Terror Expert Expects More Attacks on US Soil [Clinton legalistic method]

The United States faces greater terrorism threats now than before the attacks on 9/11, according to a terrorism expert.

Jack Cloonan, a retired FBI agent whose mission was once to find Osama bin Laden, spoke at Butler University Monday night.

His exclusive assignment was to track down members of al-Qaeda, and build a case against its leader, Osama bin Laden.

From 9/11 to the recent train bombing in Madrid, Spain, al-Qaeda has taken responsibility for some of the most deadly acts of terrorism in world history. The man behind al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, has been the most elusive fugitive in history.

Jack Cloonan should now. He was once the country’s top al-Qaeda bounty hunter. “We knew how he moved. We knew who was in charge of the detail. We knew their numbers. We knew how they were armed,” said Cloonan.

Cloonan says the US gave up on its 1996 plan to eliminate bin Laden because they didn't think it would work. His assignment was to find other members of al-Qaeda and build a case against their leader.

“We were able to put these people in safe houses. They all had blood on their hands. They all walked into a sealed courtroom in New York and plead guilty to conspiracy to kill US citizens,” he said.

Cloonan believes the war in Iraq has given al-Qaeda a new theater in which to perform its isolated acts of terror. He expects more attacks on US soil. He also expects al-Qaeda to attempt to use chemical or biological weapons. “If you're willing to commit suicide, if you're willing to die, three or four people could bring a city like Indianapolis to its knees if it so chooses and that's the way they think,” said Cloonan.

Cloonan says he feels more of a need to speak out because of the recent hearings in Washington to find out more about the country’s anti terrorism efforts. He wanted to dispel one rumor about the size of al-Qaeda. He says the group originally consisted of just 72 people and now has an estimated 200 members even though hundreds more have gone through terror camps. He expects another al-Qaeda attack on US soil within two to three years.

More details for those interested from Dawgnet, the Butler University student paper, 4/6/04.

http://dawgnet.butler.edu/archive/040404/2322.html

Former FBI agent talks about al Qaeda and bin Laden
By Daniel McNeely

Former FBI agent Jack Cloonan, currently an ABCNEWS consultant and private investigator, addressed Butler students and community members on the issues of counterterrorism, specifically counterterrorism targeted against al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden, Monday night.

From 1972 to 2002 Cloonan worked in the FBI’s New York office in areas such as Foreign Counter Intelligence and International Terrorism. In 1996, he began working with a team of FBI and CIA agents named Alex Station exclusively targeting bin Laden at the center of the U.S. government’s operation to capture one of the bureau’s most wanted persons.

In his discussion, Cloonan gave the audience a view of al Qaeda from the inside based on his long field experience.

“I arrested and in several instances convinced members of al Qaeda and the Egyptian Islamic Jihad to cooperate with the U.S. [ I have] a unique insight into al Qaeda and their world,” Cloonan said.

With this insight Cloonan dispelled many myths that he felt were commonly believed about al Qaeda. The first of these was the size of the organization. While many believe al Qaeda has thousands of members, Cloonan said in actuality the membership is listed as 70 on one roster and 170 on another.

“Al Qaeda is a very small group,” he said. “The top eight members, I know personally, four of whom I have arrested.”

Cloonan then stressed the organization of al Qaeda and the nature of a career as a terrorist in this organization.

“To be in al Qaeda, you sign a contract,” Cloonan said. “You pledge bayat [allegiance], then you receive a salary and medical plan.”

One of Cloonan’s few criticisms of the bureau was its reliance on technological methods of data gathering.

“We use vast technological resources to gain information, maybe to a fault,” Cloonan said. “Datas analysis doesn’t tell us everything.

To illustrate this point, Cloonan told the audience about the No. 13 person on the FBI’s al Qaeda list, Jamal Ahmed Fadhl. Fadhl stole money from bin Laden before cooperating with the FBI. From Fadhl, the agency was able to gain code names, bank accounts and phone numbers.

“With this information, you can do something to prevent terrorism,” Cloonan said. “We learned how al Qaeda runs and the most important thing, what’s in our country.

“When we knows something’s going to happen, it’s because we have someone inside the group. That’s very difficult to do,” he said.

Cloonan said he has had great success in getting members of al Qaeda to cooperate with the U.S.

“Due process has a way of seducing the most hardened jihadist,” he said. “If they came forward in their countries, they’d be beheaded. We give them humane treatment and an advice of rights form.”

Students reacted positively to Cloonan’s speech.

“It was interesting to hear first hand from someone who had spoken with so many influential people with massive amounts of power,” senior Sara Jaffe said.

“His inside perspective shattered a great deal of myths that I had about al Qaeda,” Brian Sedam, a sixth-year pharmacy student, said. “I was interested to learn how they arrested the terrorists and about the information that the CIA withheld pre 9-11.”

The information in question was another criticism Cloonan had of the government’s organization before September 11, 2001. Cloonan said the CIA had information about two of the pilots involved on September 11 that were living in the United States for 18 months before the attacks.

They were not on the watch list, according to Cloonan. He said that he wished they had surveillance of the al Qaeda members in this situation.

Cloonan assured those present that the United States has made advances in intelligence and security since the events of September 11, 2001.

“We are safer today than we were pre-9-11. But no system, however strong, is absolute,” Cloonan said.

Addressing his new profession, Cloonan said he has to thoroughly consider what he is able to reveal as a news consultant.

"You have to be careful,” he said. “You don’t want to give away sensitive information.”

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