"Il Giornale" Reports Al Qaeda Promises to "Annihilate New York" on February 2nd (Debka)

Debka ^ | December 31, 2003 | Debka

[Rutles4Ever]

The banner headline spread across the front page of Il Giornale, the respected Milan daily reads:

“Al Qaeda: We will destroy New York within 35 days. Threat on the Internet. Countdown begins.”

The threat was contained in a video clip featured on a web site associated with the fundamentalist terror group. It announced al Qaeda plans to destroy New York in a nuclear blast on February 2. Il Giornale claims the FBI blocked and removed the web site.

The video clip showed three possible scenarios: 1. A bomb or giant fireball from the skies that will cover the metropolis with a radioactive cloud. 2. A storm of radioactive clouds that will topple skyscrapers one by one, along with the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge. 3. An explosion on board a charter aircraft that will cause a radioactive cloud to spread over the city.

The video clip was accompanied by large, red-lettered Arabic captions saying: “If God wills it, the end of America is near.”

DEBKAfile’s counter-terrorism sources say they cannot verify the authorship or gauge the seriousness of the threat because the Internet site is no longer accessible. But the report appeared in a newspaper widely viewed as the flagship of Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi. Such reports - even if not authenticated - tend to contribute to the mounting sense of alarm generated by “Orange Alert” in America and other Western countries.

It comes against the backdrop of appeals to New Year revelers to stay away from the traditional New Year’s Eve celebrations in Times Square, Rome’s St. Peter’s Square, Moscow’s Red Square and London’s Trafalgar Square – or even Disney World and the Las Vegas Strip. All these sites are surrounded by heavy security.

[Rutles4Ever]

Happy New Year, everybody

[Stentor]

ZZZZZ.

[cajungirl]

I dunno,,this seems like adolescent boys doing a prank but then again I could be in denial. At any rate, it is unclear if this is on Feb 2 or if it will occur by Feb 2.

[sarasota]

From the caves of Afganistan, yet another cry for jihad. Idle "chatter" or "real"?

[epluribus_2]

Can't we all just "MOVE ON" from all this war talk? We need to focus on universal access to health care, protecting the environment, and fair living wage for all...oops... I am in the wrong forum. Sorry.

[Recovering_Democrat]

Debka & Al Qaeda. 'nuf said.

[LurkedLongEnough]

What does the almanac say for Feb 2?

[Vinnie_Vidi_Vici]

If New York IS destroyed, I can guarantee a radioactive cloud, only it will be over much of the Middle East

[epluribus_2]

even drudge won't link to debka much anymore... that's bad.

[Puppage]

Dear al qaeda.....happy new year.BTW, it's not 72 virgins....IT'S ONE 72 YEAR OLD VIRGIN

Love, America

[xrp]

Either the groundhog will see his shadow or he won't.

[Asclepius]

If God wills it, the end of America is near.

Well, duh. And if God wills it, the end of the jihadis is near.

Perhaps they should address their concerns to God instead of trying to extirminate us.

[Quilla]

Somebody linked to this video on a thread last night. It appeared to be a compilation of clips from Hollywood-made movies - armageddon-like. If I hadn't seen the movies, it would have indeed spooked me.

[epluribus_2]

What does the almanac say for Feb 2?

Feb 2nd in the sunni calendar is the birthday of the ninth muftee caliphate Sobig Al Turdi of turdestan.

[freeperfromnj]

I know a lot of freepers don't trust Debka - understandable since they've been wrong many times in the past. One report they DID get right was the threat to NY, DC and LA which ultimately played a role in leading to this orange alert. They were a month ahead of everyone else.

[evets]

[epluribus_2]

It's hard when they have to go on about the Republican Guard division in Jordan, Chinese troops massing on Afghan border, Saddam in Belarus, WMD cache in well known but yet unexploited secret cave complexes, etc. mixed with the occasional correct story - usually involving something one could read right off Jerusalem Post's headlines.

[cajungirl]

You have an almanac,,I'm gonna tell!!!

[Dialup Llama]

>What does the almanac say for Feb 2?

An almanac person. Hmmm.

Feb 2 is yet another Islamic holy day of prayer, reflection and bombing.