Officials say al-Qaida operatives may be fully trained airline pilots

MSNBC.com ^ | 12/22/03 | NBC

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Authorities raised the terrorist threat assessment over the weekend after new intelligence indicated that operatives of Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaida terror network, possibly trained and licensed to fly passenger jets, may now be pilots for some foreign airlines, ideally positioning them to carry out suicide attacks, U.S. officials told NBC News on Monday.

Reinforced cockpit doors intended to thwart hijackers after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks would now protect any terrorist pilot at the controls, the officials said on condition of anonymity.

Authorities would not describe the terror threats in detail publicly, but the U.S. officials told NBC’s Jim Miklaszewski that the threat alert would remain at “orange,” or high, through the end of January, which they said was an indication of its seriousness.

[thoughtomator]

http://denbeste.nu/cd_log_entries/2002/03/Dirtybombs.shtml

[NewLand]

what would you have put the odds at that we would NOT be attacked 2+ years after 9/11?

Don't know, but believe it keeps going up every year until we reach the next level of exchange. Remember, this is a 2000+ year struggle being played out worldwide for the ultimate stakes.

Don't kid yourself otherwise.

[Revel]

OK..Thanks

[rintense]

Lifelong disgruntled Eagles fan

I've got you beat. I'm a lifelong disgruntled Lions fan.

[Travis McGee]

AQ could care less about the capital cities of those Muslim countries and more going up in smoke. More martyrs for Allah...in pursuit of global jihad, even their own cities are just pawns.We're going to find out, sooner or later,

If Abdul will pray, to a glowing crater.

It's the black moon-god meteorite rock in Mecca that's the fountainhead of Mad Mo's mojo. That's what they care about. Not cities, not millions of Muslim lives in the balance. If you want MAD with Muslims, then you need to put Mecca on the table as a target.

[Beck_isright]

I concur. The AQ's have their backs against the wall. 2004 could be their final shot. Then if the American Muslims do not help us eliminate the threat, there is a risk. They will become the lepers of our society. And we have bigger problems then.

[NewLand]

Do you think we have a MAD policy that if we are hit again, Syria, Lebanon, and Iran get Nuked?

Not a chance. But, don't confuse my opinion on that solution with my reply. I called for that MAD action at approx 9:00a.m. EST on 9/11/01.

[WackyKat]

All I can think is that Big Brother is much better than we ever imagined. Thank God. It will be interesting to read the books in 100 years about the true scope of the WOT, all of the failed plots, the secrets counter-terror effort, things the public today must not know.

I've assumed since 9-11 that there have been numerous secret arrests and killings of Jihadis, both abroad and domestically.

[Pubbie]

No - I'm not just saying to nuke countries at random - I'm saying we should nuke Iran Syria and Lebanon because they ARE involved with AQ.

Hezbollah works with AQ and Iran and Syria control that terrorist organization.

So destroying these three countries would scare Muslims because AQ bases or their Allies are in these countries. (Bin Laden is rumored to be in Iran)

[Beck_isright]

MAD doesn't work with these people. We must just keep killing every anthill, every cave full, every member of these movements and their supporters. No negotiation. Just victory.

V

[Jeff Chandler]

two rural locations — one in the East and the other in the Southwest

Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, AZ. In the flight path to Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. They'll surely divert air traffic, but the stadium is five miles from the airport.

[Pubbie]

"We must just keep killing every anthill, every cave full, every member of these movements and their supporters."

No but Iran Syria and Lebanon is WHERE AQ or it's allies are hiding - if we threaten mad against those countries then there is a reasonable chance of deterence because it would be THEIR leaders asses that are in the crosshairs.

See my post at 229

[Travis McGee]

You still don't get it. AQ doesn't CARE if we nuke any cities you name. They would WELCOME killing half of the Muslims in the world, for example, to kill all the Jews in Israel and erase the Jewish state.

They only care about Mad Mo's Mecca moon rock, NOT humans, not even millions of Muslim humans.

[Pubbie]

"AQ doesn't CARE if we nuke any cities you name."

They do care if you threaten to nuke their leaders and their allies who ARE in Syria Lebanon and Iran.

The underlings don't carry about dying - but their leaders DO care and do NOT want to die - that's why we should threaten to take them out in the States that sponsor them.

PS: I would also support MAD against Mecca, just to increase the level of deterence.

[oceanview]

its the domestic part that bothers me, we aven't heard of any domestic arrests other then the buffalo and portland cells. and there surely are more, alot more, inside this country. this, in my opinion, has been the weakest part of the war on terror, what we are doing domestically. the cooperation of the US muslim community in "outing" those amongst them has been next to zero. so long as these cells don't activate, they are hard to identify. they can just live their normal american lives, get their communications through various internet sources that are not traceable, and wait to be activated.

[thoughtomator]

It wouldn't be MAD, because that means "mutually". It would be unidirectional destruction, though no less assured for it.

[Travis McGee]

This movement is far beyond leaders. This is a Western misreading of the dynamic. This movement exists in a thousand madrassa schools and millions of boys more brainwashed than any Hitler Youth ever were at the peak of Nazi power. Kill the top 100 leaders of AQ and it will just morph into a new AQ.

It's the moon rock, and only the moon rock, that they fear....losing.

[TBall]

MAD might not work, but America will prevail. I truly believe that across the land fear is being replaced by faith. Watch and see, America is ready to fight till the end for freedom and liberty.

[TexKat]

Don't the Bin Ladens have some interest in the Saudi Airport?

[WackyKat]

so long as these cells don't activate, they are hard to identify. they can just live their normal american lives, get their communications through various internet sources that are not traceable, and wait to be activated.

I suspect that the really dangerous, hardcore sleepers are among the most seemingly "Americanized" Muslims, not the recent immigrants.

They speak English fluently, have attended college here, have good jobs, belong to community organizations, etc