Posted on 06/02/2002 9:57:57 PM PDT by TaRaRaBoomDeAyGoreLostToday!
CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - The spokesman for the al-Qaida terror group has threatened more attacks on Americans and Jews in a message published by the pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat Sunday.
"We confirm our continuation in working to attack Americans and Jews, and targeting them, both people and buildings," Al-Hayat quoted Sulaiman Abu Gaith as saying in an article that the newspaper said was published on the Web site www.alneda.com. The site could not be accessed on Sunday.
"What will come to the Americans, God willing, won't be less than what has come. America should be ready and on high alert and fasten the seat belts, as with the will of God, we will come to them from where they didn't expect," Abu Gaith was quoted as saying. The newspaper did not give Abu Gaith's whereabouts.
Gordon Johndroe, a spokesman for the White House Office of Homeland Security, said Sunday in Washington that he was not familiar with the report and could not comment on its credibility.
Speaking generally of such threats, however, he said: "We have said for some time that al-Qaida is still interested in attacking the United States. We have been working since Sept. 11 to try to prevent and disrupt their organization from attacking the United States and also to strengthen our critical infrastructure and response capabilities against future attacks."
People purporting to speak for al-Qaida have also made threats against Jews and Westerners since Sept. 11.
Last month, FBI Director Robert Mueller warned of a possibility of a new terrorist attack against the United States.
"There will be another terrorist attack. We will not be able to stop it," Mueller told a meeting of the National Association of District Attorneys on May 20. "It's something we all live with."
Abu Gaith said the United States was targeted because of "what it does in regions of the Islamic world," and of being "in the partnership with Jews, the head of corruption and decay ... the reason behind all the injustice and oppression that befell on Muslims."
He said all that Israel was doing in Palestinian territories for more than 50 years was with "American blessings."
He said U.S. policies in Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia as well as in Sudan, the Philippines, Kashmir and Indonesia were against Muslims.
"After all of this, doesn't the prey have the right, while it is being slaughtered, to kick back?" he was quoted as saying.
Abu-Ghaith was stripped of his Kuwaiti citizenship in October after the former teacher and mosque preacher appeared in television broadcasts on behalf of Osama bin Laden, the prime suspect in the Sept. 11 attacks, threatening more attacks against Westerners.
Since the United States and its allies toppled Afghanistan's Taliban rulers, who harbored bin Laden and al-Qaida, bin Laden and other al-Qaida key figures remain at large.
AP-ES-06-02-02 2118EDT
This story can be found at : http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGA71DRNZ1D.html
This is most likely a re-activation of people already in the US. We could bomb the Middle East to kingdom come, and they'd still hit. In fact, they'd hit harder since they would have nothing to lose.
That being said, two things leap to mind when reading this article.
First, this article has convinced me that we should fire the FBI head:
"There will be another terrorist attack. We will not be able to stop it," Mueller told a meeting of the National Association of District Attorneys on May 20. "It's something we all live with."These are the words of a demoralized man. They may well be accurate, from a practical viewpoint. But to me this message is "Don't blame me; we don't try to prevent these acts, since we can't, so we have an eternal excuse for failure". I don't think this is a way to rally the troops right before a major battle.
Finally, I hope everyone remembers what Saddam Hussein said about the Gulf War: That it was the Mother of all Battles, etc, etc. All Middle Easterners talk that way, regardless of concrete facts. We should be prepared for a problem, but not intimidated by it.
D
Go here Post # 18
"The only defense against these terrorist is offense. Unless we stop them, there will be another terrorist attack. We must do all we can to defend, of course, it's something we all live with — until they are destroyed."
Mueller/Chaney and ? say that future attacks from the Islamic terrorists are unavoidable.
Then, GW informs the Evil Empire via his speech at West Point, that we may use Pre Emptive Strikes to handle/stop/destroy our enemies in this war.
Pre Emptive Strikes are a relatively new concept for America and our military in a war, for at least the last 57 years. The Islamic Thugs must have soiled a lot expensive silk robes from Harrod's when they heard that comment from GW.
By the way does everyone know when Mueller was sworn in as the FBI Director?
How about 4 SEPTEMBER, 2001. 7 DAYS BEFORE 9/11!
Anyone who wants to fire him for not being ready on 9/11 is an agent of Bill Clintooon and Jake Reno trying to rewrite history of why we were attacked on 9/11!
1. Terrorists are warning of another even bigger hit on the US.
2. Rumors of Scuba purchasing terrorists in NY and Miami.
3. Hatred of the Jews.
4. To kill lots of people, you need lots on people in a small three dimensional volume. Flat concentrations are too spread out.
5. To kill lots of people, they need to be contained so they can'y get away from fire, etc.
6. Two containers meet the bill, large highrise buildings, and large cruise ships. Highrise building must be hit on weekdays when they're full, but emergency services are available. Cruise ships can be hit on a weekend when emergency services are much less available.
7. I think a large cruise ship will be hit on a Sunday, probably in port just as it's returning from a 7 day cruise. It will be in Port Miami, on the world's largest cruise ship the Royal Caribbean Voyager (4 to 5 thousand on board including crew). A very high percentage of Jews will be onboard.
8. Attack will be from below the water, above the water, and on board, and possibly from the air.
9. The Voyager like many cruise ships flys the Liberian flag. Terrorist crew mwmbers would hardly stick out.
10. I hope I'm totally wrong.
"Ridership on cruise ships has increased exponentially over the past ten years. Ten years ago, a cruise ship of 70,000 gross tons was the largest in the world. Today, we have an entire class of cruise ships that exceed 140,000 gross tons. These new mega-ships carry upwards of 5000 passengers and crewmembers. A successful terrorist attack on any one of these ships could result in a catastrophic number of casualties, and threaten the economic viability of the entire industry.
"Just last week, Coast Guard units in Miami, along with the FBI, responded to a bomb threat against a cruise ship capable of carrying approximately 3,000 passengers and 1,000 crewmembers. The ship implemented their security plan – a plan required by the Passenger Vessel Safety Act - to prevent the threat from being realized. We successfully ensured the safety of the passengers, crew, vessel, and port as a whole."
Maybe just like the WTC, they have tried it before?
My sentiments exactly. This current strategy is the stupidest thing perpetrated on Americans in the last 100 years. Most of the people in certain countries, such as SA, support these groups. Therefore, they need to SUFFER for it. If we don't want to really go to war against all these countries, then we should just take out Mecca and Medina.
How many thousands of years will it take to take out all our enemies one terrorist at a time? What will make any of them decide to stop the terrorism if they never pay a penalty for it??? All we do is give them rewards in the form of more foriegn aid and free trade agreements. It's utterly assinine!
I'm a long way from being an agent of Clinton or Reno. It has been nearly nine months, since the largest attack ever, on US soil.
I am entirely disappointed by Mueller, Ridge and the INS director, during that post 11 Sep. 2001 period. Maybe you are impressed. If so, we can agree to disagree. I like Bush, but he probably has a tendency to keep loyal but inept people around, too long. I expect more.
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