Mideast edition, Saturday, July 7, 2007
ARLINGTON, Va. — A group of Muslim doctors in Britain planned to attack Naval Station Mayport in Florida, a British newspaper reported Thursday.
The plot was discussed on a Web site run by three men who are now in custody and are due to be sentenced on a variety of charges, according to the Telegraph. One message on the Web site outlined the proposed attack on Mayport, the newspaper reported.
“The first target which will be penetrated by nine brothers is the naval base which gives shelter to the ship Kennedy” the message said, an apparent reference to the USS John F. Kennedy, the Telegraph reported.
The attack also included attacks on “clubs for naked women” and using rocket-propelled grenades to blow up gasoline tanks, according to the Telegraph.
Navy officials had little further information Thursday.
“While we cannot comment on specifics, the Navy continuously monitors and assesses intelligence from a variety of sources and makes appropriate adjustments to its force protection measures to ensure the security of all Navy personnel and property,” said Bill Austin, a spokesman for Naval Station Mayport.
Ed Buice, a spokesman for the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, said NCIS is aware of many investigations into potential threats but is limited in what it can say.
“In regard to the information in news reports today concerning potential threats against the U.S. Naval facilities, NCIS’ position is that it would be counterproductive to discuss what was known, when, and the response to that information, other than to say NCIS is committed to serving and protecting the people and resources of the Navy and Marines, worldwide,” Buice said in a Thursday e-mail to Stars and Stripes.
