Originally Posted by
GUWonder
IIRC, the British so-called liquid bomb plotters were arrested in a rush by the UK because of the US Government prematurely messing up a British intelligence and investigation operation. It wouldn’t be the first or only time, and that too speaks to the plot not having been operationally viable at the time of their arrests.
So, in spite of their own admissions in court that they planned and were working to make the liquid bombs, the physical evidence recovered from their home, and the film and audio evidence of them actually constructing the devices and talking about the devices they are still only "so-called" bomb plotters? At what point would they reach the stage that you would refer to them as "actual" bomb plotters?
Your recall is partially correct. The conspirators in England were arrested sooner than UK security officials desired because US security forces wanted to arrest Rashid Rauf in Pakistan. Rauf helped recruit, plan, coordinate and train the bomb-makers. Arresting him would have resulted in the bombmakers being tipped off and abandoning the plot so all were wrapped up before word of Rauf's arrest could get back to the others in England.