Flights Cut on Fear of al Qaeda Attacks (NEW info: WMD use on planes planned by AQ)

Washington Post ^ | FEb. 1, 2004 | Sara Kehaulani Goo and Dana Priest

[FairOpinion]

Intelligence indicating that al Qaeda terrorists are seeking to release a chemical or biological agent aboard an airliner, or transport a radiological device in cargo, prompted the cancellation of six international flights scheduled for today and tomorrow, senior administration officials familiar with the reports said yesterday.

The possibilities, as described by three intelligence officials, include releasing an undetectable biological agent such as smallpox or anthrax aboard a plane that passengers would then unknowingly spread; releasing a chemical agent to debilitate the passengers and crew so the plane could be hijacked, and sneaking a radiological device aboard a plane inside a piece of luggage.

Small amounts of chemical, biological or radiological material would be difficult to detect.

[Axenolith]

Very true, it will need radicals in it, radicals motivated to change through, initially, ruthless trade and travel restrictions grading into a removal of their nations ability to wage modern war, then infrastructure, then holy sites (or some similar progression).

On a related note, I've worked recently with some Indian engineers, and I'm suprised as all get out that they haven't nuked Pakistan, or the Islamic world in general. Those dudes do NOT like Islam. What kills me is that, particularly in the case of Pakistan as a whole, they get repeadedly beaten like a red headed stepchild by India and continue to talk crap, support insurgents and threaten war. I have a feeling that the Hindu's are going to let the balloon go up on those guys before we do...