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. According to a senior security source: if the group had "not found a suitable Muslim soldier to kill, it is quite possible they would have plucked an innocent member of the public off the streets and beheaded him."

It eventually emerged that the plot to kidnap a soldier was a grave exaggeration by the press and security oficials. Five men appeared in court, facing 12 terrorism charges, however only one of the men - Parviz Khan - was accused on "intention to kidnap and kill a member of the British armed forces". The other four men were charged and convicted with "supplying and funding terrorists" in Iraq. <ref name="Mirror 1"> Rod Chaytor, 12 Terror Charges..only one mentions kidnap and kill plot, The Mirror, 10 February 2007, accessed on 08.09.10

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 hardline attitude toward law-and-order. The operation was beleived to have been compromised because of leaks and misinformation that were made by Whitehall and Home Office Officials

See Also

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