Terrorist threats to destroy US city posted on internet

UK Herald ^ | Jan. 15, 2004 | IAN BRUCE

[FairOpinion]

US and British intelligence services are investigating a series of alleged al Qaeda internet warnings predicting a terror attack which would "destroy an entire American city".

The messages, posted on a number of Islamic websites over the last week, say the countdown to attack has already begun.

They claimed it would be "an even stronger strike than nuclear weapons".

They also warn that unless the US and its allies withdraw immediately from Iraq, Afghanistan, and all other Muslim countries, the terror network has ordered the elimination of American leaders and their supporters. The post of most concern to Western intelligence has appeared three times in three days on a radical Islamic internet forum called the Mujahideen Network.

It claimed to be "from the Islamic nation to the American people" and boasted that its forces now had the ability to wipe out an entire city.

A security source said last night: "There is no way of determining whether these warnings are genuine or wishful thinking on the part of extremists. "But there are disturbing parallels with the background threat-level chatter which preceded the September 11 attacks in 2001."

The investigation came as the UN said almost 100 countries should be "named and shamed" for failing to enforce international sanctions against known members of al Qaeda and its Taliban allies and to block the flow of money and arms to the groups.

[John H K]

According to federal government sources, there are 123 chemical facilities nationwide that could kill at least one million people if they were attacked by terrorists. And some of these are in major American cities and can put 8 million lives at risk.

Please provide the exact source for that.

I have a feeling if you do it will be from the Northeast Stupidity Network or a similar site and of course their supposed "federal government sources" will unnamed.

[FairOpinion]

Fortunately our intel, law enforcement services and military are not as cavaliar at dismissing threats, but instead, ar trying to close vulnerabilities:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1058303/posts

Tests Show Washington D.C. Still Vulnerable From Air (to terrorist attacks)


"nearly 1,700 times since Sept. 11, fighter jets have successfully been scrambled to intercept or escort suspicious planes."

[Travis McGee]

Might I trouble you for a moment of your attention on the thread you have run away from, if it's not too much trouble? Over here, #83 and 86 I believe.

[John H K]

Extermination of all Arabs is going a bit far isn't it? I mean, you sound like them when you say such things.

I was making a DISPARAGING comment (could have been more clear, but I've spent so much time attacking the FR armchair genocidal war criminal brigade I assumed people would know what I meant) about a nut in the 10,000 post thread who wanted to exterminate all Muslims.

I wasn't advocating it myself.

One of the many reasons a lot of people on FR get frustrated at the failure of AQ to attack again is that they see another AQ attack as the only way their masturbatory fantasies of nuking Mecca, randomly lobbing nukes into Muslim countries, or roving gangs beating Muslim-looking people to death on the streets in the US, can be fulfilled.

[danamco]

Or, Clint Eastwood ("Make my day!") Or, Arnold "Terminator" ("Hasta-la-vista, Baby"!)

[roadcat]

Here's the source I got it from. Gary Cohen is the author.

The Chemical Industry's Bhopal Legacy

[Travis McGee]

I find it utterly fascinating how brash and arrogant and condescending you are on THIS thread.

If you know what I mean.

[FairOpinion]

"Please provide the exact source for that."


===

In general we provide MANY sources -- you, never have a single source for your denial of the existence of the threat.

But here is a specific source for the chemical plant vulnerability issue --- a letter signed by a bunch of Dems at that -- but they are quoting other specific government sources as well, we are not just taking the Dems word for it.

=====

http://www.house.gov/commerce_democrats/press/108ltr15.htm

The Honorable Tom Ridge
Secretary
Department of Homeland Security
3801 Nebraska Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20528

The Honorable Christine Todd Whitman
Administrator
Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20460

Dear Governor Ridge and Governor Whitman:

We are writing to request a meeting to discuss a pressing homeland security issue: the vulnerability of our nation’s chemical plants to terrorist attack.

As you know, there are more than 100 U.S. chemical facilities where a terrorist attack could expose more than one million people to toxic chemical gases. And there are more than 500 facilities where such an attack would threaten more than 100,000 people. The attractiveness of these facilities as terrorist targets has long been recognized, and was affirmed just weeks ago in a February 12, 2003 bulletin from the Department of Homeland Security’s National Infrastructure Protection Center (NIPC). NIPC’s Information Bulletin 03-003 stated that: “Al Qa'ida operatives also may attempt to launch conventional attacks against the U.S. nuclear/chemical-industrial infrastructure to cause contamination, disruption, and terror. Based on information, nuclear power plants and industrial chemical plants remain viable targets.”

Sincerely,

Jon S. Corzine
United States Senator
James M. Jeffords
United States Senator
John D. Dingell
Member of Congress

---

http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/03/19/sprj.irq.homeland/

Report cites chemical plants as attractive targets for terrorists
Ridge says steps being taken

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Scores of chemical plants across the country may be attractive targets for terrorists, according to a critical government report which says the federal government has not fully assessed that threat.

The report -- released Tuesday by the General Accounting Office, the investigative arm of Congress -- noted that an attack on a chemical plant could result in toxic releases that could harm hundreds of thousands of nearby residents.

Asked about the report, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge Tuesday conceded the possibility that terrorists could use chemical plants as a weapon, and said it was the subject of conversations Monday night with the nation's governors.

[roadcat]

"I have a feeling if you do it will be from the Northeast Stupidity Network or a similar site and of course their supposed "federal government sources" will unnamed."

Well I looked at the source site, and it is a liberal site with unnamed sources. Hmmn, I'll look for other sources!

[John H K]

But I suspect even God may allow them a measure of such destructiveness to wake our land up--perhaps to wake the world up. We went back to mindless sleep far too much and far too quickly after 911

Another couple reasons people on FR subconsciously hope for more attacks:

1) Seems a lot of people got a psychological "rush" from the whole Fall of 2001. Despite being horrified by 9/11 and the Anthrax, they seem to get a thrill out of the whole business, the constant fear, the idea of a grand WW III crusade; and granted, the US was pretty boring right before the attacks....the Condit scandal, etc. Now they've turned into junkies needing another "fix" of another major US terror attack. These are the people that repeatedly get offended whenever there's some accident in the US and people suggest that it was an accident; they'll desperately cling to the fantasy it was a terror attack for as long as they can.

These people seem to get offended that anyone else would eventually lead a normal life or buy a car or not spend 24/7 thinking about terror attacks.

I don't know what is meant by "mindless sleep?" I mean, the people qualified to do so in the government have been analyzing real actual AQ data, not silly websites. And we've invaded Afghanistan and Iraq.

If "mindless sleep" is Americans living and enjoying their lives and not obsessing over pretend terror analysis websites and jackoff supposed AQ websites, count me in for "mindless sleep."

2) The other cause are Apocalyptic religious nutballs with Armageddon on the brain. the whole atmosphere around the fall of 2001 really got them jazzed, and they hope for more terror attacks so they can revel in their End Times fantasies.

[FairOpinion]

"One of the many reasons a lot of people on FR get frustrated at the failure of AQ to attack again is that they see another AQ attack as the only way their masturbatory fantasies of nuking Mecca, randomly lobbing nukes into Muslim countries, or roving gangs beating Muslim-looking people to death on the streets in the US, can be fulfilled."

===

With all due respect (evaporating fast...), your statement above is more ludicrous, than anything I have seen the jihadists post. If you actually believe that, you are the one with some major problems.

[danamco]

Or, Clint Eastwood ("Make my day!") Or, Arnold "Terminator" ("Hasta-la-vista, Baby"!)

[Lazamataz]

crazy Islamikazis are trying to start World War III ...

They will succeed. Before my natural life is over, I will see the world rallied against the threat of Islam in a manner similar to the world rallying against Nazism.

In point of fact, Islam IS Nazism .... minus the good fashion sense, of course.

[MississippiMan]

I sure as hell hope our leaders have the guts to counter-strike if this ever happens, by targeting every major city of unfriendly arab countries with multiple nukes.

I see nothing to suggest that they do. Not bashing anyone, just calling it like I see it. Over time, our leaders have been so wholly seduced and absorbed by the Surgical Strike school of war that they've totally forgotten what real war is. When real war hits, the CITIZENS getting their butts kicked will do what it takes to avoid it the next time, namely, BEHAVE. When you do nothing but take out a few of the bad guys, you change nothing.

Compare WWII and the must-win-decisively drive, to the current "War on Terror." We changed the NAME of our operation so as not to offend anyone. That's never really thought about much any more, but I still find it a staggering reflection on how our leaders now think. Our president runs all over the world praising our enemies, under some notion that, what, it's gonna make them LIKE us? With the exception of Israel, who we're selling out to a gang of thugs, the entire Middle East hates our guts and wishes we would all die today. Heck, you're hard pressed to find Arab-AMERICANS who don't hate us!

No, I don't think our leaders have anything approaching the will needed to initiate a WMD attack on our enemies, not even in retribution for a WMD attack on us.

MM

[PoorMuttly]

"it's credit to God, luck and our intel services and law enforcement for preventing and foiling them....
The threat is real and could be devastating -- the way to prevent it is exactly by recognizing it and foil it and prevent attacks, not by pretending there is no threat, as some are doing."

Which is what our elected government is in fact doing for us...even now...even as chicken as you sound...and if I believed otherwise, I would say 'Be Gone, Troll"...

..but I think better of you...and you make a valid point....however wussy...which in time of War...

[John H K]

Here's the source I got it from. Gary Cohen is the author.

Without citing the SPECIFIC "government sources" the claim about "123 sources that could kill 1 million people" is unverifiable and worthless.

And the author appears to be an Leftist environmental radical. (Call me crazy, last time I checked those folks weren't popular sources on FR).

Check out Michael Fumento's work for the truth about Agent Orange, for example.

[PoorMuttly]

"But I suspect even God may allow them a measure of such destructiveness to wake our land up--perhaps to wake the world up. We went back to mindless sleep far too much and far too quickly after 911"...

...and WWII

[PoorMuttly]

Them Nazis had great tailors.

[Quix]

An interesting hypothesis.

Probably too true for some.

The Scriptures speak about such people and 'wishing' or looking with eager anticipation for such end time calamities. God is very sternly against such.

Mindless sleep for me is that which pretends the whole terror thing is all over but for the mopping up . . . that we'll never again have a serious deadly attack by the likes of Al Qaeda.

I get a kick out of watching God deal with evil. I don't get a kick out of death and destruction by evil.


Some of us take seriously the Scriptures about shouting the warning. We don't want the unwarned's blood on our hands.

I don't really expect a lot of people to pay much attention until after a certain level of events have happened. I mostly say a lot of things I say so that people will look back and remember and THEN LEARN. Holy Spirit is very good at causing people to remember such things at such times.

I believe Bush is doing his best to have responsible experts on top of as many factors, issues and aspects as possible. I believe we really did thwart some serious attacks since the first of Dec. But our best experts somehow blew it on 911, too.

You are welcome to whatever biases you have about end times, Biblical prphecy etc. We each have our biases about all of life. Some of them match "objective" reality better than others.

And, when reality is in a wholesale transition . . . it's pretty reasonable that there would be a great diversity of opinions and biases.

I'm pretty comfortable with my degree of successful hypothesizing about such the last 35-45 years. We shall see how the next few years go.

I believe this year will be a kick up several notches in terms of degree of unknown things occurring and rare things occurring more frequently.

I have prayed for God to wake the USA up with some sort of relatively benign thing like the electricity shut of in THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL. My impression is that He prefers to do it otherwise for His own unstated reasons. I THINK it has something to do with insisting that humans experience the costs of their poor choices much more authentically than my requested method would allow.

He's THE BOSS. And, He's playing for eternity--training rulers to rule over all Creation. I'm sure He knows what He's doing. I can trust that whether I understand it all, or not.

[Texasforever]

The threat is not over.

No it isn't but it does appear to they are playing with us. It is like false bomb threats, they are not real but those in charge have to treat them as such. It is a real and very expensive catch-22. Damned if you do and dead if you don’t. I don’t envy those that have to make the call.