Al-Qa'ida 9/11 chief reveals US got off lightly

The Australian, From The Sunday Times ^ | March 29, 2004 | Sunday Times sources

[KangarooJacqui]

Chilling reading, although I admit little of it is new information.

[COEXERJ145]

I'd guarantee that had we not instituted a ground stop and managed to get all the airborne aircraft down as quickly as we did, there would have been other aircraft out there being flown by Kamikaze jihadists.

[garjog]

Remember that al Qaeda always thinks about returning to complete unfinished attacks.

[risk]

Thanks for the reminder, KJ, to NEVER FORGET.

[HitmanLV]

How do people say 'Al Queda'?

Conversationally I say 'Al K-Da' and thats what most folks I know seem to use. Though I recall Dubya saying it in his big speech after 9-11 as 'Al Kai-dah" with a hint of a Texas drawl.

Maybe I should try to adopt the Dubya way of saying it. I admit, it's cool! Though nothing is quite as cool as when he calls terrorists 'evildoers' with that slight drawl. That is SO COOL!! That always psyches me up!!!

[Uncle Miltie]

"bombings of the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1988."

To correct an apparent typographical error, the Kenya and Tanzania bombings were in 1998, squarely in the midst of the Clinton Administration, which did nothing.

[Monty22]

Haven't we gotten enough info out of these guys? Can't we kill them yet?

[Sender]

I'm sure they went over the passenger lists of the other planes that were grounded in time that day. I wonder if any good came from it? I would think that if there were a second wave, whoever was to do it had purchased tickets in advance because they couldn't leave it to chance that one of the flights might not have 5 seats to get with cash at the last moment. No, the other hijackers had to be on those passenger lists from 9/11. Credit cards may have bought those tickets. Even fake names might lead somewhere.

[oolatec]

From article:

When the suicide planes struck on September 11, al-Qa'ida seems to have been taken by surprise – both by the success of the attacks and by the US reaction.

"Afterwards we never got time to catch our breath, we were immediately on the run," Khalid said.

He said the war on terrorism and the US bombing of Afghanistan completely disrupted their communications network. Operatives could no longer use satellite phones and had to rely on couriers, although they still used internet chat rooms.

---

Imagine if Clinton went after Al Qaeda full steam in 1996 or sooner...

[TADSLOS]

"Afterwards we never got time to catch our breath, we were immediately on the run," Khalid said.

Khalid wouldn't be saying this under a Gore administration, instead, we would still be ducking for cover from his follow on attacks while waiting for the DOJ to arrest him in the U.S.

[JimSEA]

How can this be recounciled with the 9/11 Commission hearings? I thought Bush was fixated on Iraq after 9/11 and has only made thing more dangerous. Clarke told me so.

[Gringo1]

"Afghans freed from Bagram claim to have been subjected to sleep deprivation and extremes of hot and cold. There have also been reports of truth drugs."


I want to hear reports of large,burly men wielding lengths of pipe to get the information that we want out of these douchebags.

[KangarooJacqui]

Operatives could no longer use satellite phones and had to rely on couriers, although they still used internet chat rooms.

I wonder what Osama's screen name is?

Come to that, I wonder if he lurks at FR? (If you do, scumbag, I hope you get no rest, because we ARE coming for you, and we WILL kill you and your followers!)

[KangarooJacqui]

I want to hear reports of large,burly men wielding lengths of pipe to get the information that we want out of these douchebags.

Seconded... and well-put!

[COEXERJ145]

If you remember, there were several alerts from the FBI trying to find passengers that didn't return to complete their flights once ground stop was lifted a few days later. While I'm sure some decided to go home another way, as several people I work with did since they needed to get home and couldn't wait forever, that couldn't explain everyone.

Also, there was a Delta Air Lines aircraft in ATL and another aircraft (I can't remember the airline) that had box cutters found stuffed under the seats when they were searched before being allowed to continue the flights. The passengers sitting in those seats didn't show up for the flight after ground stop was lifted.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks for posting this.

"Afghans freed from Bagram claim to have been subjected to sleep deprivation and extremes of hot and cold. There have also been reports of truth drugs."

Grampa Dave see the above statement.

[oceanview]

they were standby pilots in the cockpit jumpseats with false IDs. they just walked away when the planes landed after the order was given to ground them.

[KangarooJacqui]

Thanks for the reminder, KJ, to NEVER FORGET.

Just doing my duty as a patriotic citizen of the Free World.

[MizSterious]

It is chilling. Not really surprising, but chilling. Thanks for posting this.

[Monty22]

"Remember that al Qaeda always thinks about returning to complete unfinished attacks."

Yep. They'll get to it eventually. Especially if kerry is elected. Phew, it'll be a nightmare.