U.K. Charges Eight With Plotting WMD Attacks

British authorities yesterday charged eight suspected al-Qaeda operatives with planning chemical and radiological attacks in the United Kingdom, according to the London Daily Mail (see GSN, June 30).

The eight suspects were among 13 men arrested earlier this month, according to the Daily Mail. They are accused of plotting over the last four years to conduct attacks involving radioactive materials, chemicals, toxic gases and explosives. One of the eight suspects was found with information on how to prepare chemicals and explosives, the Daily Mail reported.

Another of the eight suspects, Dhiren Barot, has also been charged with possessing plans for potential attacks in the United States, against targets such as the New York Stock Exchange and the International Monetary Fund in Washington, the Daily Mail reported (Stephen Wright, London Daily Mail, Aug. 18).

U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft said the Justice Department is considering pressing charges in the United States against the eight suspects, the Associated Press reported (Jill Lawless, Associated Press/Washington Times, Aug. 18).

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