Threat Matrix: Daily Terror Threat - Thread 6

Voice of America ^ | 01 Apr 2004 | Nick Simeone

[thecabal]

Link to Thread 5

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US Promises to Punish Those Responsible for Gruesome Iraq Attacks

The top U.S. official in Iraq says Wednesday's gruesome attacks on four American civilians whose burned bodies were put on display in the town of Fallujah will not go unpunished.

"It's going to be deliberate, it will be precise and it will be overwhelming," U.S. General Mark Kimmitt said, speaking to reporters in Baghdad. He warned insurgents in the town of Fallujah to be prepared for U.S. forces to strike back following Wednesday's killing of four American contractors by a frenzied mob that dragged their charred bodies through the streets.

Televised footage of the act has provoked outrage from Americans in the United States and led U.S. administrator in Baghdad Paul Bremer to issue a warning.

"Their deaths will not go unpunished," he promised.

The White House blamed the attacks on supporters of Saddam Hussein. The remains of the four were to be turned over to the U.S. military.

A day after the attack, three American soldiers were injured in another attack near Fallujah, this time when their Humvee struck a roadside bomb.

[StillProud2BeFree]

Daleel made a posting on one of the Arabic boards today in English, asking for anyone who spoke Arabic to translate into Arabic so all could read :) The posting was the one from the Christian that he had posted to his Yahoogroup.

[jerseygirl]

I wonder if this has anything to do with the report of Russia disconnecting from the internet 4/19-25 to perform some upgrades.



"Core Internet technology found vulnerable"

Governments scramble to prevent global disruptions

By Ted Bridis
The Associated Press


Updated: 6:54 p.m. ET April 20, 2004 WASHINGTON -

Researchers uncovered a serious flaw in the underlying technology for nearly all Internet traffic, a discovery that led to an urgent and secretive international effort to prevent global disruptions of Web surfing, e-mails and instant messages.

The British government announced the vulnerability in core Internet technology on Tuesday. Left unaddressed, experts said, it could allow hackers to knock computers offline and broadly disrupt vital traffic-directing devices, called routers, that coordinate the flow of data among distant groups of computers.

“Exploitation of this vulnerability could have affected the glue that holds the Internet together,” said Roger Cumming, director for England’s National Infrastructure Security Coordination Centre.

The Homeland Security Department issued its own cyberalert hours later that attacks “could affect a large segment of the Internet community.” It said normal Internet operations probably would resume after such attacks stopped. Experts said there were no reports of attacks using this technique.

The risk was similar to Internet users “running naked through the jungle, which didn’t matter until somebody released some tigers,” said Paul Vixie of the Internet Systems Consortium Inc.

“It’s a significant risk,” Vixie said. “The larger Internet providers are jumping on this big time. It’s really important this just gets fixed before the bad guys start exploiting it for fun and recognition.”

TCP flaw lets attackers trick routers

The flaw affecting the Internet’s “transmission control protocol,” or TCP, was discovered late last year by a computer researcher in Milwaukee. Paul Watson said he identified a method to reliably trick personal computers and routers into shutting down electronic conversations by resetting the machines remotely.

Experts previously said such attacks could take between four years and 142 years to succeed because they require guessing a rotating number from roughly 4 billion possible combinations. Watson said he can guess the proper number with as few as four attempts, which can be accomplished within seconds.

Routers continually exchange important updates about the most efficient traffic routes between large networks. Continued successful attacks against routers can cause them to go into a standby mode, known as “dampening,” that can persist for hours.

Cisco Systems Inc., which acknowledged its popular routers were among those vulnerable, distributed software repairs and tips to otherwise protect large corporate customers. There were few steps for home users to take; Microsoft Corp. said it did not believe Windows users were too vulnerable and made no immediate plans to update its software.

Using Watson’s technique to attack a computer running Windows “would not be something that would be easy to do,” said Steve Lipner, Microsoft’s director for security engineering strategy.

Already in recent weeks, some U.S. government agencies and companies operating the most important digital pipelines have fortified their own vulnerable systems because of early warnings communicated by some security organizations. The White House has expressed concerns especially about risks to crucial Internet routers because attacks against them could profoundly disrupt online traffic.

“Any flaw to a fundamental protocol would raise significant concern and require significant attention by the folks who run the major infrastructures of the Internet,” said Amit Yoran, the government’s cybersecurity chief. The flaw has dominated discussions since last week among experts in security circles.

The public announcement coincides with a presentation Watson expects to make Thursday at an Internet security conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, where Watson said he would disclose full details of his research.

Watson predicted that hackers would understand how to begin launching attacks “within five minutes of walking out of that meeting.”


www.msnbc.msn.com

[rickylc]

BUMP!!

This is important to keep in mind.

[jerseygirl]

(Time for me to head out)

Here's some troubling news:

Thousands of Terrorists Allowed into UK, Says Former Spy

news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=2797119

Sun 18 Apr 2004
1:34pm (UK)

Thousands of Terrorists Allowed into Uk, Says Former Spy

By Rod Minchin

Security bosses let thousands of al Qaida members into the UK during the 1990s, former spy David Shayler claimed today.

The renegade ex-MI5 agent, who was jailed for selling top secret documents to a newspaper, also claimed some of the terrorists were granted British citizenship in an amazing blunder by his former bosses.

“In the early 1990s MI5 was very slow to get to grips with al Qaida,” Shayler said in a TV interview.

“Despite repeated warnings they let in thousands of al Qaida members into this country who are all still here.

“Some of whom have gained British citizenship, which makes it very difficult to expel them.” Middlesbrough-born Shayler revealed his fears on the ITV1 Tyne Tees programme The Sunday Interview.

He based his claims on information from French security service officials, who Shayler said, warned their British counterparts that al Qaida terrorists were trying to get into the country.

In 2002 he was jailed for risking British agents’ lives by his “blinkered arrogance”.

An Old Bailey jury convicted him of three charges under the Official Secrets Act after selling top secret documents, which were packed with names of agents, to a newspaper for £40,000.

He claimed he was a whistleblower trying to expose corruption and incompetence in the secret service.

But he remains convinced the UK is under great threat from an attack by Osama bin Laden’s feared terror group.

Shayler told the programme: “At one point the French intelligence service mentioned that tens of thousands of al Qaida members came into Britain from France.

“The French got on top of al Qaida very quickly. In this country we have always had a problem with resources and for that reason our security has been put at risk.

“These people are here now and if they wanted to attack us I am sure they could,” he said.

“I think they (David Blunkett and Sir John Stevens) have always known there has been a lot of people here.

“I think we have been given a period of grace and that may change at any time.

“We have already seen attacks in Istanbul on British targets and I think it is only a matter of time before something big happens in this country.”

Shayler’s revelations come just days after Osama bin Laden offered to make peace with Europe if soldiers were pulled out of Islamic states. "

[DAVEY CROCKETT]

More history, this is suggestive reading from Almojahid at IH. He believes this! If a person buys into this we can open a whole new can of worms. Only GOD can solve this mess.

The Protocols of the Elders of Zion
Anti-Masonry and Anti-Semitism
Leon Zeldis, FPS, 33°
PSGC, Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite for the State of Israel
Honorary Adjunct Grand Master

More than once in the course of the last two centuries, anti-Masonry has been fused with an older hatred, hatred of the Jews, that is to say anti-Semitism. Probably, the irrational nature of both phobias facilitates their juxtaposition. Be that as it may, from the middle of the 19th Century, we are witnessing an increasing wave of simultaneously anti-Semitic and anti-Masonic propaganda. Possibly, the paradigmatic work of this class of "literature" is an opuscule entitled "The Protocols of the Wise Men of Zion" sometimes also known as "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion."

This is one of the most well-known literary falsifications in history, based on plagiarism and fraud from the very beginning of its gestation. Nevertheless, this swindle has captivated the imagination of many people who are sensible in other respects, and it has been transformed into the "source of indispensable information" in the baggage of all the anti-Semites and anti-Masons.

In this work, we will examine the history of this fraud, will demonstrate its absolute falsification and we will take a look at the lamentable consequences that it has had in modern history, as much of the point of view of the Jewish people, as of Freemasonry.


http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/9991/protocols.html

[rickylc]

Sorry, I didn't think you had seen the update.

It's like the Jeremy Reynolds article Cindy posted says, there are going to be many false leads, and they will try hard to get us off on wild goose chases.

I think all of us here have to be very sure, or as sure as possible of the info we post, and be sure to note it clearly when something that seemed ominous turns out to be incorrect.

Following a wrong lead can be worse than no lead at all. Like a magician, while your looking here, the real action happens over there.

[rickylc]

Interesting.

I tried going to www.terrorfacts.com to look into it further, but the site wouldn't load.

Did you try going there?

[texasbluebell]

How many more moslems have to tell us this?

What's it going to take before we understand what this "religion" is all about?

[rickylc]

'Bye!

Take care and stay safe!!!

[DAVEY CROCKETT]

FYI

Russia test-fires missile
From correspondents in Moscow
April 21, 2004

RUSSIA early today launched an intercontinental ballistic missile in a test-firing, news agencies cited the Strategic Missile Forces as saying.

The missile was fired from the Plesetsk cosmodrome in northern Russia and it landed in the intended area of the Pacific Ocean, the reports said.

The launch's purpose was to test systems at the cosmodrome and to gather technical data on the rocket flight, the Interfax news agency cited the missile forces' press service as saying.

The launch followed two embarrassing failures of ballistic missile launches from submarines during highly publicised naval manoeuvers in February.

Later that month, Russia said it had successfully tested a space vehicle that could lead to weapons capable of penetrating missile defences


http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,9344991%255E1702,00.html

[DAVEY CROCKETT]

Is this a new virus?

Virus sparks NT-wide warning
By Paul Jackson
April 21, 2004

A NORTHERN Territory-wide warning has been issued after a young child was diagnosed with the potentially fatal Murray Valley encephalitis virus.

The Department of Health and Community Services issued the warning after the child contracted the virus in Central Australia. The virus is carried by mosquitoes.

The warning particularly applies to people living, visiting or camping within 5km of swamp, creek and river systems overnight.

Symptoms of the virus include severe headache, high fever, drowsiness, tremors and seizures - especially in young children.

In some cases the disease progresses to coma.

The department has warned people experiencing these symptoms to seek urgent medical attention.

It said above average rainfall for many regions in February and March had set the scene for increased mosquito numbers and an increased risk of the virus.

February to May is the peak risk period for the virus in the Territory.

The department also issued a warning for the Kunjin virus.

The disease is not normally fatal. Symptoms include fever, headaches and muscle and joint aches and pains.

Both viruses are transmitted by the common banded mosquito.

This mosquito bites only after sundown, with a peak in the first two hours of the night.

Northern Territory News


http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,9344950%255E26462,00.html

[DAVEY CROCKETT]

Add this to the list

Virus Closes Western Pa. School, Sickening 200

POSTED: 11:55 am EDT April 20, 2004

CORAOPOLIS, Pa. -- A third round of testing has confirmed what health officials had believed -- a norovirus sickened 200 students and employees at a western Pennsylvania school and their relatives last month.

The 800-student Cornell School District in Allegheny County was closed for about two weeks after many children came down with the gastrointestinal disease. While school was out, the building was disinfected to prevent another wave of infection.

The building housed the entire school district from kindergarten through 12th grade.

In all, 130 students, 16 employees and 54 relatives were sickened by the virus, which is highly contagious and spread through contact with infected people.

Administrators are seeking money from state and federal officials to offset the $155,000 cleanup cost.

There have been no further cases since the school reopened earlier this month.

Copyright 2004 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.



http://www.thewgalchannel.com/learningmatters/3022750/detail.html

[DAVEY CROCKETT]

I think we are seeing a change in the media. This is the 3rd story I have seen along these lines. Maybe they read TM...heeeeheeee

Al Qaeda Relying on 'Peace' Movements

By Center for Security Policy
CenterForSecurityPolicy.org | April 20, 2004

Borrowing a page from North Vietnamese General Vo Nguyen Giap, Osama bin Laden is making the US and European "peace" movement an instrument of his strategy.
The al Qaeda leader's most recent tape, aired on Al Jazeera April 15, "appeared to mark a new strategy of trying to manipulate antiwar sentiment in Europe to bring pressure on governments that support the United States," according to the Washington Post.

Spanish voters' election of an anti-American socialist in the days following the March train bombings in Madrid encouraged al Qaeda. In his tape, the Post reports, "Bin Laden refers to demonstrations in Europe as 'positive interaction' and mentions 'opinion polls, which indicate that most European peoples want peace.'"

Bin Laden is openly trying to exploit politicial divisions in Europe and the US in the way that General Giap counted on the American "peace" movement to weaken the American people's resolve even though they were winning the war. Former North Vietnamese General Staff officer Bui Tin once said that the "peace" movement was "essential to our strategy."

The open support of Hanoi by Jane Fonda, former Attorney General Ramsey Clark (now head of International ANSWER, which coordinates the largest protests) and others "gave us confidence that we should hold on in the face of battlefield reverses," Bui Tin said. "Through dissent and protest," the US "lost the ability to mobilize a will to win."

http://frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=13066

[StillProud2BeFree]

Has anyone else noticed what the prices of gold and silver have done today?

As of 22:08 ET
Gold is down to $391.70 an ounce - down $5.70 today
Silver is down to $6.52 an ounce - down $.40 today

[knak]

I'm reading backwards, don't know if this was posted yet!

Missing Tanker Trailer Has N.J. Counter-Terrorism on Alert

Fort Lee-WABC, April 20, 2004) — New Jersey's Office of Counter-Terrorism is issuing an alert. It is searching for a missing gasoline tanker truck that vanished more than a week ago from a parking lot in Pennsauken.

[DAVEY CROCKETT]

Yes I did and airline stocks were also down?????

[all4one]

On the 6:00 p.m. news report for the Philly/New Jersey area the local FBI spokesman was saying that the placards on the stolen tanker truck were not valid, so it would be difficult to legally fill the 9,200 gallon tanker with fuel.

Ummmmmmmm.....have the FBI not noticed the number of foreign owned and operated gas stations in recent years!!!!! IMO it would be just as easy to fill the tanker as it was to steal the truck to begin with. Also, they are not sure exactly what day the truck was stolen....timeframe between April 8th and 12th.

[Lucy Lake]

What is the significance of a decrease in the price of precious metals? Is this because interest rates may rise or is this a signal of something more ominous?

[StillProud2BeFree]

I'm not an economist and I don't really understand the precious metals market, but from what I have been told, this is extreme volatility and is very unusual.

With all the unusual indicators, I felt it was worth noting.

Hopefully someone who understands the market better will come along and explain. I understand stocks, not precious metals :) (Well, I understand precious metals when my husband buys me jewelry made of it, but that's about the extent of it!)

[all4one]

I have been watching the market numbers for the last few months. Very erratic. Today for example up by @ 12 points all morning.....but down 93 points this afternoon, quite a few days in the last few months have been following that pattern. Greenspan did announce a hint about interest rates, but still very erratic.

Also, there has been positive earnings reports released for a number of companies in the past few weeks, GM and others who have reported higher than expected earnings. There are the normal up days when investors are reaping profits, but some of the other activity seems more odd than usual. I recall articles on erratic market activity prior to 9/11, especially with the airline and insurance stocks.