Dirty Bomb Plot on Sears Tower

World Net Daily ^ | 4/19/2004 | World Net Daily

[Rutles4Ever]

A plot by terrorists to use dirty bombs laced with the deadly chemical osmium tetroxide to attack U.S. targets including the Sears Tower in Chicago was uncovered by British intelligence and law enforcement authorities, according to a report in Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin.

British police and military bomb experts passed on information to their U.S. counterparts.

Traces of the chemical, as well as manuals for its use, were discovered by the British intelligence community during raids following the March Madrid attack.

A number of intelligence and security agencies include osmium tetroxide in their list of dangerous materials. It can be purchased in a gel-like form in small quantities. It is mainly used for laboratory experiments. The gel is highly toxic and can be developed into a coating element for bomb parts, or into an aerosol.

Though it is not clear from the sources that al-Qaida was behind the plot, Osama bin Laden's network had previously eyed the Sears Tower as a target, following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

The terrorist group's operations chief, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, told interrogators that al-Qaida's follow-up attacks in the Midwest and West Coast were thwarted by the intensity of the U.S. response to the strikes on the World Trade Center in New York City and on the Pentagon.

Mohammed said he and his nephew, Ramzi Yousuf, who was behind the first World Trade Center bombing a decade ago, had identified the targets through almanacs of American buildings.

"We were looking for symbols of economic might," he told interrogators.

Following 9-11, about $6.5 million was invested to improve the building's security, including more digital cameras, tightly controlled access requiring a security-approved card to get through turnstiles, additional security officers and improved communications with government and outside agencies.

Osmium tetroxide can attack soft human tissue and can cause blindness for anyone who breathes its fumes. It can also cause an agonizing death.

A plan to launch a chemical attack in Britain had also been prevented.

[Rutles4Ever]

Heads up to Chicago Freepers...

[netmilsmom]

This is scary.

[Old Sarge]

There have been no terror attacks on US soil since 11 SEP 01.

Just a whole slew of failed attempts.

Operation Noble Eagle. Still ongoing.

[Rutles4Ever]

What's disconcerting is Al Qaeda's obsession for picking a target and not letting go. Since I work literally 100 yards from the Sears Tower, this is of great concern to me...

[Monty22]

What's scarier is that even though AQ admits that we put some hurt on them by our response, kerry and democrats think this is all a joke to get Bush re-elected.

[GROOVY]

These are the kind of things we want our press to make sure our President is on top of. Instead of wasting time playing gotcha politics at the last news conference, asking 8 questions trying to get the president to apologize. We have real concerns, its time our politicians and journalists get serious.

[m1-lightning]

How is it possible anyone can get a bomb passed the security at the Sears tower? The only other option I see for them is another plane attack... not going to happen.

[SBprone]

"How is it possible anyone can get a bomb passed the security at the Sears tower?"

I can think of a few ways, although I'd rather not share them with any lurking terrorists.

[ironman]

"There have been no terror attacks on US soil since 11 SEP 01."

What about the anthrax attacks? Those were pretty scary.

[AlbertWang]

The terrorist group's operations chief, Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, told interrogators that al-Qaida's follow-up attacks in the Midwest and West Coast were thwarted by the intensity of the U.S. response to the strikes on the World Trade Center in New York City and on the Pentagon

You will never hear this from the Democrats. I Thank God that Algore is not in the White House.

[Old Sarge]

< Clintonvoice>

"Wee-eel, it all depends on what y'all's definition of "terror attack" is.."

< /Clintonvoice>

I can't recall if the anthrax incidents were linked to al-Qaeda or not. No "big-ticket" attacks, certainly.

[alnitak]

This got wide coverage in the British media (tho' not the Chicago connection). Osmium tetroxide is a liquid (saw it in some little bottles on TV being shaken around) and is apparently destroyed in explosions.

Factoid of the day: Osmium is the densest element.

[Esther Ruth]

"chemical osmium tetroxide"
What else do we want to say about this stuff, how is it delivered, can someone walk into a place with it?

[Rebelbase]

"How is it possible anyone can get a bomb passed the security at the Sears tower?"

Bribes, Extortion, Blackmail.

[fishtank]

"What about the anthrax attacks? Those were pretty scary."

Those were done by Timothy McVeigh's evil twin,
NOT by the Religion of Peace!!!

</sarcasm>

[Rebelbase]

Factoid of the day: Osmium Janie Gorelick is the densest element.

[fishtank]

Plus, you could build the device PAST the security posts.

[Rutles4Ever]

Who said anything about it being inside? It could just as easily be AT the Sears Tower -- thought this would not be nearly as effective.

[ASA Vet]

NIOSH pocket guide to Chemical Hazards

" Symptoms Irritation eyes, respiratory system; lacrimation (discharge of tears),
visual disturbance; conjunctivitis; headache; cough, dyspnea (breathing difficulty); dermatitis"

[Young Rhino]

It would send a powerful message to these cretins to post the decapitated heads of captured terrorists on pikes on top of the Sears Tower. I'd create a similar 9/11 memorial at the WTC site. For good measure, I'd have a slice of bacon sticking out of the mouths of each head. Let the media scream about it. One Al-Jazeera broadcast complaining about the barbarity would do wonders to reduce the numbers of jihad wannabes.