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.
That's wonderful. Are you picking her up?
My daughter flew home for two weeks in December. It was great having her here. I hated to let her go back. But, she has her hubby and her baby........so I couldn't keep her. LOL!
She rents a car at the airport because while here she has so many places to go and so many people to see.
She's single,thus the hectic social life when home.
We are having 3 family get togethers(minus the New York son and his family) and the rest of the time she'll be seeing friends.
She's staying with me,though,so we'll get caught up on lots of thing but will avoid politics. She's a died in the wool,hard core liberal,so we stay away from some subjects.
Where did I go wrong? LOL
I say bring it on you freaking rag heads.............we'll put a boot up your *&^% it's the American Way! Flags will be waving... don't mess with a Texan!
GWB will show you our resolve. My 24 year old Marine is about to float over on the big ship to Iraq, he will be a hero, mark my word!
From this former Army Artillery dog: Give 'em hell for me soldier.
Good luck, Godspeed.
Yes it is. Don't remember who I 'borrowed' that from, though.
Who knows what twisted thinking might cause the Islamofreaks to choose a particular target. Fact is, we can't possibly cover them all. Fact also is that every rational American adult has known since 9/11/01 that other attacks are all but inevitable. Where? When? As the President often says, the terrorists only have to get lucky once, while those trying to protect us have to get lucky 100% of the time. For this reason, I really think our government should reinstitute the Civil Defense Corps.
Yep !The Ashcroft-Mueller news conference begins in less than an hour.
Joe, what do you propose we do in order to seal off the country, so that people can not only not come in via the borders, but via:
1) the coasts (including remote places with no coast guard or towns)
2) underground (kind of like an underground railroad for terrorists).
3) some obscure little airport with terrorists coming in via a private plane okayed by terrorists already here working in the airport.
4) etc.
Face it, you do what you can. There is no way we will ever stop every terrorist from coming here. It is impossible. IMPOSSIBLE!!
We do what is reasonable and then look to thwart attacks. This is what GW is doing, and I am satisfied.
Moving all our troops from Iraq to the Mexican border so we can have "secure borders" (sorry Joe......they will find a way to even get through that) is not reasonable.
It will not save anybody.
Live your life instead of running scared.
Trust our President.
oops...pinged the wrong one.......check the previous post.
You are clueless.
See post 608.
"Time to Let loose the hounds of hell on AQ and all the LIBs."
I wish.
Interesting.....
I might want to do a story on that if you can get me some more info.
Radical islam is the enemy, and terrorism is its weapon of choice. It's that simple.
Freepmail me if you know some more info....would be a good story to write for the newspaper because I could connect it to the dangers of foreign students coming over without much checks.
"Lock and load."
Fire at will.
Sorry I didn't see your earlier post when I posted 593#. Great minds think alike
"We have the power, we just need the resolve."
All the power in the world is meaningless unless there is the will to use it.
Sorry for the late reply, I've been working on some stuff all day and have a sick child, so I haven't had free fun time today as usual.
This went into effect Monday. It was a surprise as far as I can tell to everyone. It was not expected, at least this early.
A placard at FBI (news - web sites) headquarters in Washington May 26, 2004, shows individuals being sought by the FBI in connection with possible terrorist threats against the U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft (news - web sites) and FBI Director Robert Mueller today drew attention to photos of several suspected al-Qaida operatives the FBI has been pursuing for months. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
you have FReepmail
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