Britain marked the second anniversary of the London suicide bombings yesterday, a grim reminder as the nation confronted a new wave of terrorism, and an Iraqi doctor appeared in court over last week's failed attacks in London and Glasgow.
Bilal Abdullah, a 27-year-old doctor born in Britain and raised in Iraq, appeared in a London court amid tight security after he and another man allegedly crashed a gas-laden Jeep Cherokee into the main terminal of Scotland's largest airport.
Accused of conspiring to cause explosions, he is the first to be charged of eight suspects arrested over failed car bomb attacks in London and Glasgow a week ago. Abdullah, who spoke only to confirm his name and birth date, was ordered to appear at London's Central Criminal Court on July 27.
Two cars packed with gas cylinders and nails were discovered on June 29 in London -- one outside a crowded nightclub, the other near Trafalgar Square. The next day, a Jeep Cherokee smashed into the security barriers at Glasgow airport, Scotland's busiest.
The charge against Abdullah refers to a plot taking place between Jan. 1 and July 1, suggesting prosecutors believe the attacks were planned well in advance.
Prosecutors suspect Abdullah and Kafeel Ahmed, believed to be the driver of the Jeep, carried out the attempted bombings in London before returning to Scotland and attacking the airport.
`to the bottom'
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said earlier on Friday that investigations stretching from Britain to Australia were "getting to the bottom" of a cell behind the failed car bombings in London and Scotland.
Brown said he had spoken to Australian Prime Minister John Howard about the probe into the suspected al-Qaeda-linked plot, in which eight Middle Eastern and Indian medics have been arrested.
Australian police, already holding one Indian doctor since Monday, extended their probe to at least five others and searched two hospitals.
In a separate case, a court in Manchester sentenced a man described by police as a terrorist "sleeper" to nine years in jail for possessing a trove of al-Qaeda-related computer material.
That followed the conviction of three other men last week for inciting terrorism over the Internet. Verdicts were due shortly in other trials -- part of a slew of cases that have highlighted Britain's appeal as a target for militant Islamists.
two years on
Meanwhile, Brown laid flowers yesterday to mark the second anniversary of the death of 52 people in the July 7, 2005, suicide bombings on London's public transport system.
Brown, accompanied by London Mayor Ken Livingstone and his Parisian counterpart Bertrand Delanoe, delivered the wreaths at 8:50am, the time when the transport system was shut down after the attacks.
The ceremony at King's Cross railway station was low-key, reportedly at the wish of the families of those killed and was not accompanied by any national moment of silence or commemoration.
A total of 52 commuters and four British Islamist suicide bombers were killed when bombs went off on three London Underground trains and one bus in quick succession.
The attacks caused the biggest peacetime loss of life in Britain since World War II.
DEFENDING DEMOCRACY: Taiwan shares the same values as those that fought in WWII, and nations must unite to halt the expansion of a new authoritarian bloc, Lai said The government yesterday held a commemoration ceremony for Victory in Europe (V-E) Day, joining the rest of the world for the first time to mark the anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. Taiwan honoring V-E Day signifies “our growing connections with the international community,” President William Lai (賴清德) said at a reception in Taipei on the 80th anniversary of V-E Day. One of the major lessons of World War II is that “authoritarianism and aggression lead only to slaughter, tragedy and greater inequality,” Lai said. Even more importantly, the war also taught people that “those who cherish peace cannot
STEADFAST FRIEND: The bills encourage increased Taiwan-US engagement and address China’s distortion of UN Resolution 2758 to isolate Taiwan internationally The Presidential Office yesterday thanked the US House of Representatives for unanimously passing two Taiwan-related bills highlighting its solid support for Taiwan’s democracy and global participation, and for deepening bilateral relations. One of the bills, the Taiwan Assurance Implementation Act, requires the US Department of State to periodically review its guidelines for engagement with Taiwan, and report to the US Congress on the guidelines and plans to lift self-imposed limitations on US-Taiwan engagement. The other bill is the Taiwan International Solidarity Act, which clarifies that UN Resolution 2758 does not address the issue of the representation of Taiwan or its people in
The Philippines yesterday criticized a “high-risk” maneuver by a Chinese vessel near the disputed Scarborough Shoal (Huangyan Island, 黃岩島) in a rare incident involving warships from the two navies. The Scarborough Shoal — a triangular chain of reefs and rocks in the contested South China Sea — has been a flash point between the countries since China seized it from the Philippines in 2012. Taiwan also claims the shoal. Monday’s encounter took place approximately 11.8 nautical miles (22km) southeast” of the Scarborough Shoal, the Philippine military said, during ongoing US-Philippine military exercises that Beijing has criticized as destabilizing. “The Chinese frigate BN 554 was
LEISURE: The new law adds Confucius’ birthday, the anniversary of the Battle of Guningtou, Constitution Day and Little New Year as national holidays The Legislative Yuan yesterday passed new legislation adding four national holidays and making Workers’ Day a national holiday for all sectors. The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) and the Taiwan People’s Party used their combined majority in the legislature to push the jointly proposed draft through its third and final reading. This new law supersedes the existing regulations for the implementation of memorial days and state holidays, which are administered by the Ministry of the Interior. The new law recognizes Confucius’ birthday on Sept. 28, the anniversary of the Battle of Guningtou on Oct. 25, Constitution Day on Dec. 25 and “Little New Year,”
RSS