Five held over suspected plot to disrupt G20 summit with explosives stunt

[steven johnson]

Source: Guardian

Five people have been arrested in connection with a suspected plot to use amateur explosives to disrupt the G20 summit.
The three men, aged 25, 19 and 16, and two women, both aged 20, all live in Plymouth and the surrounding area. They are political activists unaffiliated to any terrorist organisation, and were arrested at addresses in Plymouth. They are being held under terrorism legislation. The explosive devices were made from fireworks, police said.
A police source told the Guardian that initial inquiries indicate the five were "not planning a Guy Fawkes plot.
"I think it was more designed to disrupt than injure or kill," the source said, adding that reports that the individuals were Greek nationals were false. It is understood that the "suspicious devices" found suggest a small-scale stunt...Asked about the potential scale of damage that could be caused by the weapons and devices discovered, Netherton said: "These are imitation firearms, the other devices were made of simple fireworks – they're probably not lethal...


Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/30/g20-protest-explosives-plot-arrests

[Ian David]

1. No. Bad activists. Bad. Bad. Bad. n/t

[NorCalDem]

2. Best quote:

"Police searched the man's flat in Plymouth, and found imitation firearms, improvised explosives made of fireworks, and "material related to political ideology"."


are we living in a police state yet?

[B Whale]

3. The police have been winding this up all week. They

are determined to smear any activists in advance then kick it off.

Quote from that article sums up how politically corrupt they are. "Asked to clarify the nature of the material, Netherton said: "It's political, it relates to political organisations, it's not extreme but it's a different political view"

'Different' from who's fucking political view plod?

[madrchsod]

4. loose lips sink ships....

i guess they lived and learned....

[dan_32]

5. Technicality

Technically, terrorism is: using force, intimidation etc to
create political change.  Even though they were fake guns, the
intent was there to terrorize for a political advantage.
In so doing, our activist friend became a terrorist.

Dan...a passionate man who understands that people need a
reality check once in a while

[B Whale]

6. I agree that people need a reality check once in a while but

3 things strike me about this story. 1. There is no link to the G20 protests (just a line of inquiry). 2 Fireworks are quite legal and used regularly in strikes and demonstrations in Europe (firecrackers, flares etc.) 3. The UK police are using every opportunity to smear them ahead of wednesdays protests.

The police, i believe, are using all possible means to ensure when they do use violence to break up the demonstrations (and in their own words they are 'up for it' sounding more like football hooligans) the public will believe their tired line about anarchists and trouble makers and support their action.

As can be seen from the quotes in the article (Asked to clarify the nature of the material, Netherton said: "It's political, it relates to political organisations, it's not extreme but it's a different political view. It leads to motives and things like that") the police are not politically neutral.

[paulsby]

7. what the hell are "amateur explosives?"

seriously. i know what improvised explosive devices, but i've never heard the term "amateur explosives"

is this a britspeak thang?

[Nihil]

8. It sounds scarier than "fireworks" ...

<sigh>