"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.

[mewzilla]

What in tarnation does AQ have against Groundhog Day?

[SquirrelKing]

Bring it on, zombies!

[TomGuy]

We needs a clock!

We used to think those old guys in long beards on street corners carrying the signs, "The End Is Near", were just nutcases. They might have been Al-Qaeda warning their kinsmen. How cunning! How diabolical!.

[LayoutGuru2]

Here is your clock!

End US

[Grampa Dave]

Acutally, your own predictions make better reading and are probably more accurate than anything from Decakka.

Happy New Years

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1049135/posts?page=71#71

To: Momaw Nadon
Predictions for 2004: 1. Howard Dean will be seriously injured in a landslide.
2. "Code Red" Mountain Dew will play a key role in the next terrorist attack.

3. Barabara Walters or Katie Couric will nod in sympathy as Saddam Hussein discusses the angst of beheading pregnant women.

4. CBS News realizes its ratings are horrible and shocks the nation by making Brit Hume the highest paid network anchor in broadcast history.

5. The Passion of the Christ surpasses Lord of the Rings in worldwide box office figures, crerating numerous job openings around Hollywood.

6. The Passion of the Christ is nominated for an Oscar, but loses to a Halle Berry film.

7. Libya will receive a very public financial endowment from the United States.

8. Young Assad will realize he's cornered.

9. CIA will "bitch slap" the FBI with solid evidence that the anthrax attacks originated in Pakistan.

10. Civil was will erupt in Pakistan as President Musharaff decides to apprehend Bin Laden once and for all and move to suburban Chicago.

11. Saddam will be sentenced to life in a spider hole shortly after the U.S. "stumbles upon" a chemical weapons tomb in the Syrian outback.

12. The new California legislature will be busy applying tourniquets to Gray Davis' "Category IV" path of destruction.

13. Chechen al Qaeda "contractees" will enter the United States and attempt to set off a dirty bomb in Washington D.C. or lower Manhattan.

14. Re-elected President Bush will authorize a covert war against Colombian drug cartels.

15. The economy will grow considerably as foreign investors pile back in.

16. Israel will end Iran's nuclear ambitions; Egypt and Jordan will secretly applaud.

17. Taiwan will have no friends.

18. Kim Jong-il will be put out of his people's misery with the help of a Chinese assassin; Most favored nation trading status will be reiterated for Beijing.

19. Russia will become less and less relevant to world affairs.

20. Arafat will take his place in the eternal fire.

21. Pope John Paul II will live for yet another year in spite of debilitating disease; Christopher Hitchens will declare him the anti-Christ anyway.

22. Someone will sue the United States government for recognizing Christmas and Easter as federal holidays; the 9th Circuit Court will eventually declare God illegal.

23. Another 1.5 million babies will never see the light of day.


71 posted on 12/31/2003 6:11:56 AM PST by Rutles4Ever

[NonValueAdded]

Indeed, perhaps they misunderstand the significance of the "holiday" of groundhog day. Maybe they're in a really great union (Amalgamated Terrorists?) that arranged for groundhog day to be a paid holiday and they are confused? Or they have a very subtle sense of humor and want to etch a few shadows on the side of the buildings that remain? Ouch.

[NonValueAdded]

Re your #4 concerning Brit Hume - he SHOULD be the highest paid anchor and any network would be well-advised to hire him on the spot. That said, there is not a chance we will see Brit on CBS.

[Leatherneck_MT]

It never ceases to amaze me how these vermin infested scumbags think that by destroying one city in America they will destroy our country.

Here's a heads up Maggots. You can destroy 3/4's of the Cities in this country, and when we dig out the rubble and bury our dead we WILL Exterminate you as a race from the face of the planet and the remainder of Human History.

Tread lightly around Dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with Ketsup.

[lchoro]

Assessing Islamist Web Site Reports Of Imminent Terror Attacks In The U.S.

http://www.memri.org/bin/latestnews.cgi?ID=IA15603

It sounds like the above warning falls in category 2.
The high volume of messages reporting the same threat
probably requires the authorities take precaution.

[Hank Rearden]

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

To the contrary, I'd expect more of the "It's really a religion of Peace" crap from the politicians. Would you REALLY expect awe-inspiring massive retaliation? Or more political tapdancing while seeking specific targets?

Suppose the Black Cube in Mecca were vaporized in retaliation? Wouldn't that just maybe get the Moos to ponder whether God's really on their side? But it wouldn't ever happen.

[Grampa Dave]

I didn't post that comment about Brit.

Of course there is no way that the Clinton BS non news net would hire Brit.

Having said that, of the 3 major nets, CBS might be the closest one re hiring a good conservative. They have a few pro America/American/military shows with Jag and Navy CSI.

Happy New Year!

[CharlotteVRWC]

Saddam kind of looked like a sick groundhog when he crawled out of his hole.....probably hasn't seen the light of day since.

[b4its2late]

Wow. Sick $astards......

[Pro-Bush]

February 2nd, 60 days after Ramadan. Ring a bell?

[flashbunny]

Bumped for reading on february 3rd.

[Empireoftheatom48]

We have heard this all before. Yawn!!

[goldstategop]

Al Qaeda meets Puxtatstawney Phil Groundhog. Film at 11.

[JustPiper]

My Goodness!

[JustPiper]

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.

You know I'm worried about the square, everything ok there?

[bootless]

Feb 2 is Eid, isn't it?

The Eids of February - har har.

Well, I remain ever vigilant, but their publicity just toughens our defenses and our skins. I don't see a lot of nail biting going on.