Threat Matrix- Daily Terror Thread (4):

New York Post ^ | February 24, 2004 | By NILES LATHEM

[TexKat]

the coming geula

The following e-mail is being sent me almost daily. Pay attention, for soon you will not be able to pay your bills. This is a plan of a Mark System of Exchange, before a great EXOD-U.S which they say will be triggered Feb. 2004

[Domestic Church]

Bush orders OBL caught:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1087817/posts

[WestCoastGal]

Sorry :-(

If you want anything non perishable I could send it to you though. : )

It's funny I've wanted to get out of So California for years now and I always check to see if there is a TJ's in the city I am checking. They do have a lot more stores now than when they first started here.

[TexKat]

From IRIB Frb 29, 2004

Osama hiding near Pak-Afghan border.

Islamabad, Feb 29 - Afghan Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah has claimed that Osama Bin Laden and ex-Taliban chief Mullah Omar are still hiding near the Pak-Afghan border.

The Pakistani private NNI news agency quoted Abdullah as saying that it is hard to predict that both fugitives could be arrested soon.

"As a matter of fact, Taliban and Al-Qaeda (aspirations) have been defeated. According to the present situation in Afghanistan and international scenario, they can't come back to power."

He appreciated Pakistan's role in the fight against terrorism and said Pakistan and Afghanistan as good neighbours are cooperating with each other in different fields, especially in the war against terrorism.

"There is a great capacity of enhancing relations between the two countries."

"Terrorism is a great danger for Afghanistan and Pakistan (and) even for the whole world and it is the need of the hour to fight against it jointly," he added.

The Afghan Foreign Minister said that Afghanistan is satisfied with the tripartite commission consisting of Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States. The tripartite commission has been working for the benefit of all member countries in the interest of which matters pertaining to maintenance of security are being discussed, Abdullah added.

KH

Iran dismisses US claims on Al-Qaeda

05:53:12 È.Ù

Islamabad, Feb 29 - Iran on Sunday categorically rejected claims by a US state department official alleging that fugitive members of Al-Qaeda have taken refuge in the Islamic Republic.

"The claims are baseless since the stand of the government of Iran regarding sectarianism and terrorism is both transparent and a principle one," Mohammad Ebrahim Taherian told reporters.

J Cofer Black introduced by a local TV network in Pakistan as US state department's ambassador-at-large said Sunday that Tehran was in contact with Al-Qaeda.

"These Al-Qaeda operators are not only a threat to the US but they are also a threat to Pakistan," he went on claiming.

In response to his allegations, the Iranian envoy stated: "In our bilateral relations, Pakistan and Iran do not need a spokesman."

Taherian also remarked that Black's designation as presented by the GEO TV was not known to the diplomatic circles.

Reliable sources here told IRNA that Black was a department of state official as a coordinator of counter-terrorism and suggested that GEO producers might have made a mistake with the title.

They also said that Black served for 28 years in the CIA. In part of the TV interview, the US official was reluctant to answer some questions related to intelligence. He neither confirmed nor contradicted news on a recent secret visit of the US spy chi ef George Tenet to Pakistan.

He was neither ready to comment on a reported meeting between Tenet and Pakistan's senior nuclear scientist A.Q. Khan in Islamabad, but said that Dr Khan was definitely providing vital information about proliferation.

v.m

[Nemo1USA]

WELCOME HOME USS ENTERPRISE

http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/virginia/dp-va--carrierhomecoming0229feb29,0,7212706.story?coll=dp-headlines-virginia


Carrier USS Enterprise returns after six-month deployment


By the Associated Press

Published February 29, 2004

NORFOLK, Va. -- The nation's oldest nuclear-powered aircraft carrier returned home Sunday to adoring crowds after a six-month deployment supporting the war in Iraq and the global war on terrorism.

The USS Enterprise, displaying a banner reading "Hi Mom," pulled into Norfolk Naval Station at about 9:15 a.m. and fired a two-gun salute as family and friends cheered wildly from the pier.

"There was a bright blue sky with a brilliant sun, and lots of happy people with American flags," said Navy spokesman Lt. Jim Hoeft.

The "Big E's" 5,000 crew members weren't the only ones to get off the flattop on Sunday. Also coming home were more than 1,000 relatives, mostly children, of crew members who boarded the ship on Friday in Mayport, Fla. for what is known as a "tiger cruise."

[aculeus]

Don't know if the Hudson diver story was linked here but I've started a thread:


http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1087845/posts

[WestCoastGal]

This explosion sounds odd to me, how often does a fuel tanker ship explode? Very rarely. And, if heading from NY to Houston, they must have loaded the ethanol somewhere in NY, no?? Where do they offload stuff like this, could be New Jersey also.

Perhaps this was a timer situation gone awry. If not intentional then their safety situation must have been terrible and never allowed to enter our waters anyway!!

Add in the ferry in the Philippines going down and now Abu Sayef taking credit for that, kind of makes you wonder.

[WestCoastGal]

I don't remember this paragraph being on NEIN yesterday along with the picture.

Investigators from the Northeast Intelligence Network traveled to the area where the body of the diver was discovered and the area near the nuclear reactor, located approximately 12 miles to the north. Currents in both areas appear to be the same - 4 mph "tidal currents." The water temperature was warmer near the reactor as a result of the outflow from the facility, while temperatures gradually decreased to approximately 40 degrees F near the Danskammer Power Plant. Ice was prevalent on the east and west shores of the Hudson beginning approximately 1 mile south of the reactor. The diver found in the water was reportedly NOT wearing a "dry suit," which is recommended for water temperatures under 40 degrees F. It is unknown how long the diver had been dead or in the water, however law enforcement officials interviewed suspected that the diver entered the water at some point after dark on Saturday night or early Sunday morning. He was found on Sunday, 22 February 2004. Although a ship from Cyprus was in the area, there is little reason to believe that the diver originated from this vessel.

There is also a better newspaper report on this incident posted on FR here...

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1087845/posts

[WestCoastGal]

Also, this paragraph from the paper article is interesting........

Town of Newburgh police were focusing on identifying the body, but so far have not even determined whether the victim was a local resident or someone from a ship.

Detective Sgt. Margaret O'Neill said investigators were comparing the victim to recent missing persons reports, but wouldn't disclose details about the case.

"Until we identify him, we're not releasing anything," O'Neill said. The Coast Guard, which often investigates such incidents in the river, referred questions to another federal agency – Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which, like the Coast Guard, falls under the umbrella of the Department of Homeland Security.

[FairOpinion]

"9 Iraqi scientists murdered in past 4 months"

"You would think someone would have offered those scientists and their families a Witness Protection program out of that country."

===

Excellent point. I wonder why we didn't. Somebody dropped the ball. I just hope they will protect the ones that are left, and I am sure there must be more scientists with important knowledge.

[SCR1]

I would guess the Port of New York. This ship probably would need a deep water port. I also read in another article thay they off-loaded some ethanol in NY. I don't see how a person could swim the 50 or so miles from the tanker. SInce it is a river, I'd guess it would be flowing from the river to the ocean, so I don't think the body could drift upstream. Who knows the scope of what's going on. Of course as our gov't would like for us to believe, none of this is related to the WAR.

[knak]

I read that it had unloaded part of it's ethanol in new york then was heading to houston

[Labyrinthos]

I'd guess it would be flowing from the river to the ocean, so I don't think the body could drift upstream.

Although the Hudson River does flow to the ocean, it is also a tidal estuary with three foot tides as far north as Poughkeepsie, and with lessor tides as far north as Albany.

[TexKat]

Thanks DC for the heads up to thread Bush orders OBL caught:

The comments on that thread are interesting.

The title to the article I guess is the Aussies way of getting the readers attention that there has been a step up in the search for Al Queda.

[TexKat]

Thanks aculeus

[Domestic Church]

Yeah, it really looks like a democratic propaganda war weaving in and out of the rumors.

I still won't be surprised to find out OBL was taken or killed months ago.I suspect he was taken during the BAM operation.

[TexKat]

From the Pakistan Observer Feb 29,2004

The story behind the Osama story

Few observers agreed with the authenticity of an Iranian Radio report that Osama bin Laden, the most wanted man today, was apprehended “some time before” from Pakistan.

A close monitoring of three reports issued by the Iranian Radio and official news agency on Saturday regarding Osama’s alleged capture showed that there were several contradictions within three reports.

One report said that he was captured from Pakistan’s “tribal areas” while second report said he was “held in no-man’s land”. The third report added that “he was arrested some time before” while initial report suggested that he was held “few days ago”. The third report issued by IRNA said that he was held “long time ago”. But in all dispatches it was suggested that he was “captured” from Pakistani territory.

The IRNA report also quoted Iranian Radio report as saying that “Rumsfeld trip to Pakistan on Thursday had been made in connection with the capture”. Pakistan and American officials have denied any knowledge of Rumsfeld’s visit to Pakistan. However, Secretary of Defence, Donald Rumsfeld did visit Afghanistan last week and there was no confirmation of his visit to Pakistan.

An Iranian Radio broadcast on Saturday in its Pushtu Service bulletin claimed that Osama bin Laden had been captured from “tribal areas of Pakistan”.

Observers here noted that the Iranian Radio report was carried out during afternoon but was not repeated thereafter in its more popular Farsi or Urdu language broadcast.

The Iranian official news agency, IRNA, later issued what it termed as “a confirmation report” and added that “radio’s external service, broadcast in Pushtun, said US Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld`s trip to Pakistan on Thursday had been made in connection with the capture.”

The radio said, “the capture of the Al-Qaeda leader has been made sometime before, but US President George W Bush is intending to announce it when the American presidential election is held.”

The official news agency report claimed that “contacted by IRNA, an IRIB announcer at the Pushtun service, confirmed the news, which he said, they had got from a `very reliable source` in Peshawar, Pakistan.”

“Osama bin Laden has been arrested a long time ago, but Bush is intending to use it for propaganda maneuvering in the presidential election,” the broadcaster was quoted as saying.

“Osama`s head on a platter is believed to be a big boost to Bush`s presidential chances, which are increasingly being eclipsed by Democratic presidential front-runner John Kerry,” IRNA report added.

Some Western observers believe that the Iranian move could be a part of counter propaganda by Tehran against Washington. They also cited about “new moves by Tehran” to counter American strategy in the region. Tehran and Washington are at odds over Iraq policy, nuclear issue and Afghanistan strategy.

However, Pakistani sources have expressed their grave shock over such reports that appear to be aimed at “wrongfully implicating Pakistan”.

“Such claims, if taken seriously by some radicals, could have spark off a violent reaction by handful but die-hard fundamentalist believers and sympathizers of militant leaders”, warned an observer.

Independent experts monitoring the regional situation do not rule out the possibility that some “high profile leaders may have already been arrested from Afghanistan during recent days or weeks”. But they see little indication that could lead the experts to conclude that the top leader of Al-Qaeda had been nabbed during last week’s operations in Pakistan.

“Had Osama been arrested in Pakistan, the security situation in the country would have been quite different and VVIPs would not be moving so openly at least for now”, a security official requesting anonymity said.

Osama running may be caught soon. A senior most US anti-terrorism official on a special visit to Pakistan told selected group of journalists that Osama bin Laden “is on the run …He’s hiding. He spends most of his time trying to keep from getting caught.”

The senior US official was however, optimistic that “Osama bin Laden will be captured soon.”

Ambassador J Cofer Black, director of America’s counter-terrorism office, added “I feel confident that it will be sooner rather than later, although I’m not going to speculate on the exact date.”

In an interview Ambassador Black was quoted as saying that the United States “knows Osama bin Laden is still in touch with other Al-Qaeda leaders, though on a limited basis.”

Ambassador Black added that “although Osama bin Laden still evidently takes a role in planning Al-Qaeda operations, the majority of his focus is now spent avoiding capture. “

Ambassador Black also met Interior Minister Faisal Suleh Hayat and other senior was in Islamabad on Friday and Saturday and discuss further cooperation between the two states against terrorism.

[WestCoastGal]

Something's Up..Too Much News on BL........

Report: Deal for U.S. to Hunt Bin Laden in Pakistan Sun Feb 29, 2004 01:09 PM ET

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The United States has struck a deal with Pakistan to allow U.S. troops to hunt for al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden this spring in an area of Pakistan where he is believed to be operating, the New Yorker magazine reported on Sunday.

Thousands of U.S. troops will be deployed in a tribal area of northwest Pakistan in return for Washington's support of President Pervez Musharraf's pardon of the Pakistani scientist who this month admitted leaking nuclear arms secrets to Iran, Libya and North Korea, investigative reporter Seymour Hersh wrote in the issue that goes on sale on Monday.

Full disclosure of Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan's activities would have exposed him as "the worst nuclear-arms proliferator in the world," an intelligence official is quoted as saying.

"It's a quid pro quo," according to a former senior intelligence official. "We're going to get our troops inside Pakistan in return for not forcing Musharraf to deal with Khan."

Musharraf has also offered other help in the hunt for bin Laden, accused of masterminding the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, according to the article.

"Musharraf told us, 'We've got guys inside. The people who provide fresh fruits and vegetables and herd the goats' for bin Laden and his al Qaeda followers," the intelligence official added.

The spring offensive could slow the tempo of U.S. operations in Iraq, the magazine said.

"It's going to be a full-court press," one Pentagon planner was quoted as saying. The article added that some of the most highly skilled U.S. Special Forces units would be shifted from Iraq to Pakistan.

Special Forces personnel have been briefed on their new assignments and in some cases have been given "warning orders" -- the stage before being sent into combat, according to a military adviser.

[Selene]

Philippine extremist group claims responsibility for explosion that caused ferry fire

killing one person and injuring 12 others... 180 people are missing, leading some officials to speculate that they may have been trapped in the inferno that engulfed the giant vessel.

THE FILTHY SCUM

Where is the outrage?!!!!!!!

[Cindy]

http://internet-haganah.us/harchives/001561.html

Internet Haganah

February 28, 2004

"More sites join in the e-jihad"