New Statesman Aug 21st 2006

The New Statesman (Aug 21st) has a cover focused on Al-Qaeda's plan for Britain. This alarming (alarmist?) story by Zaki Chehab compares the disoriented disbelief of families in High Wycombe with his own surprise at someone he knew turning out to be a 911 suicide bomber. Chehab's take is that al Qaeda's focus on Britain, as target and source of recruits is very strong. There isn't much direct evidence, but Chehab is writing with confidence. Dennis MacShane calls for Muslim leaders to stasnd up against the 'new totalitarianism'. John Pilger argues that the real threat we face is Blair, and Rageh Omaar asks for how much longer will deny that foreign policy is a factor in the motives of the government? Ziauddin Sardar reports on a gathering of the anti-jihadi Ahmadis, persecuted or repressed as heretics in much of the Islamic world.

Elsewhere the fall-out from the Second Lebanon War is examined by Haim Baram from Jerusalem on Israel's sense of defeat and gives a sense of the way that the fall-out will help Netanyahu. Sam Alexandroni reports on protests in Jordan.

Alice O'Keefe reports from Cuba on the prospects for change.