Terror plot to derail trains
Al-Qaeda writes guide for jihadis
AL-Qaeda is inciting jihadis in Britain to commit mass murder by derailing trains.
The Islamic terror group has published instructions for an attack.
Its plot aims to cause maximum casualties and damage costing millions of pounds as well as “instil fear” into passengers.
Chris Phillips, ex-National Counter Terrorism Security Office chief, said fanatics constantly seek “new ways of launching attacks to harm us” and added: “These kind of threats are real and are being dealt with.”
An article in the 17th edition of al-Qaeda’s e-magazine Inspire offers jihadis three choices for an outrage.
It says they can attack a train directly from “either inside or out”, target “the rail itself so as to derail the train” or assault stations, which “are always crowded, causing major interruption to transport”. The plots would cause “great damage and destruction”, it adds. The issue focuses mainly on the second method. An 18-page step-by-step guide includes routes and maps.
“We will explain how to make a derail tool and show the best way of using this,” it says. It makes clear that al-Qaeda wants rail attacks in Britain, the US and France and says the tracks’ huge mileage – 11,495 in Britain – makes them “practically impossible” for all three countries to protect, “yet one of the easiest targets”.
In a break from suicide missions, al-Qaeda suggests that “such an operation does not require martyrdom and can be performed by a single person multiple times”.
Mr Phillips said threats are “monitored constantly”, adding: “Systems practised and perfected over decades are in place.” The Department for Transport said: “We keep security of networks under constant review.”
British terrorist Zahid Hussain, 29, was convicted in May of planning to bomb the West Coast main line.
TERRORISM tip-offs to a police hotline soared to 5,703 in June – up more than 600% in six months – after the wave of deadly attacks on Britain.