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.
So you'd rather we fought the war on terror on American shores? Uh, no thanks.
"...it was terribly funny."
Thank you CWO!
No it wasn't. He has a one track mind and thinks it's all about some political candidate. If we get hit again, and it's determined that these murderer walked right in here like the rest of the millions that enter illegally, it's going to be far beyond both these beltway parties, as everyone knows damn well they didn't do a damn thing to secure this country. The Iraq ballon will pop, and there will be 200,000 million angry faces focused on DC. Bet on it.
Did you happen to see the title of this thread?
Freedom and Security is one in the same.
Joe, you STILL haven't mentioned how the country could be made secure. I've raised a lot of questions, and so have others.
Sounds to me like you're already blaming President Bush in advance for not doing the impossible, of course, I could be wrong.
What could any candidate do to make the country SECURE??? I mean, SECURE! Not much, buddy, unless we all live in a prison...
Yep, and I read your post deep within.
Well, I guess I disagree on that...to me, freedom is far more important than security.
It will eventualy be faught here.IMO it will include many Americans that for some reason hate America. This war on terror is a global fight, not just in the ME. As many have said, it is a fight of good against evil and there is a lot of evil right here.
Oh man.......Ferrrrrrget it.
I am going to the, "A day in the wonderful life of some politcal candidate" thread...
Joe's espousing we become an isolationist nation. That won't happen in any of our lifetimes, we're not even self dependent yet.
It's late...headed to bed. Would you be so kind to freepmail me if ole Joe comes up with something that will help me sleep better at night? I'm currently using a security blanket!
Rise early, and smite the jihadists first.
Will do. ;-D
His massive, corpulent frame may absorb the blast.
I'm not denying it won't happen here, but to suggest that we get out of the ME (Iraq in this case), and put troops along the periphery of this country will stop terrorism, is simply impossible. Aside from the obvious borders to the north and the south, there are thousand and thousands of miles of shoreline to watch over, as well as flights coming into and out of this country to other countries. If we reach that point, somewhere along the line, certain rights and freedoms will be lost (I hope that won't be the case), and alot of people calling for border and immigration reform won't be the none happier before or after it all goes into place.
.
Thank you both for your kindness.
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I think you're right.
But I remember back in the cold war, how the USSR had all those officers going around checking people's papers, and listening to every frikken phone call anyone made, and everybody was spying on everybody over there, and you couldn't cross a border one way or another without getting shot...I heard they had a low crime rate compared to the US, and they were sure secure, right? They didn't have much of a life, though...
I just don't think we can have the kind of security that will satisfy Joe without having the kind of life that isn't much worth living....
Re your Post 497, that's what my posts to Joe were about, but I didn't get an answer...
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