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.
You have the media pegged exactly right.
I just turned Greta on and may have missed her reporting...
My daughter and son-in-law work for the state legislature, so that would be a horrible headline! Be careful what you say!
I was thinking about that earlier today.
It may come to the point where we will have to issue an ultimatum. If another terrorist attack by Islamic Fundamentalists occurs, the President should hold a press conference and say, "One more attack by radical Islamist Terrorist, and the cities of Mecca and Medina will be wiped off the face of the planet."
That might just work.
So we've had Muslims STILL coming into this country post 9/11? Holy moly. I'm glad we live in a small town in the south where Middle Eastern people stick out like a sore thumb. I have GOT to start paying more attention to the news again; I thought they were still only talking about the prison abuse matter. LOL
Emerson's was the first book I read post 9/11 and I am going to re-read it. For a long time he had to live like Salmon Rushdie, I think, but some people have told me he's been on television a few times. I've never seen him once and would pay cash money to do so.
DEMS WILL probably say: This is a ploy by W to get his poll numbers up.
or God Forbid something happens,
oh see W is incompetent
NBS: Terrorists getting their A kicked every day right now.
I have a Graduation Party to attend in a couple weeks and I swear if I hear one comment from one of my liberal family members about how we need to give peace a chance
I am going to smack them upside their heads
Yeah, that's the tic...{snicker}...ket. Blow up Mecca, sounds like a pl...{he he he}...an. Torch Medina, now we're talk...{chuckle giggle}...ing. Wipe 'em from the face of the pla...{har har choke jasp har har}...net.
Yeah, right! Won't happen, but thanks for giving me a laugh. I was having a bad day.
DEMS WILL probably say: This is a ploy by W to get his poll numbers up. or God Forbid something happens, oh see W is incompetent
It's already happening, at democraticunderground.com they are already saying that this story is out because Bush's speech was a flop...What a bunch of fools
Gretta is talking to Bill Getz about it know
Just thinking aloud.
How about lightening up?
It's already happening, at democraticunderground.com they are already saying that this story is out because Bush's speech was a flop...What a bunch of fools.
May I add...what a bunch of foolish, useful, DANGEROUS IDIOTS.
I was just listening to him. Gertz is the smartest guy of all the reporters. Have you read any of his books? Fabulous!
He's actually been saying that for months, probably for years.
Why even talk about what won't be happening? Nuke this, MOAB that, torch Mecca, turn {name your favorite Arab country or city} into a sheet of glass. Have you even listened to the President since the start of the war on terror?
Yes, you're right. Just breaking. Here's a couple places I saw just a bit ago.
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/nation/2591618
and
http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=aXKt1VeLvJ84&refer=top_world_news
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