Intelligence on Election Threat Quieted

Associated Press ^ | Thu Oct 28, 5:32 PM ET | KATHERINE PFLEGER SHRADER

[Northwesterner]

By KATHERINE PFLEGER SHRADER, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - U.S. government officials say the level of information picked up about an election terror threat has ebbed recently, but they still believe the danger posed by al-Qaida has not waned.

Law enforcement authorities are making arrests and increasing surveillance, tracking several hundred people nationwide in a final push to break up any potential plots before Tuesday's elections or beyond.

Officials have been on alert for a possible al-Qaida strike since intelligence sources this spring and summer indicated the group's interest in such an attack. The sources were never specified publicly.

In the past four or more weeks, however, the various sources of such information have quieted down. That includes a decrease in the contacts and communications among terror suspects and sympathizers that governments can monitor. This often-ambiguous dialogue can include things as easy to track as postings to Internet chat rooms.

U.S. authorities are picking up less of that kind of traffic, according to officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Within the past week, U.S. officials also have said that some of the information from one intelligence source who led to the heightened election concerns now has been deemed not credible.

The FBI (news - web sites) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are arresting people who are considered a possible threat; they are usually being taken in on charges unrelated to a potential terror threat.

Law enforcement officials said "several hundred" people are under tighter surveillance ahead of Tuesday's election.

Since Oct. 1, agents have arrested 137 people on immigration violations in a stepped-up enforcement action aimed at finding those who may pose a threat to national security, ICE officials said. The names of some of those arrested appear on government lists of those with possible connections to terrorism.

Those people under heightened government scrutiny were identified through methods such as intelligence gathered inside and outside the United States; FBI interviews with an estimated 10,000 Muslims, Arabs and others based on investigative leads; and immigration database alerts triggered when someone violates the terms of a visa, such as failing to attend college as promised.

"We now have systems in place to address this vulnerability, and we are doing so aggressively," ICE chief Michael Garcia said.

Some Muslims worry the arrests and interviews could intimidate Muslims from voting, said Council on American-Islamic Relations spokeswoman Rabiah Ahmed. The FBI has had town-hall meetings and other forums hoping to ease those fears.

"Members of our community have been targeted for reasons that are often unexplained or untold," Ahmed said.

Democrats have suggested that the timing of some highly publicized terror warnings this year was designed to improve support for President Bush (news - web sites).

That includes a summer warning from Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge that terrorists might try to disrupt the political process. The announcement came shortly after Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry (news - web sites) named Sen. John Edwards (news - web sites) as his running mate.

Ridge and others have said politics do not play a role in security decisions.

Authorities are cautioning that they have no credible information about a specific attack, including a time, place or method of assault. Ridge has said the threat could extend after the election to the Jan. 20 inauguration and beyond.

No one is sure about the meaning of a decrease in dialogue monitored among suspected terrorists and sympathizers, and other incoming intelligence.

Some view such a trend as a warning, noting a similar lull in the summer before the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Before that lull, in July 2001, national security adviser Condoleezza Rice (news - web sites) has said the government picked up "frustratingly vague" messages, including: "Big event — there will be a very, very, very, very big uproar." Then came the lull, then the attacks.

Others see the decline this time as a potentially positive development, or a sign that al-Qaida might be inactive or weakening.

___

Associated Press writer Curt Anderson contributed to this report.

[Northwesterner]

Intelligence should broaden the scope to include DOMESTIC demonstrations, riots, etc. (if Bush is reelected)

Wacko Seattle is planning a demonstration and/or riot if Bush is re-elected

[FairOpinion]

"In the past four or more weeks, however, the various sources of such information have quieted down. "

Actually this is more ominous, than reassuring.

In 2001, there was a lot of chatter in July, then it went quiet in August, then the terrorists attacked on Sept. 11.

The chatter suddenly quieting down, plus the most recent tape of the AQ warning is very ominous indeed.

Not to be an alarmist, and I certainly hope we will foil the attacks, but I think the danger is very high.

I just hope the voters will stop and think about whom can they really trust to fight the terrorists: Bush or Kerry.

[xzins]

"Members of our community have been targeted for reasons that are often unexplained or untold," Ahmed said.

Duhhh...

Wake up and smell the roasted Arabica

[Henchman]

Surveillance? By whom? The FBI? We are in danger, they usually loose the subject just before something happens.

[B4Ranch]

>> Within the past week, U.S. officials also have said that some of the information from one intelligence source who led to the heightened election concerns now has been deemed not credible. <<

Worried now that stressed out voters may do something crazy?

[HitmanLV]

It's called 'radio silence' people! Stay vigilant!

[Happy2BMe]

BTT -

[Happy2BMe]

Special 'Town Hall' voter meetings for Ahkmed and Abdul - ping.

('Intimidate' Muslims from voting - yeah, right.)

__________________________________________

Some Muslims worry the arrests and interviews could intimidate Muslims from voting, said Council on American-Islamic Relations spokeswoman Rabiah Ahmed. The FBI has had town-hall meetings and other forums hoping to ease those fears.

[Happy2BMe]

Patterns of Global Terrorism - 2000 Released by the Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism

"FANATIC SHEIKH'S VIDEOS OF TERROR "A Nice, Clean War""

By Gary Jones, Chief Reporter Kanchan Dutt And Don Mackay

MUSLIM leader Sheikh Abu Hamza has told young British Supporters that murder, bank robbery and looting are legitimate weapons against the enemies of Islam.

BATTLE CRY: Sheikh Hamza speaking at a Trafalgar Square rally

Secret tapes obtained by the Daily Mirror show how the one-eyed cleric has urged violence at recruitment meetings across Britain - and warned that the infidel should be kept on the run.

Hamza, 44, appearing at an Islamic rally in London yesterday, denied telling followers that it was all right to kill w esterners living and working in foreign lands.

But on one of the six video tapes made at private meetings around the country the fanatic tells impressionable young supporters: "What are they doing there anyway? Most of them are spies.

"Even if they don't do anything - if Muslims cannot take them and sell them in the market - kill them, it's OK."

DANGEROUS TALK: Hamza in a clip from the secret videos obtained by The Mirror

Egyptian-born Hamza, who lost an eye and had both arms blown off by a landmine during the Afghan war against the Russians, is leader of the Supporters of Shariah movement based at the mosque in Finsbury Park, North London.

He has denied recruiting British Muslims into the al-Qaeda terrorist network and claims inflammatory statements attributed to him are fabricated.

But at meetings behind closed doors, he urges followers to take up arms against the infidel.

"We have to push our children to the front line," he said. "Everybody wants his son to be killed like a lion."

Hamza said anyone standing in the way of his Islam would spend their life in fear.

HE warned: "They should always be worried. They should always be on the run. They should always feel insecure."

At a mosque in Birmingham, the sheikh issued another call to arms.

He said: "Why should there be a battle? Why should there be an argument?

"But a struggle means sometimes arguing to convey the message. Even if it means you convey the message by carrying a sword.

"Allah wants to know who will sacrifice for him."

During a question and answer session, Hamza said banks were a Jewish establishment, the work of Satan.

Robbing them and kafirs, or unbelievers, could be acceptable because they were not protected by Allah. He said: "I say go and do it (steal), take shoot and loot.

"Every battle has its purpose. Ours is to put the authority of Allah and humiliate kafir who are challenging the authority of Allah and Muslims.

"Sometimes you will feel too weak to go on, but you say 'I still have some strength to humiliate and kill and remove some of the germs who are making me weak so that people who come after me can carry on with weaker enemies'."

Hamza also backed burglary and theft from non-believers. He said: "I can't see any problem giving yourself a free hand - getting yourself a new car.

"Go for their houses where you can loot and come back. It is like going to the forest and picking up wood from no man's land."

On one video Hamza says it is legitimate to wage war against targets such as the American embassies in Dar es Salaam and Nairobi which were attacked by al-Qaeda in 1998.

The sheikh is also heard giving advice to those joining a jihad, or holy war. He said: "Allah made the contract that a certain kind of believer will fight in the cause of Allah ... they will kill in the cause of Allah.

"Jihad is their fight and it is also an obligation. But some people call this terrorism."

"Jihad is the only way to protect believers. Jihad comes first.

"I do not want you to say 'I believe in one God'. No, no. I want you to make trouble for kafirs.

"Before you can say I believe in you God I want you to put everybody's god in the dustbin.

"And so you insult kafir...you say there is no god except the creator Allah. You start the trouble.

"Allah will never ever allow the kafir to be pleased with you. He created them and he moulded them to be your enemy.

"Jihad is moving up and proving yourself. It is something for you to look for. Go and look for it." The sheikh has been linked to alleged shoe bomber Richard Reid - awaiting trial in America - Zacarias Moussaoui, the so-called 20th hijacker on September 11 who is on remand in the US, and Feroz Abbasi, from Croydon, South London, who is among the prisoners at Camp X-Ray in Cuba.

Hamza is wanted by America and the Yemen.

Questions are now being asked over why he has not been dealt with under the Terrorism Act 2000 outlawing support for radical Islamic groups and making it a criminal offence to raise funds.

The only time Hamza has been detained was in 1999 when he was questioned by Scotland Yard detectives on suspicion of terrorism offences. He was held for several days and released without charge.

Andrew Dismore, Labour MP for Hendon, North London, has spoken out since September 11 on Hamza's suspected links with terrorists and alleged anti-American comments. He said the videos were "one more argument that it is about time action was taken against Hamza".

The MP added: "I believe he has committed incitement to violence and I find it very difficult to understand why he has not been subject to prosecution.""

A SPOKESWOMAN for the Home Office said she could not comment on the Hamza case, but added: "We are monitoring a number of individuals and organisations.

"The Home Secretary has powers to deport someone who represents a danger to the public good.""

The spokeswoman said someone seen to be inciting the public could warrant a Government investigation.

She added: "If it was seen as a threat, for example, to national security that could be a reason to deport somebody." Scotland Yard said it would be keen to study the tapes to see whether the cleric had broken the law.

At yesterday's rally in Trafalgar Square, Hamza refused to condemn terrorist atrocities against the West and said he backed a jihad: "We support a nice clean war.

"We don't know any war other than a holy war. We are not going to spill blood unnecessarily."

Hamza even claimed New York's Twin Towers collapsed from inside because of "an America-Zionist plot to blame the Muslim world".

He said: "There is no way these buildings could collapse in that manner after three hours.

"Al-Qaeda may have ambitions to do that, but I don't believe they did.

"I'm a trained civil engineer and I know from what I have seen those buildings collapsed from the inside."

The sheikh denied ever urging young Muslims to kill westerners. "I haven't said that," he said. "It is a crude statement. If you leave us alone, we will leave you alone."

Four people were arrested during clashes between rally supporters and far-right demonstrators. Two speakers were also arrested.

Two British National Party supporters were bundled to the ground by police and handcuffed before being led off for public order and breach of the peace offences as a banner proclaiming "Bin Laden is a murderer" was unfurled.

Police, fearing more violence, ordered the rally's blaring speakers turned off.

Sheikh Omar Bakri Mohammed, who has called on Muslims to fight the "evil forces" behind attacks on Osama bin Laden, said: "We are moving towards dangerous times. We can only expect worse."

He denied inciting racial hatred but said any attacks against Iraq would bring retaliation.

[B4Ranch]

>>Some Muslims worry the arrests and interviews could intimidate Muslims from voting, said Council on American-Islamic Relations spokeswoman Rabiah Ahmed. The FBI has had town-hall meetings and other forums hoping to ease those fears.<<

There is a group of radical Muslims that promote killing anyone who isn't a Koran believer. Why any country in the world would allow these people to vote during elections, to change their constitution, to elect others who support the idea that non-Koran believers are infidels is beyond my capability to comprehend.

Why these people are even allowed to remain in our country is shocking. Any person who agrees that people must follow the radical Muslim line of thinking should be imprisoned or deported from America immediately. That includes those born here. Yes, there are American people who are traitors.

Anyone wanting to destroy our Constitution and Bill of Rights is an enemy of America and the American citizen.

If these radicals don't like it here, then they had better get the hell out before we get angry and decide that they will look better hanging by their necks than enjoying the freedoms we have fought for.

A QUESTION FOR ALL WHO COME TO THIS PAGE: Will we still be the "Country of Choice" and still be America if we continue to make the changes forced on us by the people from other countries that come to live in America because we have made America the "Country of Choice"?

[dinodino]

Why don't Mossad just whack this guy? Seems like that would be cheap and efficient.

[xzins]

Ahhh....another coffee lover.

:>)

[MeekOneGOP]

Since Oct. 1, agents have arrested 137 people on immigration violations in a stepped-up enforcement action aimed at finding those who may pose a threat to national security, ICE officials said. The names of some of those arrested appear on government lists of those with possible connections to terrorism.

Those people under heightened government scrutiny were identified through methods such as intelligence gathered inside and outside the United States; FBI interviews with an estimated 10,000 Muslims, Arabs and others based on investigative leads; and immigration database alerts triggered when someone violates the terms of a visa, such as failing to attend college as promised.

Well! Way to go, folks !!

[MeekOneGOP]

And it just occurred to me that the authorities need to make some recordings of every one of these jerks and compare the voice prints to that Video threat ABC has to see if possibly they already have "Hassan the Amerikan" under arrest.

Of course, I'm sure they're already on top of it. Hope so, anyway.

[Grampa Dave]

"And it just occurred to me that the authorities need to make some recordings of every one of these jerks and compare the voice prints to that Video threat ABC has to see if possibly they already have "Hassan the Amerikan" under arrest."

They are probably doing that. Also, they used the voice with Gitmo and other prisoners to identify this POS.

[ApesForEvolution]

HE (Moo Pig Hamza) warned: "They should always be worried. They should always be on the run. They should always feel insecure."

Hehehe. If this Muhammadan were to fall under a bus accidentally, I'd be more concerned about the bus...if you know what I mean. And of course, the outrage and confrontation from his own Muhammadan community, especially the "moderates" - has been deafening.../s

[ApesForEvolution]

I totally agree...close the borders and ports up, register-intern-deport-quarantine-detain, lather, rinse and maintain.

[MeekOneGOP]

..... Also, they used the voice with Gitmo and other prisoners to identify this POS.

Good! I hope they nail the bas*ard. And soon.