RELIGION OF PEACE STRIKES AGAIN – AT 3:41 P.M. ET:  Something else for the Ground Zero mosque guy to explain – an apparent attempt on the life of Pope Benedict.  From London's Telegraph:

Police have arrested five suspected Islamist terrorists, working as street cleaners in London, over an alleged plan assassinate the Pope.

The men were arrested during raids at 5.45am at a rubbish depot in central London based on an intelligence tip off received overnight.

The suspects, aged 26, 27, 36, 40 and 50 were arrested by officers from Scotland Yard’s Counter Terrorism Command on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism.

They are said to be from a variety of nationalities including a number of Algerian origin.

The depot where they worked is less than a mile from Hyde Park where the Pope was due to hold a prayer vigil tomorrow evening.

As street cleaners they would have been able to move relatively freely and inconspicuously through the London crowds.

COMMENT:  Good work by the Yard, and a close call for civilization.  But I'm taking bets:  How long do you think it will be before these gents are released on grounds that 1) it was a misunderstanding, or 2) there's no hard evidence, or 3) we must try to understand Muslim anger? 

Britain is being warned repeatedly that it is in the terrorists' sights.  But the new, supposedly conservative government of David Cameron, has been a major disappointment, in part because it had to team with liberals to form a majority coalition. 

The pope is considered a major target of Muslim extremists.

September 17, 2010