Another Al Qaeda Plot? Officials: Al Qaeda Interested in Hijacking Cargo Planes

ABC News ^ | ABC News

[MindBender26]

Another Al Qaeda Plot? Officials: Al Qaeda Interested in Hijacking Cargo Planes

Nov. 7— U.S. officials have received intelligence indicating al Qaeda is interested in hijacking cargo planes and crashing them into U.S. targets, sources told ABCNEWS.

Nevertheless, officials have decided against raising the terror threat level. It remains at yellow, or elevated.

Homeland security officials received information early Thursday indicating the terrorist network may be planning to hijack non-passenger planes, which would be crashed into domestic targets in simultaneous attacks, sources told ABCNEWS.

The sources said the information has not been corroborated and that it did not mention specific targets, locations or times of the possible hijackings.

Homeland security officials had considered raising the terror threat level from yellow to orange — high. But for now, they are issuing an advisory to state officials and planned to hold conference calls tonight with homeland security coordinators from each state.

Warnings in New York and Abroad

The purported al Qaeda threat came after New York state officials today issued an advisory to law enforcement to take extra precautions and have heightened awareness of divers and security threats against water supplies between from Nov. 9 to Nov. 11.

Patrols along bridges, tunnels and airports had been increased, law enforcement sources told ABCNEWS, in part because it is Ramadan, the Islamic holy month.

The New York state advisory said "soft targets" such as shopping malls, power plants, nuclear power plants and marine facilities and vessels reachable by scuba were a primary concern.

Still, sources said, there was no evidence of a specific threat against New York state. The advisory was based on any new information but on the knowledge of recent tactics by terror groups including and affiliated with al Qaeda, sources said.

Meanwhile, officials in Saudi Arabia said today Americans traveling in the region should take extra precautions because of information indicating terrorists may be planning attacks against U.S. interests there. The U.S. Embassy in Riyadh said it was shutting down its missions in Saudi Arabia starting on Saturday for an undetermined amount of time.

[MindBender26]

There is a large stone in Mecca. Now big a nuc needed to turn it into dust?

[Chad Fairbanks]

A backpack nuke would suffice, I'm thinking. If that. Conventional weapons are more than enough to handle the job. If it can get through the thick coating of dried saliva that coats the thing...

[tubavil]

Nothing to see here, go about your business ping.

[oceanview]

where are they going to get a backpack nuke from? they would have used that a long time ago.

i saw no extra security at any of the bridges coming home tonight.

[Mo1]

There is a large stone in Mecca. Now big a nuc needed to turn it into dust?

The terrorist are already trying to do that and blame the US

[Dialup Llama]

>Homeland security officials received information early Thursday indicating the terrorist network may be planning to hijack non-passenger planes, which would be crashed into domestic targets in simultaneous attacks, sources told ABCNEWS.

Thats why pilots should be ARMED Transportation Sec'y Pinheada!

[oceanview]

John Loftus on Batchelor & Alexander now. The alert is related to a Saudi, who was employed at a university in Canada that had a nuclear reactor, from where material is missing, and no one knows where he is.

[oceanview]

did this story that loftus is talking about appear anywhere on FR?

[Chad Fairbanks]

I was talking about US, not THEM ;0)

[Monty22]

Expect a loaded cargo plane with nuclear material crashing into someplace in the next few weeks.

[oceanview]

yes, this is exactly what loftus is saying.

[ysoitanly]

Question for all: what happened to the alert at the US embassy in Saudi Arabia and also all of the 'chattering' surrounding the lunar and solar eclipses and 'delivering four blows to America' and 'dividing the country in 3'? - no, it's just just Debka - Fox mentioned it. Anyone have anything?

[oceanview]

thread here now:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1017261/posts

[Carry_Okie]

Pineta is Bush's responsibility.

[Chad Fairbanks]

No idea. Must go look now, I guess.

[hispanarepublicana]

Federal Express: When it absolutely, nuclearly, has to be there overnight.

UPS: What can brown do to you?

[The KG9 Kid]

I've always said the next jet attack like 9/11 would be with cargo planes.

While we're walking around barefoot in long lines in the passenger terminal with the National Guard patrolling with unloaded M16s and arresting grandmothers with knitting needles, Al Queda will pass right by a sleeping unarmed guard in their stolen FedEx van headed for the undefended FedEx jets.

[ayoshida]

Why hijack? Charter.

[LikeLight]

Charter, or just use some of the many stolen airline pilot uniforms they've accumulated . . .

[joesnuffy]

Good thing cargo pilots are unarmed...thanks to Homieland Security and "Transportation Safety"