I read the article earlier but am just reading comments.
From this article:
The documents said al-Qaida officials were skeptical of Padilla’s ability to set off a dirty bomb but were very interested in the apartment operation.
I'm pretty sure this is NOT accurate. I believe Comey said the "Al Qaeda officials" were skeptical of the ability of Padilla to set off a nuclear device and they suggested the dirty bomb as an alternative. Padilla was hellbent on detonating a bomb.
We need the transcript.
Indeed, he was also interested in the apartment operation, but protested that the simultaneous explosion of 20 complexes was beyond his ability. He said he could manage 2 or 3 at once.
The documents said al-Qaida officials were skeptical of Padilla’s ability to set off a dirty bomb but were very interested in the apartment operation
From today's press conference:
Excerpt:
Padilla says Zubaida was skeptical about the idea of them building and deploying a nuclear bomb, but nonetheless told them he would send them on to see Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, also known as KSM, the operational leader of al Qaeda and the mastermind behind September 11.
We know separately that Zubaida did think the nuclear bomb idea was not feasible but he did think as well that another kind of radiological device was very feasible: uranium wrapped with explosives to create a dirty bomb. Zubaida believed this was feasible and encouraged Padilla and his accomplice to pursue it. He warned them, though, that it would not be as easy as they might think. But they seemed convinced that they could do it without getting caught.
I am sickened that the reporters either can't comprehend plain English or are deliberately distorting what was said.
I had no trouble understanding it. The skepticism was about deploying a nuclear bomb. But he thought a *dirty bomb* was VERY feasible.