out of the news loop and I'm just catching up on events. In checking out the latest developments on the failed "terrorist" attacks in the UK, and I say failed because they didn't cause any major mayhem or loss of life, I think this quote from the NYT best sums up the situation at the present.

After the midafternoon crash through doors at Glasgow Airport on Saturday, accounts by witnesses gathered by news agencies were confused, ....

It's clear to me that what we have so far is a lot of overheated hype by news outlets competing for the most alarming headlines, but very little in the way of confirmed facts. Meanwhile, "western counterterrorism experts" seem to be in agreement with my initial assessment that while the attacks may have been coordinated, this is not the work of AQ but rather some homegrown group of amateur wannabes.

Equally telling and more troubling though is this quote from a Scottish official who claimed the Glasgow crash was definitely a terrorist incident.

But Mr. Rae, the Scottish constable, said there had been no intelligence warning of an attack in Glasgow.

This is particularly troubling in light of this report stating the U.S. had received intelligence reports two weeks ago "warning of a possible terror attack in Glasgow against 'airport infrastructure or aircraft.'" According to officials, "The warnings were kept secret for operational reasons." Yeah, that would Operation Rescue Bush's Tanking Approval Ratings.

I don't any reason the US would withhold these warnings from Glasgow other than they wanted an incident to occur in order to bolster their own case about the threat of terrorists and hopefully to reignite Americans' fear of the Muslim boogeymen that has served this administration so well in accruing unprecendented executive power in the name of "protecting" us.

As always, Cernig has the reasonable analysis, rendered from his perspective on site in the UK. He collects the foreign press links and also sees this a amateur copycat attempt at terrorism.

Update: Britain's new Prime Minister Gordon Brown said it is “clear that we are dealing, in general terms, with people who are associated with al-Qaida.” It seems to me they said that about the 7/7 subway bombing as well initially and later had to backtrack and admit the perps were homegrown amateurs and let's not forget the unfortunate South American kid who was gunned down shortly thereafter as an alleged AQ terrorist trying to conduct a second bombing attempt on the subway and turned out to be completely innocent.

Seems to be we're in greater danger from panic created by ratings-driven media and political hyperbole than actual terrorists.

Update: Cernig is updating practically hourly with fresh links. As the facts are emerging, it appears this is a case of just another group of wannabe 20-somethings that learned to be terrorists by watching television. Be sure to hit the home button at the end of the post and scroll through to see what else Cernig is uncovering. I can't keep up with him.

Meanwhile, I posted on this at the Newshoggers. Lieberman is test running what is sure to become Bush's new talking point, that the faux terror attack should turn us all into quivering scaredy-cats. We're supposed to hide under our beds forthwith and let Bush do whatever he pleases to protect us. A far cry from the new Prime Minister of England's call to his people to show caution but proceed with their lives with courage.

And on a related note, Crooks and Liars has the video of DNC Communications Director, Karen Finney kicking her RNC counterpart's ass on the subject of the politics of terror.