British Airways Worker Planned Attack on Flight to U.S.

WORLD THREATS

Posted by Ryan Mauro on February 10th, 2011

From CAN:

A software engineer for British Airways has been accused in court of planning to carry out an attack on a flight to the United States, The Telegraph reports.

The suspect, Rajib Karim, was in email communication with Al-Qaeda leader Anwar al-Awlaki about participating in a terrorist attack. Karim was asked by the terrorist mastermind if he could help get a package or operative onboard a flight to the U.S. He responded by saying he could participate in a strike by the cabin crew to secure a job on a plane and that two Muslim co-workers could help him.

He also told al-Awlaki that he could cause “total chaos” by sabotaging British Airways’ computer systems, ABC Newsreports.

“The defendant, as you will see from his own writings, was anxious himself to carry out such an act and he was determined to seek martyrdom, to die and to sacrifice himself for his cause,” the prosecutor said during the trial.

The court was also told that Karim had done video and website production for a terrorist group called Jamaat ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh. His brother also moved from Bangladesh to Yemen to join Anwar al-Awlaki’s branch of Al-Qaeda.

Karim also discussed his aspirations with his brother, who he told that he was confident that Islam justified the killing of civilians in his area.

The Telegraph reports that Karim has pled guilty to working and fundraising for the Bangladeshi terrorist group but is fighting four charges related to preparing terrorist attacks.

Related posts:

1. Al-Qaeda Website Calls for Attacks on British Airlines
2. Signs of a Dry Run on Chicago Flight
3. Possible “Dry Run” on US Flight in November
4. Taliban Cell Planned Terror Campaign in Europe
5. Taliban Aided by British Muslims?