Shock and awe

Abstract

In a law court in Woolwich, London, last year, a 34- year-old man pleaded guilty to charges relating to a plot to detonate a radioactive dirty bomb. In the man's own words, the plot had been designed to “inflict mass damage and chaos”. Dhiren Barot was one of three men who plotted to attack targets not only in the north London suburb where they lived, but also across the Atlantic in New York and Washington. In this case, counter-terrorism officials uncovered the conspiracy before any attack could be carried out, but other incidents – including last November's deadly violence in Mumbai, India – illustrated all too clearly the danger of terrorist attacks.