Macedonian plot update

I blogged about this Macedonian plot about 2 weeks ago, but now the New York Times has reported on it. The New York Times report by Nicholas Wood includes rather gruesome photos and more information about how the plot has come to light:

Instead of offering troops to support American soldiers fighting in Afghanistan, as other countries in the region had done, senior officials and police commanders conceived a plan to "expose" a terrorist plot against Western interests in Skopje, police investigators here say.

The plan, they say, involved luring foreign migrants into the country, executing them in a staged gun battle, and then claiming they were a unit backed by Al Qaeda intent on attacking Western embassies.

On March 2, 2002, this plan came to fruition when Interior Minister Ljube Boskovski announced that seven "mujahedeen" had been killed earlier that day in a shootout with the police near Skopje. Photos were released to Western diplomats showing bodies of the dead men with bags of uniforms and semiautomatic weapons at their side.

At the time, diplomats in Skopje questioned the government's story, but it was not until the nationalist-led government lost elections in September 2002 and a new center-left administration came to power that the police began to investigate the shooting in earnest. The full extent of the state's involvement in the incident has only emerged in the last two weeks.

Let's see, 'conservative' nationalist politicians cook up phony anti-terror plot and cover it up; 'center-left' administration comes to power and eventually uncover the truth. This is just more evidence that good, competent governance comes from center-left parties, not right-wingers. (My political bias is showing!)

Well, it's safe to say many people in Macedonia have known or suspected the truth about this plot for quite a while. It is an exageration to suggest that 'just now' the truth is coming to light. Maybe it's more accurate to say that the truth is finally coming to the attention of the SCLM.*

*So-Called Liberal Media

Father, let me dedicate All this year to you
In whatever earthly state You will have me be
Not from sorrow, pain, or care Freedom dare I claim;
This alone shall be my prayer: Glorify Your name.
--from New Year's Hymn by Lawrence Tuttiett, 1864 (alt.)