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Alleged Al-Qaeda Operative Apprehended for Visiting UK Olympic Park

By William Tucker

British officials have stated that a man of Somali origin broke an order issued by the UK’s Home Office barring him from visiting the Olympic Park. According to reports, the suspect broke the order on five separate occasions. Officials speaking with the media claim the suspect trained with late al-Qaeda operative Saleh Nabhan in Somalia until Nabhan’s death in 2009 at the hands of U.S. Special Forces. Nine other men have been barred by the Home Office from visiting the Olympic Park as they have been deemed a threat to the venue. All told, London has a large terrorist population, thus security for the event will be rather tight.

The 2012 Olympic Games are an international venue, and as such, a high priority target for al-Qaeda and other terrorist movements. That UK officials decided to arrest this individual this far in advance of the game’s opening shows that Britain isn’t taking any chances with security. Although the individual visited the park on five separate occasions, he was under surveillance at all times. It’s likely that the visits were allowed to continue so that law enforcement could check for patterns during each visit that may indicate the type of attack, or the likely targets. Additionally, security agencies would also be on the lookout for signs of a wider conspiracy. As the opening of the Olympics approaches, it is highly likely that similar stories will be reported.

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