Threat Matrix- Daily Terror Thread (4):

Good morning! Been trying to get caught up. Has this one been posted?

Diver Sighting Prompts Massive Search Military, FBI, Local Authorities Join Hunt

I saw that yesterday. I take Zawahiri's tape a lot more seriously than I do Daleel's rantings. I just thought there may have been more text to Zawahiri's message that may have had some clue we missed (according to Daleel).

You are correct on the prisoners.

Both the muslims and the communist parties post the names of the converted prisoners.

There are lots of poor little rich boys, taking up the religion, and some of the worst of the prisoners.

One of the muslim sites has pages of 'glory to the muslim conversation' letters, no, I didn't keep the address.

Great finds granny.

Also it says ICE is involved. The involvement of Immigration and Customs Enforcement implies something of an international nature, doesn't it?

Thanks for posting that link. Something is definitely up on the underwater front!

Found this undated article:

100 AL QAEDA HERE, SENATOR TELLS CNN
By Joyce Howard Price THE WASHINGTON TIMES

The chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence said
yesterday that approximately 100 "al Qaeda operatives" are hiding in this
country, posing an "immediate threat" to the security of the United
States.
Both Sen. Bob Graham, Florida Democrat and chairman of the
intelligence committee, and Sen. Richard C. Shelby of Alabama, its
ranking Republican, have said they believe another terrorist attack on
the United States is probable.
Interviewed yesteday on CNN's "Novak, Hunt & Shields," Mr. Graham
was asked if he believes al Qaeda sleeper cells within the United States
would most likely be responsible for the next major attack.
"The estimate is that there are 100 or more al Qaeda operatives
inside the United States, some who have been here for a considerable
period of time, all of whom went through a training program to prepare
them to carry out terrorist plots when they were called upon to do so,"
Mr. Graham said, adding:
"That probably is the most immediate threat of a terrorist attack
against the United States. But there are also maybe a dozen or more other
international terrorist organizations, some of which also have agents
inside the United States."
Mr. Graham's comments would seem to be the first time a government
official has indicated how many members of Osama bin Laden's global
terrorist network are in this country.
As for the whereabouts of the elusive bin Laden, the chairman said,
"The best intelligence is that he's still alive. The best intelligence is
that, of all the places he might be, he's most likely to still be in
Afghanistan. But, frankly, we do not know where he is at this time."
Mr. Graham was also asked about the abduction and killing of Daniel
Pearl, a reporter for the Wall Street Journal, by Islamic extremists in
Pakistan. "Do you think it's time for the United States government to
review its opposition to negotiating with kidnappers and, perhaps, even
consider the payment of ransom?" co-host Robert Novak inquired.
"Difficult question. I would say no, because once the kidnappers
feel that they have some opportunity of achieving their goals, which, in
many cases are economic, then they will be incentivized to engage in even
more kidnapping," Mr. Graham said.
He called the Pearl case "tragic" and said he wished there had been
some way to save him. However, "we would be putting more journalists and
more Americans of all types of backgrounds at risk, if it were known that
we would negotiate and pay for the release of kidnapped persons," Mr.
Graham said.
Mr. Graham also may have surprised many Americans--and even some of
his Senate colleagues--when he said in the CNN interview he's heard no
"credible information" that the United States is "planning military
action against any of the three countries [Iraq, Iran, or North Korea]
that the president identified as the 'axis of evil'" in his Jan. 29 State
of the Union address.
The Florida Democrat said it was his impression that Mr. Bush
identified the three countries as constituting a nexus of states who
sponsor global terror in order to "send a signal" that the United States
is "not only concerned about terrorism" but also about the "intersection
of terrorism and weapons of mass destruction." Mr. Graham said the
president was making it known that the three nations he described as
forming an "axis of evil" are in a position to develop weapons of mass
destruction, possess the means of delivering them, and might "possibly
place them in the hands of terrorists."
While many of Mr. Graham's colleagues on both sides of the aisle are
eager to make Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein a target in the Bush
administration's war against terrorism, Mr. Graham yesterday advised
caution on that front.
"In my judgment, we now are operating from the moral high ground
with a tremendous coalition across the world in the war against
terrorism. Unless we have evidence that Saddam Hussein is close to having
a weapon of mass destruction, I think we should avoid the temptation of
diverting ourselves away from the war on terrorism toward a war on Saddam
Hussein," he said.

Yes it does. Good catch.

Hmmm...the number "100" jumped out at me.

Well taking Sean's word on the Nuclear devices, I can't help to remember to the article from November 15, 2002
"Apocalypse Now, or Alottanukes Soon" It was declared a HOAX and is listed on SNOPES.com

http://www.snopes.com/rumors/nukes.htm

I Sean's sources are correct, then this interview would not be a hoax as I read it, for the most part.

Apocalypse Now, or Alottanukes Soon

November 15, 2002
By Pepe Escobar, THE ROVING EYE

At a time when a tape handed over to the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera television station has received widespread expose for its purported comments by Osama bin Laden in praise of recent terror events around the world, another al-Qaeda message released to the same station has received little coverage.

Al-Jazeera was granted an interview with one Mohammed al-Usuquf, allegedly al-Qaeda's number three. Al-Usuquf is said to be a doctor in physics and to hold a masters degree in international economics. A copy of the interview was sent to the prestigious Arab-language daily Al Quds Al Arabi, edited in London, but it was not printed. Asia Times Online has obtained a copy of the interview, and reproduces excerpts here, with the caveat that the identity of the man has not yet been confirmed, nor has his membership within al-Qaeda.

Al-Usuquf says that al-Qaeda's Kuwaiti spokesman, Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, and bin Laden himself, suggested that he grant the interview. Bin Laden, he says, is "alive and healthy, along with his commanders Mohammed Atef, Khalid Shaik Mohammed and Mullah Omar".

Al-Usuquf starts by criticizing Washington's disrespect of the Kyoto Protocol on climatic change, the International Criminal Court and the Palestinian cause, as well as the "financial greed" engendering speculative gains over Third World countries. He also criticizes the manner in which America wastes wealth, like US$80 billion a year on gambling. "They [have] lost the notion of spirituality and only live in sin."

For this reason, America must be destroyed, and al-Usuquf insists that "aircraft carriers, nuclear submarines and spy satellites will be worthless in the next war".

Al-Qaeda, according to him, has 5,000 first rank operatives and around 20,000 all over the world. Of all the prisoners in the US, only "20 or 30" are al-Qaeda, and all of them "second-rank". Confirming Asia Times Online information, he swears that there are no first-rank prisoners in Guantanamo in Cuba. Al-Usuquf says, "We have more than 500 first-rank and 800 second-rank [operatives] inside the US." "First rank" are considered ones that have lived in the US for more than 10 years, most of them married with children. "They have an idea about the plans, and they are just waiting for a call." "Second-rank" operatives arrived in the past five years and "have no idea about the plans". They are all willing to die.

Al-Usuquf insists that September 11 "was just the beginning. It was a way to call the world's attention to what's going to happen." He then details a plan to destroy the US by "attacking the heart of what they consider the most important thing in the world: money".

"The American economy is an economy of false appearances," says al-Usuquf. "There's no real economic weight. American GNP is something around $10 trillion, but only 1 percent comes from agriculture, and only 24 percent from industry. So 75 percent of its GNP comes from services, and most of it is financial speculation. For someone who understands economics, and apparently America's Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill does not, or cannot, the US as a whole behaves like an immense dot.com, and dollars are its stocks. The value of stocks from a given company is directly proportional to its profitability. When a company only provides services, but does not produce goods, the value of its stocks depends on its credibility. What I'm saying is if US credibility is affected, its stocks - the US dollar - will fall at tremendous speed, and the whole American economy will collapse."

Al-Usuquf is absolutely positive, "because, in a smaller scale, this is exactly what big financial conglomerates do with Third World countries to collect profits in one month that no Swiss bank would guarantee in four to five years". Al-Usuquf says that al-Qaeda could do the same by "provoking a deficit of $50 to 70 trillion, the equivalent to five to seven years of the GNP of the US". How? By "destroying America's seven largest cities and some other measures". The means? "Atomic bombs." Al-Usuquf's most startling revelation is that the bombs "won't be launched, they are already there". "Seven nuclear heads have already been positioned on American soil, before September 11, and they are ready to be detonated. Before September 11, American security was a fiasco, and even later, if we needed, we could position the bombs there. They arrived through seaports, as normal cargo. A nuclear head is not bigger than a fridge, so it can easily be camouflaged as one. Thousands of containers arrive at a seaport every day, and even with very efficient security, it's impossible to check and examine each one of them."

Al-Usuquf says that the bombs were bought on the black market: five from the former USSR and two from Pakistan. The five Russian heads "are from T-3 missiles, also known as RD-107, and their power is around 100 kilotons each, that is five times the Hiroshima bomb. The Pakistani ones are less powerful, something around 10 kilotons each."

Each of the Russian bombs would have cost around $200 million. Al-Qaeda was able to raise the money "because we have many sponsors. Many countries sponsor us, and also some very rich people." And not all of these are Arab countries. "Some European countries as well are also interested in the fall of the US." As to the "rich people", they are "people who are also tired of seeing the US bleeding the rest of the world."

And Iraq's Saddam Hussein, says Al-Usuquf, is not one of these people, "but just a collaborator, represented by Abdul Tawab Hawaish, his vice prime minister and responsible for Iraq's arms program".

Al-Usuquf says that the bombs cannot be detected by US authorities. "Even if they are old, they were modernized and are very well hidden. Even if they were located, they have autodetonation mechanisms in case something or someone gets close. Even an electromagnetic pulse is not capable of deactivating them." The bombs allegedly cannot be detected because "they are enveloped in thick layers of lead". They could be detonated "by various methods - cellphone call, radio frequency, seismic shock or by their regressive clock".

Al-Usuquf details the whole plan. "First, one head would be detonated, which would cause the deaths of 800,000 to 1 million people and a chaos never seen before. During this chaos, two or three planes, which are now disassembled inside barns near empty roads in the US countryside, would take off in suicide missions to pulverize another two or three big American cities with chemicals. Once the disease was identified, all seaports and airports would be quarantined. Land borders would also be closed. No plane, boat or car would enter or leave the US. This would be total chaos." The first target would be the city "that would offer the best conditions, for example bright sky and winds of eight or more miles an hour blowing towards the center of the country, so radioactive dust can contaminate the largest possible area".

This attack would not knock out the US, recognizes al-Usuquf, "But the process would be initiated. As with the World Trade Center, it would be just a question of time for the whole economic structure to be turned to dust. If the objectives are reached with one bomb and diseases, probably we will save the lives of other people, but it's risky, and probably six more bombs will be detonated, one a week, and more attacks with chemical weapons will be launched." According to estimates made by al-Usuquf "and Ayman al-Zawahiri", al-Qaeda's number 2, about 15 million people would die, victims of the bombs and the radiation. Among those contaminated by diseases, "25 percent will die, a figure around more than 5 million, plus many others due to the chaos and disorder".

Al-Usuquf does not fear an American military response. "Even if five or 10 cities are chosen at random to be destroyed, it will still be a small price to pay. The problem is that the economic despair will be so great that even if it saves [money] by not using weapons, American liquidity will be near zero, and the US will make more money selling a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier to Turkey or Italy for $5 billion, because they will urgently need to recapitalize. But it will be too late. Moreover, what will remain of an American soldier's morale to fight knowing that his whole family died and his country ceased to exist? To fight for what?"

The world economy would not collapse, says al-Usuquf, although "in the beginning, it will be very difficult. But without the US the world will soon rise in a more just and fraternal manner. Nothing can stop the plan."

And whatever America does, "it's too late". When will the attack begin? "I can't tell."

" I'm paranoid and might connect dots that don't exist."

More likely, they exist but not in manner you expect. You might be phenomenally prompted. Half the battle going on is spiritual warfare. Keep focused on truth and connect away as you are on this thread for a very good reason.

40?! You mean we have ten more to focus on... we need more info about these ten.

Alotta Nukes Soon might easily have been declared a hoax for security reasons. This info is too hot for public consumption...the panic quellers would demand it.

Excellent reminder SCR1. My thinking for quite some time now has been that economic disruption and chaos here in the U.S. has been one of AQ's primary goals. I believe that this has gotten little attention because of our preoccupation with the immediate aftermath of biochem, viral and bomb threats. Many things that have been said by various AQ members in various formats have and continue to point to disruption of our power grid, pipelines, train systems, ports and food supply, each of which are extremely vital to our economic well-being as a country. These continued threats eat up tremendous resources in terms of cost, personnel and equipment as we continuously put forth efforts to interdict. The longer we are forced to contend with AQ in this manner, the more resources we are required to use, and the more vulnerable we become economically. A war of attrition so to speak. Combine that with just one or two successfully carried out attacks, and the dominoes fall even faster. (IMHO of course)

Why not ask the scholar?
http://islamonline.net/fatwaapplication/english/display.asp?hFatwaID=8125

My question is regarding tattoos. My husband and I are both new Muslim converts. We are both Americans and lived a typical American lifestyle before reverting.

My problem is that my husband and I have extensive tattoo work done on our bodies. We would like one day to go to Hajj, in sha’ Allah. But, my husband is concerned that his extensive tattoos will cause him problems.

Due to the extensive nature of his tattoos, it would be so expensive to remove them that we don’t have removal as an option at this time. Also, that would maybe leave extensive scarring as well.

Shouldn’t we perform Hajj? As a female I do not have this worry since I am now covering, but my husband still has to worry about his arms and chest showing.

Date 18/Jan/2004

Mufti
Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi

Answer
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Dear questioner, thank you very much for having confidence in us, and we implore Allah-from the depth of our hearts- to guide you along the path of truth and righteousness.

It is really a chance to congratulate you and your husband for becoming Muslims, and we hope you understand the tolerant teachings of Islam, whom Allah chooses to guide the baffled humanity to the safe shore.

Before answering your question, we would like first to ascertain that Islam has a solution for every problem, and the scope of the Shari`ah is not that stern as some may claim. Although tattoos are unlawful or haram to apply at first place, there is nothing wrong for new Muslim converts, who have no means to remove them, in leaving them. The tolerant teachings of Islam and its peaceful spirit makes it easy for new converts to become easily adapted to its unique environment, and matchless life style.

In short, a new Muslim convert cannot be casted out of Islam, after recently embracing it, for having no means to remove tattoos applied during his pre-Islamic life.

In his response to the question, Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi, former president of the Islamic Society of North America, states the following:

“First of all, I would like to stress the fact that it is haram to have tattoos on the body. However, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said, “Islam takes away the sins done before it.”

Thus, if these tattoos cannot be removed easily or if you have to spend a lot of money to remove them, then you should not worry about them.

When Hajj becomes obligatory on you, you should perform it and do not neglect it because of tattoos on your body. No one should stop you from going to Hajj because of tattoos. I have seen hundreds of pilgrims, men and women, who come from some countries and they have all kinds of tattoos on their faces and bodies. It is forbidden in Islam, but among some tribes in Africa, unfortunately, it is still practiced, even among Muslims.”

You can also read:

What Islam Says on Tattoos

Is Body Piercing Permissible in Islam?

If you have any further comments, please don’t hesitate to write back!

May Allah guide you to the straight path, and guide you to that which pleases Him, Amen.

Allah Almighty knows best.

Let's assume for a second that AQ has aquired a nuclear device. What if they decided to detonate the device not on a city but some secluded location, merely as a demonstration, and a with a warning that they have more and must meet a list of demands. Sounds goofy, aka TRUE LIES, but can anyone guess the economic impact on your country?

your = our

I don't think AQ would waste a nuke that way but they might pick a bad location due to disinfo etc.

What if these scuba divers were infected with something like small pox?

Nah, They would have taken public trans then, not gone swimming with the little fishies.