Posted on 05/25/2004 4:59:02 PM PDT by johnfrink
U.S. officials have obtained new intelligence deemed highly credible indicating al-Qaida or other terrorists are in the United States and preparing to launch a major attack this summer, The Associated Press has learned.
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, D.C, 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 and Sen. John Kerry, 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.
When are we gonna replace Lady Liberty's torch with a baseball bat, and clamp down on the gaddamned borders?!? How many more need to die before the Parasite Class realizes they're going to die with everyone else??????
Dup thread
if 18,000 suicide bombers went off on one day....
Terrorist attack?
It's just the Democrat Convention.
if they did, there would be new housing in Dearborn by the end of the week.
I've been predicting this for the past month.
They WILL attack before the November election.
I just pray that Bush unleashes the dogs of war if they do.
Living in America will never be the same after September 11th.
If he don't...we will. NO free ride for the POS in our country next time.
And behold a pale horse, and he who rode upon him was named Death,
and Hell travelled with him.
Are elementary schools considered soft targets?
We have been hearing variations of the same news for two or more years.
Anyone with the IQ of a gnat knows that terrorists are continually planning to attack us here again. Predict it long enough and eventually it will come true. THEN, the media can say "We warned you and the President did nothing about it!!". You know that is coming.
They are going to hit us again. Most of here know that. I just wonder what the backlash will be, especially against Muslims? It would depend on the severity of the attack. Muslim leaders here and abroad have not been vocal at all against terrorist attacks. Here, they have been whining about their civil liberties rather than denouncing these attacks vigorously.
I shudder to think what the reaction will be in the streets if we are hit with massive casualties (i.e. chem or bio attack).
You bet they are. I teach at an elementary school and have often thought about how easy it would be to pack a bus or car full of explosives, pull up the circular drive and keep going through the front doors. You would kill the 1000+ people in my school without any resistance. Schools are sitting ducks.
This "warning" is coming from Ashcroft and Ridge.
Sadly, it's a non-warning warning: No elevation of the threat official level. Warn 18,000 PDs when only 18 have anything to worry about. Thrash around blindly trying to ward off a threat we can't see.
Sadly, it's like shooting fish in a barrel to embarrass Homelame Security.
Why wouldn't they? It worked in Spain. Kerry has already made an inquiry with Iran, who's running AQ these days, via his "letter" to the Tehran Times - a Mullah media outlet. What's Kerry going to do, run on domestic policy differences? There are almost zero between him and Bush.
Maybe this will compel Bush to spill the beans on who really is guiding AQ these days...BTW, the Madrid bombers have been traced to their leader...a Syrian...living in Iran.
The sooner the attack happens, the better. The bigger the attack, the better. That's the only way all of America will understand we are on an ultimate war footing. It's not that any of us want the loss of innocent life, but the Islamists have already declared war to the death and we know they are going to attack. Paradoxically, by pulling off a large hit, they will seal their fate.
In my opinion, that is probably the best way to hurt America as a whole. AND GOD HELP THEM IF THEY EVER DID!!!!
Especially so since they're mostly shuttered during the summer months.
I shudder to think what the reaction will be in the streets if we are hit with massive casualties (i.e. chem or bio attack).
Wise Muslims inside the U.S. will heed our insistence that they condemn the Muslim terrorists & their attacks. Take heed, be wise, say it loudly and say it often.
Actually, if they do attack before the election, I think it will seal Kerry's fate and guarantee that the President gets a second term.
I guess that would all depend upon how they treated the public's summary execution of every Muslim inside the US.
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