NP? intentions

[Doug Millison]

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/story.jsp?story=304437

"British and European security officials are highly sceptical of American
claims that the alleged "dirty bomb" plotter, Abdullah al-Muhajir, was
preparing to unleash a radioactive attack.

British sources point out that despite extensive inquiries, no evidence has
been produced to show that he had access to the radioactive material needed
to build the bomb, or indeed that he had even worked out a time or place to
launch the attack.

The most that could be said about Mr Muhajir, a former member of a Chicago
street gang now allegedly working for al-Qa'ida, is that he had the
"intention" of launching such an attack, security sources said.  [...]
Despite claims by the Attorney General, John Ashcroft, that the FBI had
disrupted a plan to launch a radioactive attack against Washington, other
officials conceded yesterday that there was no evidence that any such plot
had progressed beyond the most basic stages.

British security sources, who believe Mr Muhajir might have been acting as
a courier, said the Americans investigated Mr Muhajir's activities and
tried to find a terrorist network he may have been involved with inside the
US. The highly publicised announcement of the arrest only came after the
failure to find anything more incriminating.

In Washington there was a growing suspicion that the arrest was seized on
by the Bush administration in dramatic fashion for political ends. "