Tue 05.25 Author Steve Quayle and Douglas Hagmann of the Northeast Intelligence Network will discuss terrorism and present an intelligence update
Posted on 05/25/2004 4:52:15 PM PDT by Wolfstar
17 minutes ago (at time of posting) The intelligence does not include a time, place or method of attack but is among the most disturbing received by the government since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, according to a senior federal counterterrorism official who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Tuesday.
Of most concern, the official said, is that terrorists may possess and use a chemical, biological or radiological weapon that could cause much more damage and casualties than a conventional bomb.
"There is clearly a steady drumbeat of information that they are going to attack and hit us hard," said the official, who described the intelligence as highly credible.
The official declined to provide any specifics about the sources of the information but said there was an unusually high level of corroboration.
Despite that, the official said there was no immediate plan to raise the nation's terrorism threat level from yellow, or elevated, to orange, or high. The threat level has been at yellow — midpoint on the five-color scale — since January.
Attorney General John Ashcroft and FBI Director Robert Mueller plan a news conference Wednesday to outline an intensive effort by law enforcement, intelligence and homeland security officials to detect and disrupt any potential plots. And the FBI plans to dispatch a bulletin to some 18,000 state and local law enforcement agencies warning of the threat.
Beginning with Saturday's dedication of the new World War II Memorial in Washington, the summer presents a number of high-profile targets in the United States. They include the G-8 summit in Georgia next month that will attract top officials from some of America's closest allies, the Democratic National Convention in Boston in July and the Republican National Convention in August in New York.
The FBI and Homeland Security Department also are concerned about so-called soft targets such as shopping malls anywhere in the United States that offer a far less protected environment than a political convention hall.
U.S. authorities repeatedly have said al-Qaida is determined to mount an attack on U.S. soil, in part to announce to the world that it remains capable of doing so despite the money and effort that has gone into homeland security in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks.
There also is concern terrorists might try to mount an attack to coincide with the November election. The political fallout from the March 11 train bombings in Spain taught al-Qaida that an attack timed to an election can have a major impact. Spain's former ruling party was ousted in the voting that followed the bombing, which killed 191 and injured more than 2,000.
The official did not say how many suspected al-Qaida or other terrorist operatives are believed in the country, whether they made their way into the United States recently or have been here for some time. The FBI has warned in the past that Islamic extremist groups may attempt to recruit non-Middle Easterners or women for attacks because they would be less likely to arouse suspicion.
Special security attention already is being focused to the nation's rail, subway and bus lines. The FBI last week sent out an intelligence bulletin to law enforcement agencies urging vigilance against suicide bombers, who have been used by terror groups worldwide to devastating effect but not so far in the United States.
Separately, Immigration and Customs Enforcement chief Michael Garcia told reporters Tuesday that some 2,300 of its agents are being deployed to assist in security for the high-profile events scheduled this summer in the United States. These include as many as 20 agents each day working with the Secret Service to protect the campaigns of President Bush (news - web sites) and Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites), the Democratic presidential candidate.
Garcia said his agency also is working to "tighten the investigative system" to ensure that terrorists do not enter the United States by way of human smuggling operations or through the vast, largely unprotected border with Canada.
We can't prevent everything.
We just have to do the best we can, and I am glad we have a President who is doing just that.
We probably will get hit again.
That will strengthen America's resolve.
Bring it on, terrorists. You will fail.
20, the number of terrorists on 9/11.
a good analogy to what you are talking about is auto theft. better policing techniques can lower auto theft dramatically - but its the joyriders and chop shop quick buck artists who are thwarted. a professional car thief determined to steal your vehicle, is very hard to stop.
the only way to stop small teams of terrorists like this is with intelligence information, you cannot expect border security to do it.
You have mail.
Amen.
Don't forget the 2,500 mile border with Canada, whose govt. is just as much an appeaser to the terrorists as france's.
My thought would be the fourth of July celebrations across the country.There are thousands of people at the fourth celebrations.Look at the map,the terrorist are positioned in all the major cities.If they had multiple strikes it would throw this country into chaos.
So why would the terrorists want to attack the Republican convention? Think about what the major and most important political party in America really is, where they are located, and why terrorists think that.
Tue 05.25 Author Steve Quayle and Douglas Hagmann of the Northeast Intelligence Network will discuss terrorism and present an intelligence update
FNC just announced that further testing confirmed that it was indeed sarin in that roadside bomb in Iraq.
I expect her to come tonight!
good!
I just heard on the radio that the newscast will be at 11:00 PST.
Agreed again, but do you foresee any sentiment for appeasement--other than from the Bush haters, of course.
Heck, I don't even know what the total coastline of Alaska is, but if a terrorist wanted to land there with phony ID and enough money for a plane ticket, he's in your home town.
we knew it was Sarin as soon as it became evident that the media was burying the story. if it had been a can of Raid in that IED, that we claimed was Sarin, the media would have talked about it for 2-3 days.
Well, on second thought, I think I already know.
Two cases in point, Johhny Taliban from Marin County, Calif. and that National Guardsman from Washington state.
Well, they are wonderful pictures and I thank you for posting them. I did save them. I have a folder on my hard drive just for pictures of the President and Laura. I love them!
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