Operation Gamble

This article is part of the Counter-Terrorism Portal project of Spinwatch.

Operation Gamble was the codename given to a counter-terrorism operation undertaken on 1 February 2007 in which nine Muslim men were arrested in dawn raids in Sparkhill, Washwood Heath, Kingstanding and Edgbaston – all areas of Birmingham. The operation was headed by the regional anti-terrorism command - the West-Midlands Counter-Terrorism Unit.

The plot allegedly involved abducting a British Muslim soldier, beheading him and posting the video of the beheading online.

The operation was overshadowed by the numerous accounts and reports that it was rushed to move attention away from the intense criticism surrounding the 'cash for honours' inquiry that had engulfed Downing Street and the reports that Britain's prisons were over-populated due to New Labours tough attitude toward law-and-order. The operation also faced intense criticism for being undermined and compromised becuase of leaks and misinformation that were put forward by Whitehall.

See Also

• Operation Crevice
• 2008 Counter-Terrorism advertising campaign
• Counter-Terrorism Timeline
• CONTEST
• PREVENT