Don't know if the said controllers are reputed to be PIK or Atlantic House but either regularly control UK and other national military aircraft including combat and cargo. Most who know PIK will recall the massive US deployments in 1999 for the Kosovo campaign (C5's especially). These a/c were no doubt carrying munitions. Did the controllers think then that the bombs dropped on Kosovo didn't or couldn't kill children or does it depend whose 'side' we are on?
Doesn't anybody remember that rather than defending ourselves from incoming missiles, the UK invaded Iraq, a sovereign country (not a political statement but a legal one!). The logical extension of any 'unease' about handling military munition-bearing flights would be to refuse to deal with any military, including RAF and those training the pilots to drop the bombs (i'm sure the RAF's bombs hurt just as much!).
Let's not get carried away with the C4 News 'Arab good-Israel bad' line.
Anyway, here's a theory...
Why did the US military use civilian cargo flights, routed through civilian airports? They have military airlift capability and military airfields where a zero 'footprint' can be maintained.
Why were the flight plans visible (CFMU etc) and explicit in terms of content (I have seen similar plans and exemptions (not these particular ones) and they are generally vague)?
Why did the route necessitate a fuel stop in PIK? Could they not have routed thru Bangor and direct to Tel Aviv or tech stop in KEF with lower visibility?
Answer:
Either they were simply put out to civilian contractor and none of this was anticipated or
They had every intention of the world knowing what was being supplied and they could rely on the reactionary British Press to do the publicity for them.
If the intention was to send a message, then who to?
Hezbullah....maybe? Israel is hitting their underground bunkers and 'we want you to know that there are plenty where they came from'!
but who else has installations hidden underground?
Iran! Having learned from the Iraq raid in the '80's, their nuclear installations are underground.
Maybe the message is to Iran?; 'we have bombs that can reach you underground and we are giving them to the guys who are prepared and capable of using them'!
I usually assume that these things (the publicity) don't happen by accident.