London attack mirrors plot to behead Muslim soldier - CNN International

Three men jailed in April had discussed targeting Royal Wootton Bassett, the town where UK troops -- both living and those killed in action -- are repatriated. A man thought to be a serving British soldier killed in London by two armed menIn recent years previous Islamist plots have targeted British soldiers on home soilIn separate case three men jailed in April had discussed targeting Wootton BassettWestern town is where soldiers are repatriated after returning from Afghanistan

London (CNN) -- The victim of Wednesday's attack in southeast London is believed to be a serving soldier, based at a barracks in Woolwich, Nick Raynsford, a member of Parliament, told CNN.

Details are still emerging of the attack, which is being treated by the UK government as suspected terrorism, but in recent years previous Islamist plots have targeted British soldiers on home soil.

In 2007 four men were imprisoned over a plot to kidnap and kill a British Muslim soldier on leave and behead him in a Birmingham garage. The group's ringleader Parviz Khan intended to behead the soldier "like a pig" and release footage of the killing on the internet.

A still frame from video shows a man outside the Woolwich Barracks in London, holding a cleaver and addressing the camera directly moments after a man, believed to be a soldier based at a nearby barrack, was decapitated in the street on Wednesday, May 22. A police officer guards a blocked off area in Woolwich, East London, on May 22, following an incident in which a man was killed and two others seriously injured. A general view of Woolwich Barracks, near to the scene in Woolwich following a major incident in which a man was killed, on May 22 in London. Police officers block off a road in Woolwich. Crime officers examine the scene in Woolwich. Police walk to the scene in Woolwich on May 22. Gruesome attack in Southeast LondonGruesome attack in Southeast LondonGruesome attack in Southeast LondonGruesome attack in Southeast LondonGruesome attack in Southeast LondonGruesome attack in Southeast LondonPhotos: Gruesome attack in Southeast London London suspects shot, taken to hospital

Khan was later imprisoned for life and must serve a minimum of 14 years before he will be considered for release. Three other men, Basiru Gassama, Mohammed Irfan, and Hamid Elasmar, were handed down sentences of between two and seven years for their roles in the plot.

High Court judge Mr Justice Henriques said Khan's aim was to deter any Muslim from joining the British army.

"So rampant are your views, so excitable your temperament, so persuasive your tongue and so imbued with energy are you, it's quite impossible to predict when, if ever, it will be safe for you to be released into the public," the Guardian quoted the judge as saying.

"It was a plot whose purpose was to undermine democratic government, to demoralize the British army and to destabilize recruitment, and to cause anguish to the then prime minister of the day and the loyal citizens of the country," the judge said.

Prosecutors said Khan hoped to kidnap the Muslim soldier in Birmingham's Broad Street entertainment quarter with the help of drug dealers.

This is not the only recent example of serving soldiers being the targets of terrorist attacks. Last month three British-born men were imprisoned for between four and nine years for preparing acts of terrorism. The men, who pleaded guilty had discussed targeting Royal Wootton Bassett, a town that became a focal point for parades by UK troops returning from service in Afghanistan.

The judge, Mr. Justice Simon, said they had shown themselves to be "committed fundamentalists" ready to kill. Muslim convert Richard Dart, a former BBC security guard, and co-defandant Imran Mahmood had discussed how to make explosives, with the western English town as a potential bombing target.

Source:http://londonhub.blogspot.com/2013/05/london-attack-mirrors-plot-to-behead.html

London attack mirrors plot to behead Muslim soldier - CNN International Images

London attack mirrors plot to behead soldier - CNN.com
(640 x 360 - 108.92 KB - jpeg)