AP: Terrorists Planning Summer Attack

AP via Yahoo News ^ | Curt Anderson

[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.

[oceanview]

as I said in an earlier post - in a different kind of country, without the lies of the liberal media and the Democratic party, we would have chased the stuff there from Iraq and done it already.

[CWOJackson]

So they can look like the Norwegian Ski Team, a group of Japanese business men or a 7/11 clerk.

Thanks for the info...I totally over looked Hindu appearances. And let's not forget Pakistan.

[Doc On The Bay]

It is Abundantly Clear that we are "Dealing with" Individuals Consumed by a Psychopathology of Such Magnitude that ONLY a "Psycho-Religious CATASTROPHE," such as the Sudden Loss of "MECCA &/or MEDINA" would "Focus" these Individuals enough for Them to understand the "Day-to-day lives" of Normal Humans.

Doc

[madison10]

Maybe "anonymous" because the idiot/Lib/Democrat-type was supposed to keep his/her mouth shut OR maybe this is an un-official, sanctioned leak from the White House.

[Palladin]

My Prayer:

Please, Lord, wherever and whenever this happens, let Michael Moore be right there at Ground Zero.

[ride the whirlwind]

No, of course no one can protect the whole U.S. I only mentioned the 2 paragraphs because I had not heard these details before.

This might be a good place to repost MEG33's prayer - May God bless our efforts to stop the terror attacks...May he convey wisdom and strength to those who deter terror...May he bless this nation with victory in Iraq and the reelection of President Bush.

[Tench_Coxe]

If they pull this off, the words of Cato come to mind: " Carthago delenda est! "

[Right_in_Virginia]

as I said in an earlier post - in a different kind of country, without the lies of the liberal media and the Democratic party, we would have chased the stuff there from Iraq and done it already.

The terrorist animals should know one more attack here...and not even the liberal media and the DemonRats can protect them from us.

[macrahanish #1]

Shouldn't Portland,Oregon have some cell action also?

[Palladin]

oh--and Lord-- I forgot--also Teddy Kennedy, Peter Jennings, Chris Matthews, Jesse Jackson, Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, Soros, ....and...well, you get my drift. Amen.

[EllaMinnow]

Amen!

[spectre]

"Again, they're not going to try to sneak past a metal detector...They'll go where there isn't one..."

Good thoughts, but I was wondering how DO we screen the contents of fireworks?

sw

[CWOJackson]

I don't know about you but if they were to attack the Democratical National Convention I would be demanding that the President pull us out of Iraq.

Demanding!

[Oorang]

Another excellent read is "Terrorist Hunter" by Rita Katz. I believe at the time of publishing the author was listed as "anonymous" as she was trying to protect her family from retaliation. I believe her identity was outed via a lawsuit. Excellent read. Her website is here if you are interested:

http://www.siteinstitute.org/

[hershey]

On top of having to worry about what contraption our terrorist friends are planning to set off for the next bing bang boom surprise, come Nov.: Botoxboy might just possibly be elected. Then we're really doomed. We can't take four years of that idiot.

[Peach]

I've nearly bought her book a half dozen times and today, for the first time, her name was mentioned and I saw her on FNC with another gentlemen. She is very interesting; thanks so much for linking that!

[Kozak]

I expect trouble come late summer prior to the elections, thanks to Spain

I agree but with the following caveat. That they will escalate the violence in Iraq in an all out effort to damage the President in the fall election. Like Tet, they can loose the battle but win in the media. Second a major terrorist strike, but at an Ally, ( England is my best guess ) in an attempt to isolate us more. As much as they WANT to strike us directly, I think they may realize that a direct attack on our soil would just infuriate us more, and lead to a Bush landslide. They don't want that. They do get mileage from threatening a strike and keeping us constantly on edge. That will work to erode the support for the President.

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

ping

[KQQL]

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