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.
Maybe the threat level will be raised at tomorrow's press conference. Maybe not. The administration has been hit over the head about the whys and wherefors of the threat level every time they've raised it. I think now they are concerned about the "cry wolf" syndrome.
I'm a bit more optimistic than that. :-)
We REALLY mean it this time.
How about Hollyweird for a change?! They helped get us IN to this mess!
*Ping* to this.
I wish I could be optimistic, but I can't.
Well, Duh! This is almost guaranteed during the Repub National Convention to discredit Bush.
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HILLARY and TERRRORISM's plan to regain the White House
http://www.Freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1022571/posts
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Uh, why not blame the terrorists?
Could you possibly be so stupid as to think that a terrorist will not attack because a western politician or media outlet said or failed to say anything?
Get it through your head. Terrorists attack us simply because we are Infidels, and they view America as the most infidel of countries.
Thanks "Meek." I won't be able to catch the press conference live tomorrow. Hopefully some kind FReeper will do a live thread.
Wolfstar.........if Bill O'Reilly is "LIVE," how come he isn't even talking about this late breaking news???? He is cat calling on the President's speech last night. :(
We need JFnK in office now so that he can surrender to Al Qaeda immediately and put an end to this endless violence! If only the UN were here to protect us.
But, but, but...John F'n said that there is no terrorist threat.
Annie, I could not agree more with what you wrote. Very, very frightening, although adults are in charge right now. What if Kerry wins (shudder).
Yeah. In Boston, Massachusetts. My understanding, however, is that the head terrorist is considering not showing up at all (although they may be appointing a vice-terrorist). :)
That makes sense. Thanks!!! We will have to wait until tomorrow.........
But wait! Shouldn't we all be more interested in hearing about what happened in Abu Graib for about the 1,756,823rd time rather than this?
[Extreme Sarcasm/]
Not really funny, but ..... haha !
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