The e-mails behind a terror plot

Messages from men linked with al-Qaida in Pakistan who schemed to blow up planes with liquid explosives

Published September 8, 2009 1:09PM (EDT)

L-R: Abdulla Ahmed Ali, Tanvir Hussain and Assad Sarwar
L-R: Abdulla Ahmed Ali, Tanvir Hussain and Assad Sarwar

Monday, three men were convicted in Britain of attempting to detonate bombs on at least seven transatlantic flights three years ago. The men had planned to use liquid explosives, surreptitiously brought onboard flights in soda bottles. The scheme led directly to the U.S. ban on outside liquids being carried on planes that remains in effect to this day.

The men's plot was uncovered in part by a string of coded e-mails sent between the three men in Britain and al-Qaida members in Pakistan. Below are some of the e-mails, as obtained by the Wall Street Journal, sent by two of the convicted plotters, Abdulla Ahmed Ali and Assad Sarwar, to individuals in Pakistan.

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Date: 6 Jun 2006

From: Ali

To: Pakistan

Subject: How are you babes

hi

yea im cool i got back from holiday everything went fine i didn't get any problems at all so flying sickness no crams nothing. yea im just getting settled it will takea few days then ill start trading. ill send you my new no as soon as i get it.

tariq is cool i saw him and he is ready to trade aswell. he send his love.

thats it for now ill chat to u soon ok take care bye

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Date: 4 Jul 2006

From: Ali

To: Pakistan

Subject: How are you babes

hi dude

listen dude when is your mate gonna bring the projectors and the taxi to me. i got all my bits and bobs im just waiting for lights they should be here in a couple of days. tell your mate to make sure the projectors and texis are fully ready and proper i dont want my presentation messing up.

hey my mate half guggie one he is up for the gig aswell is it ok if we put him in. he has aorted his looks out he no longer looks like a junkie. i believe he is ready to be promoted.

my mate is ready he will come end of this month.

i spoke to fatty and explained to him he has to move his office within 1 month and start fresh. he is doing well he keeps his head down he dont link the junkies anymore. he did not get any probs on his last journey. he said the last place was too expensive, they were paying 300 pounds a week oin rent alone. the tj''s could not accomatade him.

the guy who was suposed to link z's girl decided he will not try again. fatty is looking for some one else to go now. he has one canditate who goes the regular on business he will ask him soon.

my black mate said he is cool with a (rehersal) trial run. ill send him soon to the club for the week end. all the lads give their love. how is paps give him my love. guy who gave the camera he is up for work he isa top guy. he has experience in the field and tried doing a big gig b4 but things did not work out. but he is deffinatly ideal. is dont mind going to the france to work either. he will try to get us some projectors and papers for our giggs. when i told him about paps he was in tears.

alright then mate ill chat to u soon.

ill give you my no with in 2 days ins

laters

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Date: 5 Jul 2006

From: Pakistan

To: Ali

Subject: How are you babes

hi babes

i will get you the projectors and the taxi as soon as i can. can u let me know if aro want some as well??!!

nice to hear bout ur friend that sent the camera pls give him my love and tell him i will give him more info soon.

nice to hear fatty's in good shape!!

half gugie seems ok too.but i will confirm and let u know,but i dont think it should be a prob.

cant wait to hear ur sexy voice!!!!!!!

catch u soon princess!!!!!!!!!

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Date: 12 Jul 2006

From: Sarwar

To: Pakistan

Subject: where are you stranger

hiya,

no phone call from you yet. are you ok. my number is xxxxxxxxxxxxxx call me.

i have spoken to my friend and he will soon sought the prices for the phones.

have you spoken to abdul yet. i can send somone to abdul but you first need to speak to him and let him know that i need to get in touch with his friend.

also you need to speak to tall imy and tell him that you will passing his 2 girlfriends to me. i will sought this out from then.

everything is going good here. will need to send you some cd and dvds over to you soon.

don't forget to call me. bye

---------------------

Date: 14 Jul 2006

From: Pakistan

To: Ali

Subject: hi

unfortunately i have been unable to get through to u so here is my no. and you can get in touch with me xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

also regarding your friend that is coming,can you get him in touch with nabil and he can sort the rest.there is also another friend of yours who nabil can help.nabil can give u more details.

do u think half guj can help in getting the products u need???? he can be very helpful.

let me know asap pls.

dont forget the scales and radios pls.

love u babe bye

---------------------

Date: 14 Jul 2006#

From: Ali

To: Pakistan

Subject: read and get back quick!!!!!!!!!!

hi

sorry for the delay dude.

my no does work but my phone was mashwed up so it took me A WHILE TO get a new one. but it should be ok now. anyway ill call u soon.

i cant get hold of nabz tell him to get in contact with me asap. tell him to call me on the no i gave you. it should be ok now.

give me a email via nabeel to give to the camera dude so u guys and chat and make love, not literially before u get excited iu know wot your like.

he can help big time with the products he has experience also. he is ready for the job papu wants him to do.

kid and tariq give their love.

i need to chat to you well arange somthinmg on the yahoo chat.

guggie cant help as he dont look right, but he will if he does the job but not getting products. is it ok for him to join my band. wot did papu say.

take care

bye.

---------------------

Date: 18 Jul 2006

From: Ali

To: Pakistan

Subject: read and get back quick!!!!!!!!!!

hi whre u at dude.

i have been tryingi to call u but your phone aint going through.

there ar a few lads who wanna join up. we have about 4 lads..

spwak to u soon.

Bye

---------------------

Date: 22 July 2006

From: Sarwar

To: Pakistan

Subject: Hi

Hi

The following orders should be ready for delivery by next Saturday

40- 100ml (CK ONE)

30-100ml (POLO SPORT)

YES…BOTH AT £80.

Bye for now.

---------------------

Date: 04 Aug 06

From: Pakistan

To: Ali

Subject: you got to tell me bbbbbbbbbbaaaaaa aaaabeeeee!!!!!!!

hi

regarding the camera dude why are u still seeing him???? pass him on to nabs and all the other dudes u know to be useful full time telephone operators.

your skin infenction is contageous dont want it spreading.

by the way how bad is it do u always get it when you go out or is it only sometimes???i need as much details as possible so my friend the skin specialst (paps ) can help. do u think u can still open the shop with this skin problem?? is it only minor ??? or do u think u can still sort an opening time without the skin problem worsening??

has kala done his rapp show?????

pls reply to my queries by text msg

love u honey poops!!!!!!!!!!1

PS. have any of the shop assistants with u also got this infection?????//

---------------------

Date: 06 Aug 06

From: Ali

To: Pakistan

Subject: you got to tell me bbbbbbbbbbaaaaaa aaaabeeeee!!!!!!!

its not all the time its here and there usually when i link someone by my self. i aint nothing for a while now. ill still open shop. i dont think its so bad that i cant do work but if i feel really ill let u know. make isti and ask paps to make isti too. y im still linking cam man is cos i have been linking him for a while and aint had no probs. we both take care. n to cut off one time is a bit bait i think. of course i dont link anyone new. im trying to sort nabs out wid a yard and he needs some doll and other bits and bobs. i also have to arrange for the printers to be picked up and stored, let me do this then ill take a back sit.

i have done my prep all i have to do now is sort out opening time table and bookings. that shoul take a couple of days.

im still waitiong for kala to link me and do his rap song. everyday i send a msg to him, he is late by 7 days.


By Vincent Rossmeier

Vincent Rossmeier is an editorial assistant at Salon.

MORE FROM Vincent Rossmeier


Related Topics ------------------------------------------

Terrorism