"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.

[Jaxter]

"..and thousands of Chinese at the south posing as Mexicans."

I guess that explains the Mexican that called me a "glingo".

[sarasota]

It it were an "official" AlQ site, it would be buried in code so deep that the liklihood of discovery is miniscule.

[12GA]

Yes, a happy and safe New Year to all. Stay Well.

[freeperfromnj]

do you really believe that thetop AlQ leaders (I understand there are five) would release any information AT ALL on the internet?

I thought Zawahiri (#2 guy) and the probably-dead OBL recently released a warning tape. You're right about them using couriers -- but the couriers generally go to Al Jazeera and use them to get the word out. I would think they'd want to use the internet to get their message out for recruiting purposes. I find it hard to believe that we've gone into this high alert status (orange-plus in NYC) to the tune of millions of dollars a day unless they really believe there is a high probability that we could be attacked again. I don't, however, believe they have the capability to "annihilate" New York City.

[genxer]

ping

[Semper Paratus]

Febuary 2 now. I'm starting feel like "Phil" in Groundhog Day.

[nmh]

Could that be Februaru 2, 2004 in Times Square where they will drop the bomb at 1PM? LOL!

[international american]

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

ROTF

[jstolzen]

BUMP!!

[FRgal4u]

The al quaeda whackheads must be watching one too many times of Independence Day! God willing, an Earthquake will strike the Pakistani mountains and buried all these whackheads in one big shock. LOL

[mhking]

Lex Luther's latest scheme....

Just damn.

If you want on the new list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...

[b4its2late]

We needs a clock!

[Labyrinthos]

Someone with more java talent than me ought to be able to set one up.

[b4its2late]

You and me both.....

[thegreatbeast]

The video clip was accompanied by large, red-lettered Arabic captions saying: “If God wills it, the end of America is near.” See, there's the problems right there. THIS is God's country! And God has allowed us to kick Islamist a** every time they show themselves. These s***heads like to talk and ululate but that's about it.

[thoughtomator]

It must be really unsettling to be constantly dealing with the threats from these demon-possessed vermin.

Don't you have Democrats where you are, too?

Oh... you meant AQ. Well since their last threat ended up a dud, I'm not going to take this one seriously either. Remember the 100,000 casualty prediction for Ramadan? Their score: 0.

[Sender]

Dear Al Qaeda: A man may step on a tiger's tail, but only once. -Confucius W Bush

[ConservativeMan55]

LOL!

[NeoCaveman]

Lex Luther's latest scheme....

And on my dad's birthday, Groundhog Day too.

[sweetliberty]

"Don't you have Democrats where you are, too?"

LOL! Point scored. sadly, I'm right in the heart of Clinton Cult territory, but there are lots of good conservatives here too.