It's back to business on the day after Christmas: Happy New Year from British intelligence agencies, via The Telegraph in London.
A secret intelligence report has revealed that security chiefs believe al-Qaeda may target New Year celebrations across Britain, The Telegraph has learned.Posted by Alan at December 26, 2004 01:00 AMThe document, which has been distributed to every military base in Britain warns that "crowded places or events" are under "a severe threat" of attack from terrorist bombers. The report, which is marked "restricted", is understood to have been compiled by military intelligence specialists, MI5 and Special Branch officers.
While the threat level for a general al-Qaeda attack has been assessed as severe since Novermber 2003, it is understood this is the first time that such a report has mentioned the potential risk to large gatherings of civilians.
Most of Britain's large cities have unofficial New Year's Eve celebrations, including London where members of the public gather in their thousands around Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square and Parliament Square.
It is estimated that more than 150,000 people will be in the centre of London on New Year's Eve to witness a £1.2 million firework display which next to the London Eye on the River Thames.
The report - dated December 3 - has been revealed just two months after The Telegraph learned that defence officials feared that military bases in southern England were being targeted by al-Qaeda terrorist cells. A military document referred to a series of incidents, which took place last August and September, inside the Dover Garrison area and close to a military base on Thorney Island in Sussex, when "males of Middle Eastern appearance" were seen photographing the barracks.