Threat Matrix: Daily Terror Threat - Thread 5

CNN ^ | March 12, 2004

[thecabal]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- This week's deadly train bombings in Spain will not lead to a rise in the U.S. color-coded terror threat alert system, a Department of Homeland Security spokesman said Friday.

"Based on the current intelligence, we have no specific indicators that terrorist groups are considering such an attack in the U.S. in the near term," said department spokesman Brian Roehrkasse.

[LayoutGuru2]

From: "John Robinson" [john@r...]
Date: Thu Mar 25, 2004 9:29 am
Subject: Update Mar 25, 2004 9:30 am PST


Apparently at fault is a single incorrect phone number on the
"Registrant" record. Of three methods of contact for each of four
contact positions on the domain, GKG.net choose to disable the domain
because of a single piece of incorrect information, just one of five
distinct units of contact information. GKG.net made no apparent
attempt to use any of the other (all valid) contacts to alert us
before taking the drastic action they did. I'm very disappointed in
GKG.net and this policy.

Furthermore, once a domain is locked for invalid information, it (or
any other domains owned) may not be modified by the owner. An absurd
practice.

[LayoutGuru2]

The previous posts were from the FR Yahoo! group, obviously a lot of people are not going to see these until the DNS problem is cleared up. :(

[Cindy]

http://memri.org/bin/latestnews.cgi?ID=SD68704
Special Dispatch Series - No. 687

March 26, 2004
No.687

"Palestinian Reactions to the Death of Abu Al-Abbas - 'The Great National Leader'"




http://memri.org/bin/latestnews.cgi?ID=SD68604
Special Dispatch Series - No. 686

March 25, 2004
No.686

"A Testimony on Suicide Bombers' Recruitment to Ansar Al-Islam"

[Cindy]

BRAIN-TERMINAL.com: "PIN THE TAIL ON THE DONKEYS" BY EVAN COYNE MALONEY (ONLINE VIDEO) (March 25, 2004) (WATCH NOW. CLICK HERE.)

[thecabal]

Yes, I couldn't get on until I went to FreeDominion and saw the new IP address to put into my Hosts file. :(

[knak]

glad you could join us!

[judicial meanz]

Al Zawahiri tape just released....apparently calling for the overthrow of the Pak Government.

No other details right now....developing

[freeperfromnj]

Likely al-Qaida tape seeks Pakistan coup

By SARAH EL DEEB
The Associated Press
3/25/2004, 1:33 p.m. ET

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) — A tape purportedly recorded by Ayman al-Zawahri, the No. 2 in the al-Qaida terror group, called Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf a traitor Thursday and urged people to get rid of his government.

The audiotape was broadcast by the pan-Arab satellite channel Al-Jazeera.

The speaker, who sounded like al-Zawahri, also called for a military uprising in Pakistan.

"Musharraf seeks to stab the Islamic resistance in Afghanistan in the back," the speaker said.

"Every Muslim in Pakistan should work hard to get rid of this agent government, which will continue to submit to America until it destroys Pakistan."

The tape comes as Pakistani troops are in the second week of a campaign along the Afghan border in South Waziristan, a longtime hiding place and stronghold of Islamic militants from al-Qaida, Afghanistan's Taliban and their Pakistani supporters.

After Musharraf spoke hopefully of capturing a "high-value target," there was speculation that al-Zawahri might be in the rugged border area where local tribes have more power than the Pakistani federal government.

The speaker appeared to be referring to the conflict in South Waziristan when he said, "I call on the Pakistani army: you, poor army, what a miserable state Musharraf has put you in ... Musharraf ruins your natural fences — those tribes on the border — by engaging you in a fight with them. Then he removes your nuclear weapons. Will you stay silent until Pakistan is divided again?"

http://www.nj.com/newsflash/topstories/index.ssf?/base/international-12/108023908223370.xml

[judicial meanz]

Good catch!

[freeperfromnj]

My trusty old local New Jersey web site.

[judicial meanz]

More elk/bison death news from the Yellowstone area courtesy Billings Gazette:


Toxic gases in park likely cause of bison deaths
By MIKE STARK
Of The Gazette Staff

Five bison dropped dead in Yellowstone National Park apparently after being overwhelmed by toxic gases in a geothermal area.

The bison carcasses were found March 10 along the Gibbon River near Norris Geyser Basin. It's likely the animals were killed by hydrogen sulfide or carbon dioxide trapped at ground level by unusually cold and windless weather, according to a report on the incident released Tuesday.

"The bison were in the wrong place at the wrong time," said Henry Heasler, Yellowstone's lead geologist. "It looks like they just dropped where they stood. Obviously it was a very quick death."


Although the bison deaths were the result of "a rare combination of events," similar incidents have happened before in Yellowstone.

Related deaths

In 1899, park records show, six bears, an elk, squirrels and other small animals died apparently because of toxic gases in Death Gulch in the upper Lamar Valley. Other reports are sprinkled through the park's history.

But this month's incident is unusual in that several bison died.

Bear biologists found the dead bison - two adults, two calves and a yearling - lying on their sides with their legs straight out. They were all within about 30 yards of each other. The body positions indicated that the bison died "very rapidly" and with little or no struggle, according to the report. Wildlife officials estimated that the bison had died about a week earlier.

Heasler said the bison were probably grazing and resting in a snow-free depression in the ground along the Gibbon River, about 300 yards downwind from several geothermal gas vents at Norris.

Cold front theory

As a cold front moved in during early March, the dense cold air kept the toxic gases close to the ground. The bison likely died as the calm conditions kept the bison surrounded by the gases, park officials said.

Blood, teeth and other samples were taken from the animals. Geologists also began running tests on the air in the area.

At some of the vents, researchers measured hydrogen sulfide gas at more than 200 parts per million, well beyond what's considered safe for people and animals.

"If it's above 150 parts per million, if a human breathes it, they take one breath and they drop," Heasler said.

The gas, formed from cooling magma underground and responsible for the "rotten egg" smell often associated with thermal features, is considered a chemical asphyxiant when it's at concentrated levels. Chemical asphyxiation can paralyze breathing and affect the brain stem and other organs.

Another gas associated with volcanic areas, carbon dioxide, is also a regular presence in Yellowstone. Park officials don't have equipment to monitor the gas but, in light of the latest incident, they are now looking to buy some.

Heasler said park officials are still trying to figure out exactly what happened to the bison.

It doesn't appear that the incident has anything to do with a brief upswing in temperatures at Norris Geyser Basin last year that caused park officials to close portions of the trails nearby. Monitoring equipment at Norris did not indicate an unusual burp of gas in early March, Heasler said.

The best guess is that the cold weather, with lows near zero, arrived with barely any of the wind that tends to sweep the gases out of low-lying areas in the park.

"We've got an interesting Norris mystery here," Heasler said. "Norris presents us with lots of these, as do other geyser basins."

Visitors to the park are not at risk, Heasler said.

Park officials have been walking geyser boardwalks with monitors and have only found hydrogen sulfide at less than one part per million. And at the spot where the bison died, which is off trail and away from visitor attractions, animals are going about their business without any apparent effects.

"This is not a threat to people," Heasler said.

Park geologists plan on becoming more aggressive on keeping track of the gases at Yellowstone, particularly around Norris, Heasler said.

"One question is, 'Is this starting to occur more now compared to earlier?' There's not enough statistics to say that," Heasler said. "Just because we're measuring and seeing things we didn't see before doesn't mean they didn't exist before."

Copyright © The Billings Gazette, a division of Lee Enterprises

[thecabal]

Thanks, things are still a little frantic. My sister just got into town late last night, so I will be going to visit her shortly. Hopefully she will be in surgery soon to remove the tumor. I'll try to check in when I can. The threats seem to be getting pretty heavy again.

[Velveeta]

Hmmm, seems like Zawahiri was rattled. We must be very close!

[freeperfromnj]

FBI's MUELLER WARNS OF TERRORIST PLOTS

By Curt Anderson
The Associated Press
3/25/2004, 1:33 p.m. ET

WASHINGTON (AP) — Terrorists could attempt to influence the outcome of this year's U.S. presidential election by launching attacks in America and overseas, FBI Director Robert Mueller said Thursday.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Mueller also said Islamic extremists have changed tactics and are focusing on recruiting local sympathizers who are less likely to arouse suspicion than outsiders sent into a country to conduct terrorist operations.

The deadly March 11 train bombings in Madrid, which were a factor in the ouster of a pro-U.S. Spanish government, could embolden al-Qaida or other extremists to attack the United States during this summer's presidential nominating conventions in New York and Boston, Mueller said.

"In the wake of what happened in Madrid we have to be concerned about the possibility of terrorists attempting to influence elections in the United States by committing a terrorist act," Mueller said.

Those conventions will bookend the Summer Olympics in Athens, another venue that could draw terrorist attacks. The United States has been concerned that security efforts in Athens may fall short of what is necessary to protect athletes and spectators.

"We understand that between now and the election, there is a window of time in which terrorists might try to influence events, whether it's here or overseas," Mueller said. The FBI and other U.S. agencies are assisting the Greeks to identify and shore up potential weaknesses.

Regarding the new al-Qaida recruiting tactics, Mueller said that the suicide bombers who took part in last May's attacks in Casablanca, Morocco, were local extremists and indicated that similar efforts are likely going on in the United States.

Mueller also applauded the cooperation of Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in U.S. anti-terrorism efforts. Since the deadly May 12 bombings in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia has moved aggressively to root out al-Qaida cells and discovered huge caches of explosives and weapons.

"Saudi Arabia has become a very inhospitable place for al-Qaida," Mueller said. "That was not always the case."

[freeperfromnj]

Could they be kicking up the conflict with Pakistan because they have OBL?

[Velveeta]

I sure don't understand why Elk and Bison would be dying, but not birds. Especially if it's a toxic gas emission.

[Velveeta]

U.N. suspicious of Congo uranium mine
http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20040325-114452-3661r.htm

[Velveeta]

AP: Officials Fear Terror at Olympics
http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0304/134862.html

[freeperfromnj]

Plane Makes Emergency Landing At JFK

March 25, 2004

NEW YORK -- An American Airlines plane bound for Kansas City made an emergency landing at Kennedy Airport Thursday morning soon after taking off from La Guardia Airport after the pilot reported a smoke condition in the cabin.

Federal Aviation Authority spokesman Jim Peters said the pilot of AA flight 1453 diverted to JFK soon after its 7 a.m. takeoff, landing at JFK about half an hour later.
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey spokesman Dan Maynard said the plane landed safely, taxied to the terminal and the passengers got off. No injuries were reported.

American Airlines is investigating what caused the smoke.

[freeperfromnj]

I'm sure this is probably nothing but I'm logging it in for the record:

Eastchester School Evacuated Because Of Threatening Letter

UPDATED: 1:29 pm EST March 25, 2004

EASTCHESTER, N.Y. -- A threatening letter prompted the evacuation of the Eastchester middle and high school Thursday morning. The letter found in the mailroom around 9 a.m. said an odorless substance would be released in the school.

The 1,300 students were evacuated and sent home for the day.

The Westchester County Health Department sent a hazmat crew to the school to test the air quality. Nothing unusual has been found. Eastchester school officials say the evacuation was a precaution.