How come you intentionally fail to mention what the NSA did to help save lives. Why?

Why no credit to the NSA wiretaps? Both the Brit & Pakistani press have said it?

Ummmm.....don't ya think the NSA or some agency in the world intercepted communications that led to the uncovering of this plot? Of course. Why not mention that? The interception of communications works and the Democrats are stupid for opposing it.

I'll give it 2 weeks before some left wing Senator/Congressman or "Political Activist" starts saying "They were no where near pulling it off." Don't forget, the 9/11 hijackers couldn't fly a plane. But they did.

It looks like Pakistan has declared a proxy war on the whole world.
Only the world does not know about it

I think it is high time to invade this country by assembling a co-alition of forces in India's Western desert. The Indians will gladly contribute 2 million men for the effort.
Hamid Karzai's government would only be two happy to help allowing US forces to invade from Afghanistan.
That will put an end to the training camps in that nasty country.

i think that they very disappontted of wat thay did cause we did not harm them. They should not disapline everybody for one persons mistake

Sin,Justha

These arrests prove a valid point: these terrorists are stopped through detective and intelligience work- not by invading countries like Iraq.

U.S. government has got to stop playing around, if we have enough evidence to convict these people then we should give them all the death penalty.

Let's get 'em!

Remember: A) the Pakistani Government arrested some of these scum too, so lets not go crazy about bombing another country, we're spread out enough as it is, we're headed into World War III no joke. B) not all left wing are conspiracy theorist morons,and not all conspiracy theorists are left wing, get a grip on your stereotypes. nor do all left wingers support total inaction. And before we bash left wing completely remember the terorists are extremist Right Wing, just not of the same religion.

Iraq and Afghanistan are unfinished bussiness and stopping the terrorists through real intelligence and cunning is a better solution. The english seem to be doing this quite well, (without civilian phone tapping I may add) American occupations only seem to create more terrorists. We need to refocus our efforts so we can finish the job quickly and strongly, then leave, because that's what they want.

Hey Justin. Why don't you show us all your proof that the English haven't used civilian phone tapping. The fact that you are oblivious doesn't mean necessary steps aren't taken against these savages.

Hey Steve, even if the English used civilian phone tapping, we haven't been forced to listen to endless Bush-like whining that court-ordered warrants are tying their hands and that the rule of law interferes with unlimited executive power.

Terror Plot on Airlines... If we cant bring Liquids,Shampoo,Toothpaste,sunscreen & the rest of the item on the carry on bag.. What about the lagguages can we put it in there?

I look Isreal and it's the history . With each side striking and counter striking. And then using the rememberence of the last conflict to justify the current conflict. And cannot help but think that the western countries, primaraly we Americans have started down the same road.

I am just glad that all of these plots were thwarted. Can any of us imagine the tremendous loss of life that would have ensued? I doubt it. As far as Pakistan is concerned, Prevez Musharaff is an ally of the U.S. (although his forgiveness of A.Q Kahn was shady-but forced by the citizens of Pakistan) and there are regions he does not entirely control. I think EVERYONE did a great job--the NSA and the British intelligence.

All you need is love.
Thanks to every British citizen.
We are great friends, allies
and partners in freedom, civility
and world peace

The British DO use telephone taps, but they cannot use the information in court.

What good would "going against" or invading Pakistan be? The majority of people involved in this latest plot were born and bred in England, had British passports, and probably even spoke better English than Urdu. Invading Pakistan would only stoke the hatred of these people even more. One would have to invade/put sanctions on not only Pakistan, but also all areas in the UK and elsewhere with a Pakistani diaspora, which is of course untenable.

I'm wondering US Homeland Security, and CIA they act like they did catch or they are part of this BIG Terror Cell Operation
the real HERO IS British and Pakistan Intelegence Agent, Please ! our so called homeland security and CIA Just SHUT UP ! and Learn.

English? English? English using civilian phone tapping? The United Kingdom consists of English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish people! Try "British" not "English"!

Calles were intercepted mainly by the GCHQ - The UK's equivalent to the NSA

I heard Senator Harry Reid on the television last night, blaming President Bush's Middle East Policy's for the Terrorist attempts to blow up these planes. If the Americans people are so stupid to put people like him in charge, then we deserve everything thing that will happens to us.

To Zerahew-Maybe they have learned from us. No terror attacks in the US since 9/11. Britain can't say that! Give some credit where it is due!

Forget all the phone tapping .Credit to the agencies for getting the baddies. BUT when are we giong to wake up to the fact that pakistan is a terror state and these people who want to kill people have bases there

Forget all the phone tapping .Credit to the agencies for getting the baddies. BUT when are we giong to wake up to the fact that pakistan is a terror state and these people who want to kill people have bases there

You can view the names of 19 of 24 arrested suspects who's assests have been frozen.

i do beleive that no matter who is charge of the U.S. these problems will always occur. someone somewhere is going to be plotting something. we can't blame the president unless he knows of these problems and does nothing. this has been going on way before our resent president. we had bin ladin but clinton let him go.

I'd love to know who ordered the (premature) arrest in Pakistan that let the ringleaders get away?

A great double game they play

There is a grand sense of relief that these Muslim extremist were thwarted, maybe the media will start to report what is really happening in our world. Fanaticism is not countered over a cup a tea; it is battled through strength, conviction, and our ability to change. Thankfully our agencies have been retooled to combat this asymmetrical enemy of our freedom. I worry however that our populous resolve is soft, and that the media will continue tutoring our populous to feel guilty.

As stated earlier, this episode is a good indicator of the effectiveness of detective work over military force. I hope my fellow Americans will learn that Bush's ass kicking techniques do not work. Invading Iraq has only guarenteed future generations of terrorists

I'm interested to note that some people have asked why the NSA have had no credit for thwarting the plan. I'd like to know why they should? As I understand it this was primarily a result of The Security Service (MI5), The Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), GCHQ and the Pakistan intelligence agencies. We do use phone tapping in the UK, it just isn't admissable in court. The relationship between the UK and US mean that we do undoubtedly share intelligence. However there is no reason to think that the NSA were directly involved.

Mike,

Democrats have never opposed wiretaps. Most Demos simply want the admin to comply with "no brainer" requirements as much as 72 hours after the fact.

The NSA had nothing to do with this. The Brits, though "hobbled" with more requirements than "tie the hands" of the US moronic admin., managed to accomplish a touchdown when the US way of doing the same has only resulted in innocent death, retribution and a revitalized AQ.

It seems to me we would have had much less innocent deaths from allowing terrorism to run unchecked vs what the US/Israel did in the ME.

Perhaps the real terrorist resides in the White House. Just sayin'

Ultimately it's going to come down to this. Either the "peaceful" Muslims in the U.K., U.S., France, etc. start cooperating in rooting out the terrorists from their mosques, starting with the Mullahs who encourage this crap, or the immigrant Muslims get deported. Period. The fact that they are immigrating in such large numbers to Europe and North America (pagan countries full of infidels) is a clear sign that even the "peaceful" Muslims are conspirators in this grand plan to convert the world to Islam because the more Muslims there are in a country, the more political clout they have and the more difficult it becomes for immigration officials in these countries to deport them once they figure out that they are not helping expose their Muslim brothers' terrorist plans.

Is there a plot to convert the world to Islam. Hell yes, there is! Why on earth would all these Muslims be immigrating to all these countries if we are such pagan and idolatrous societies?!?!?!

Better wake up, folks.

Better wake up and stand firm or our great grandkids are going to be shouting "Allah, Akbar!"

Today, liquid gels and flash cameras...tomorrow, toothpaste and a cellphones....where does it all stop? We were a fortunate generation to grow up during a prolonged peace period. We now have to take responsibility for our actions and reactions to our aggressive behavior in the Mid East. Our foreign policy needs to be wise, well thought through and focused uo achieving those milestones which will protect our country and citizens.

phone taps ..The Brittish and Pakistanis both use them ...Its pretty simple if you are not doing anything wrong why do you worry about wiretaps ....The phone taps work to catch Criminals and Terrorist the NSA needs to be able to use them against suspected Terrorist and if they catch a few unsuspecting criminals along the way so be it.

"U.S. government has got to stop playing around, if we have enough evidence to convict these people then we should give them all the death penalty."

Nothing to do with you. IF, and it's still a big IF, these arrests result in criminal charges, trial and conviction then there'll be no death penalty.

Now just calm down and stop being so silly.

Before all is said and done no will be able to take anything on the airplanes because these people are always one step ahead of the US because they are better educated than most here in the US because we are so damn focused on the rest of the world's problems we cant even help our DAMN country in the process. There needs to be a PRESIDENT in the US who is willing to help its own county because we are paying his DAMN wages in the taxes we pay. Terrorism will always be around no matter how many of the terrorist you catch or arrest. We live in a world where money is the most important anymore not the FREEDOMS we once had because of all the immigration that has not help this country in world affairs only made it worse.

Before all is said and done no will be able to take anything on the airplanes because these people are always one step ahead of the US because they are better educated than most here in the US because we are so damn focused on the rest of the world's problems we cant even help our DAMN country in the process. There needs to be a PRESIDENT in the US who is willing to help its own county because we are paying his DAMN wages in the taxes we pay. Terrorism will always be around no matter how many of the terrorist you catch or arrest. We live in a world where money is the most important anymore not the FREEDOMS we once had because of all the immigration that has not help this country in world affairs only made it worse.

fROM TIME:

"MI5 and Scotland Yard agents tracked the plotters from the ground, while a knowledgeable American official says U.S. intelligence provided London authorities with intercepts of the group's communications"

Enough Already:

That post is amazing in its lunacy.

Cheers

Kudos to all intel operatives as well as peacekepers who uncovered the demonic plot. It would be catastropic if those demonistic fanatics of evil could have been able to push through with their plans. How many lives could have been lose if that happen?

As a Britsih Muslim of Iraqi and Lebanese descent I am shocked by the recent wave of "terrorists" I do not condone any of the acts and feel as terrorized and intimidated as the rest of the world. However I take issue with the way the world has chosen to deal with this.Yes, it's easy to come up with short term band-aid solutions to the problem; heighten security, label them as terrorists, blame it on their religion, call them inherintly evil and rid yourselves of any blame.. it's the easiest way. However this problem is not going to stop if you ignore it. For example if a child hits another child in the playground you wouldn't label the child and move on.. Even in this simplistic example the first question would be "why?" By understanding the cause of the action you can prevent it in the future. Despite this, I feel that the West has taken the simple route and laid the full blame on the shoulders of the so called terrorists. If it were as simple as we are led to believe and these terrorists are simply insanely religious people who go about killing the open and "freedom-loving infidels" then why have these attacks been focused on countries that have unfair and opressive forign policy in the Middle East!? Why do we not hear of Spain Italy and Greece falling victim to these attacks? Which only illustrates that the war that is being fought is one of politics not religion and the terrorists themselves have perverted the name of Islam with their actoins however the West has further perpetuated this myth because by doing this they will not have to face up to or change their forign policy. So how ever much they heighten security and however much they attempt to make their country safe they will continue to fall victim to these attacks until substantial changes are implimented. Because the US, and UK have a significant role in the creation of suicide bombers and terrorists and only by targetting the problem at its root a permanant change can be made.

jinan, i would just like to refer to your comment about why this hasn't happened to countries other than the US and UK such as spain, well there was the madrid bombings, and yes it is easy to blame it all on religion because, unless your completely blind, that is the main protagonist in this "war on terror", i myself am an anthiest and a British citizen and i find it incredibly frustrating that a "minority" if you would call it, wants to kill people because of their beliefs, it really is one of the only things that would make me scream out in anger if ever questioned about, because i believe that this humanity would be so much better off if there were no religion, if we didnt fanticise over some "god", or a book which tells people how to live which could have been written by anyone, then what diffrences would we have besides looks, im sure some of the worlds greatest attrocities would never have come about if religion was never *cough* invented, i won't apologize if i have offended any religious people because i have to put up with religious excuses and reasoning, so they can hear mine

David, Bob, and Mike: Democrats are not opposed to NSA or FISA. They love these legal tools used to fight terror. They wish Bush would use them all the time surveillance is needed. What they and many Republicans object to is illegal surveillance. They object to a president breaking the law. Legal means within both the UK and the US appear to have been quite effective in this case, proving that Bush and Co. do not need to violate the laws of our country.

I think the guy from India has it right: We need to have a coalition invade Pakistan and it's ungoverned tribal lands, and we need to set up an occupation there until the people there realize that we're not going to put up with this anymore. India and the US and maybe some of our allies can contribute as well. Pull our troops out of Iraq and supplement the 2 million that that guy suggested India would contribute. A good idea I haven't heard suggested yet from elsewhere.

I wonder if this was the potential cause of TWA 800. Was of similar nature....

One report mentioned that an explosion could not be proven conclusively. Nor could they TOTALLY not include this potential scenario.

I'd be fascinated, jinan, to know what repressive policies Bali has in place in the middle-east.

The Brits had warrants for their eavesdropping. The US had warrants through the FISA courts. This was done legally. No need for illegal, unconstitutional warrantless wiretapping. It was accomplished through law enforcement and intelligence, not with a massive military invasion of the wrong country, as in Iraq. Democrats like Ned Lamont are supportive of this way of fighting terrorism. Get it?

Marguerite, both Bali bombs were aimed at nightclubs popular with Australian tourists. Australia is a supporter of the US in the war on terror and has troops in Iraq.

To James,and every citizen of uk Pakistan is not a terror state our government is doing well job to eleminate the terriost . we love the people of england and we are with them.