It all began with a tip: In the aftermath of the July 7, 2005, suicide bombings on London's transit system, British authorities received a call from a worried member of the Muslim community, reporting general suspicions about an acquaintance.
From that vague but vital piece of information, according to a senior European intelligence official, British authorities opened the investigation into what they said turned out to be a well-coordinated and long-planned plot to bomb multiple transatlantic flights heading toward the United States -- an assault designed to rival the scope and lethality of the Sept. 11, 2001, hijackings.
By late 2005, the probe had expanded to involve several hundred investigators on three continents. They kept dozens of suspects under close surveillance for months, even as some of the plotters traveled between Britain and Pakistan to raise money, find recruits and refine their scheme, according to interviews with U.S. and European counterterrorism officials.
I can't help but wonder how many other worried Muslims there might be in the United States who have seen or heard things from more radical members of their community that could lead them to believe some sort of plot is underway? Will they make the phone call that might save hundreds of lives?
Also, as you read into the investigation in England it becomes clear that the British version of the Patriot act is much better than ours. Some of the investigative techniques used by the Brits have been condemned by the Dems (and their accomplices in the press). How many leads are we not getting or are unable to follow because of the hamstringing of our investigative abilities by the lefties?
Finally, it must have been very disappointing for the New York Times to have to report on this story, and not leak the information and destroy the investigation first.
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