Av Olli Rein

Iran och Al Qaida planerar en terrorattack mot sommarens Olympiad i London. En attack som kan jämföras med massakern 11 september eller den vid Münchenolympiaden 1972. Den varningen kommer just nu från säkerhetskällor i flera länder. De senaste veckornas terrordåd mot israeliska mål i Asien ses av många som en övning inför sommarens mega-attack. Samtidigt trappar Iran upp samarbetet med Al Qaida.

As a result, Tehran has loosened restrictions on high level al–Qaeda operatives under its controls as well as offering financing and training to the terrorist group’s senior planners. Security experts said that recent intelligence suggested Iran and al–Qaeda could attempt to find a common project in Europe, possibly targeting the London Olympics, which opens in July. ”This is a warning to the West that ’if you consider attacking our facilities then there will be consequences’,”said Anthony Skinner, the director of the political risk consultants, Maplecroft”. ”This would be a significant development that would represent a massive upgrade in al–Qaeda’s capacity to strike.”

Sedan 2003 finns en AQ-planeringsgrupp stationerad i Tehran. Hittills har den tvingats hålla mycket låg profil  och närmast suttit i husarrest. Ledaren för Al-Qaida i Iran uppges vara syriern Yasin al-Sura, som USA utfäst enbelöning på 10 miljoner dollars på. Nu uppges gruppen ha fått full frihet att resa samtidigt som den fått omfattande ekonomiskt och logistiskt stöd av mullornas regim.

Iran and al Qaeda’s core leadership under Ayman al Zawahiri have established an ”operational relationship” amid fears the terror group is planning a spectacular attack against the West. There are concerns such an attack, possibly targeting Europe, would be in revenge for the killing of Osama bin Laden by the US last year. Sky News’ intelligence sources have said Iran has been supplying al Qaeda with training in the use of advanced explosives, ”some funding and a safe haven” as part of a deal first worked out in 2009 which has now led to ”operational capacity”.

Ett PM från MI6, som läckt till Sky News sammanfattar läget: “Against the background of intensive cooperation over recent months between Iran and al-Qaida, with a view to conducting a joint attack against Western targets overseas, Iran has significantly stepped up its investment, maintenance and improvement of operational and intelligence ties with the al-Qaida leadership in Pakistan in recent months.” The intelligence sources also told Sky News that Iran’s link to al-Qaida is “most likely to be used in revenge for any military strikes against Iran’s nuclear capacities. Iran wants to be able to say, ‘We can hit you back.’”

But one source warned: “The danger is that Iran and al-Qaida may be keen to show this capacity ahead of any attacks on Iran, as a kind of warning.”