Threat Matrix: Daily Terror Threat - Thread Eleven

WND ^ | 6/24/04 | N/A

[JustPiper]

Picture credit: TheCabal

"I will never cower before any master nor bend to any threat"

LINK TO THREAD TEN

Iran seeks swap of Brits for suicide attackers

Report says 40 Revolutionary Guard 'volunteers' held by UK

Iran apprehended British military personnel and Navy vessels earlier this week in order to secure release of 40 "suicide operations volunteers" held by the UK, according to an Iranian Revolutionary Guard source.

The source told the London Arabic-language daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat that the British Army command in Iraq received the demand from the Revolutionary Guard, reported the Middle East Media Research Institute.

According to the source, the content of the message was very simple: "Release our comrades, whom you are holding, and we will release your soldiers."

To Read this entire article

We are the "Stotters" who make ourselves aware of the enemy who wishes to do us harm

[Myrddin]

The Egyptian airliner that ditched in the water may have been a jihadi act. Perhaps that is the one they are counting.

[ExSoldier]

"Look at the number of strikes and dead in the last 12 hours. "

I don't know if these "strikes" count in the context of a Sept. 11th style attack on the homeland. It looks to me like it's business as usual in the ME in that while coordinated and perhaps bloody, it's local operations. I think I heard that in Chechnya a force of 200 killed 75. That's not a great kill ratio; not even one for one. While not qualifying as the Middle East (I think) it's still probably in the realm of local operations, ongoing. I think we need to be looking at the bigger international picture if we're going to try and predict a strike in the homeland or against our allies.

NOTE: I think local operations can count if they are escalating, if they begin to spread on a global basis and appear coordinated and focused on westerners. Then we might hazzard a guess that the culmination might end on our soil and begin a concerted tracking effort. Does this make sense? I'm a little bit "DAIN BRAMAGED" today.

[StillProud2BeFree]

Actually let me clarify - when I say translate, I mean type up a formal translation. I can read the Arabic and understand it so I know what it says before I do a formal "translation", if that makes sense.

Over half of the material has value, either as background information or as barometers of what is to come. Specific information regarding a specific attack is rare. But things like Al Battar have contained information that is astonishingly predictive of matters to come in the middle east. Moqrin laid out his plan for kidnappings and assassinations over a 2 month period in Al Battar. I kept shaking my head as the events unfolded, and wondering why in the heck they were not stopped. They published the play book! Same for Iraq.

Also the Arabic language media has been informative. Take a look at the article I posted on June 4: www.homelandsecurityus.com/june2004/0604upsurge.asp

It's not rocket science to say to expect an upsurge in violence near the June 30 turnover date. But that article listed targets, and many of those targets are now being attacked on a daily basis.

[Godzilla]

Actually let me clarify - when I say translate, I mean type up a formal translation. I can read the Arabic and understand it so I know what it says before I do a formal "translation", if that makes sense. Over half of the material has value, either as background information or as barometers of what is to come. Specific information regarding a specific attack is rare. But things like Al Battar have contained information that is astonishingly predictive of matters to come in the middle east. Moqrin laid out his plan for kidnappings and assassinations over a 2 month period in Al Battar. I kept shaking my head as the events unfolded, and wondering why in the heck they were not stopped. They published the play book! Same for Iraq. Also the Arabic language media has been informative. Take a look at the article I posted on June 4: www.homelandsecurityus.com/june2004/0604upsurge.asp It's not rocket science to say to expect an upsurge in violence near the June 30 turnover date. But that article listed targets, and many of those targets are now being attacked on a daily basis.

Thank you very much for your insights, you've helped me understand where you are coming from in your posts much more now.

[Mrs. Xtrmst]

bookmark

[Quix]

What percentage of your . . . antennae

have indicated things have significantly heated up in the last 24 hours?

[milkncookies]

Astronaut's attempt to exit ISS to repair gyroscope fails.

American's spacesuit develops problems.

[milkncookies]

N. Korea Threatens to Test Nuclear Weapon

[Donna Lee Nardo]

Good news:

***
Jerusalem Post
6/24/04

Mubarak reassures Egyptians he will return soon

HERB KEINON and AP Jun. 24, 2004

President Hosni Mubarak, in Germany for treatment for a slipped disc, gave an interview to Egyptian television from his hospital room to reassure Egyptians that he will return home soon.

It is very rare for state media to report on the health of the 76-year-old president. The appearance seemed designed to counter rumors that Mubarak is seriously ill.

The three-minute interview first aired Wednesday night, was replayed several times Thursday, and was front page news in all national papers.

"I thank the concerned brotherly citizens and I tell them that I am currently undergoing daily treatment, and I am doing the required [physiotherapy]," said Mubarak, dressed in pajamas and a dark, striped robe.

"I am running the affairs [of the state] from here to an extent," he said. "The government is working and if they need anything I talk with them. There is no problem from this point at all."

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon phoned Mubarak on Thursday to wish him good health and a speedy recovery from his operation.

According to a statement issued by Sharon's office, the prime minister also thanked Mubarak for Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman's "successful visit to Israel."

Mubarak left for Germany on Sunday and appointed Prime Minister Atef Obeid as acting president during his absence. Mubarak's wife, Suzanne, and sons Gamal and Alaa, accompanied him to Germany.

Mubarak, sitting in a chair and slightly bending forward at times, said doctors will decide to operate if the physiotherapy doesn't yield results.

"It's as if I am on vacation for a week... One has to rest for a while," the president said. "Anyway, I thank the people, and God willing, as soon as the treatment whether physiotherapy or other is finished, I will return and will continue our journey in Cairo." He did not give an estimate of how long he would be gone.

The pro-government Al-Akhbar newspaper reported that more than 87,000 state and private mosques will pray for Mubarak's health during Friday's prayers "as a recognition of the services he offered the country and its people all his life."

In November, Mubarak interrupted a speech to parliament for 30 minutes, suffering a cold and a slight drop in blood pressure. The interruption caused a brief political scare as Mubarak – who has ruled Egypt since 1981 – does not have a designated successor.

Recent months have seen speculation Mubarak was grooming his son Gamal, portrayed as pro-reform and technology-savvy, to succeed him. Some Egyptians have dared to protest, saying it is undemocratic to put the leader's son in line for the presidency.

[Cindy]

http://www.nasa.gov/
http://www1.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.htm
http://www.nasa.gov/vision/space/
http://www.nasa.gov/vision/space/workinginspace
http://www.nasa.gov/vision/space/workinginspace/exp9_eva_advancer.html

[TWhiteBear]

This caught my attention, also. We have had long period of
'one shot' type operations, probes, recons, disinfo, etc. Now, coordinated operations are common in Iraq and appearing in other places in the world. My inference is that they(AQ) have
gotten their command, control and communication up and running. They may be vulnerable in the communications area with such increased activity, but my inclination is to 'follow the money', as more money must be spent in combined operations. My hunch points to Saudi Arabia, not ruling out other nation/states. The House of Saud may be at a critical(fatal?) decision point.

[freeperfromnj]

Snippets from Fox article

FBI WARNS OF FLOATING BOMB DEVICES

Thursday, June 24, 2004

NEW YORK — The FBI (search) warned law enforcement agencies of the potential for floating explosive devices — otherwise known as terrorist improvised mines — according to the weekly bulletin issued by the agency and obtained by FOX News.

"Although large-scale, military-style mining operations against the U.S. are assessed to be beyond the capabilities oftransnational terrorists, the technological sophistication demonstrated in evolving improvised explosive device (IED) construction raises the possibility of limited, geographically dispersed waterborned IED attacks," the FBI said.

The FBI also included a list of potential indicators relating to planning a floating bomb or terrorist mine attacks:

— Reports of launching or retrieving boats from unusually remote areas

— Reports involve aircraft dropping objects at night near harbors, ports or commercial airways

— Reports of abandoned small boats found adrift near sensitive sights

— Reports or incidents of unusual or unidentified floating objects near vessels or in harbors, ports or commercial waterways

— Evidence suggesting trends or patterns in terrorist-related hoaxes or threat reporting dealing with mines or floating IEDds

— Reports of suspicious requests for hydrographic charts associated with naval or commercial port facilities

— Reports of attempts to purchase or steal large magnets, large styrofoam blocks, large diameter PVC pipe, empty compressed gas cylinders or watertight storage drums.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,123701,00.html

[WestCoastGal]

From what I understand her computer does not have enough space to load the new Yahoo e-mail since they enlarged it.


Hotmail and Google are a no go as well.

[WestCoastGal]

I guess it will be excuse number 303 "The drugs made me do it"

I've never taken those kind of drugs. So I don't know if one could do something like that on drugs when you normally wouldn't. Sad series of events for the victims.

[milkncookies]

Thanks Cindy.

I'm watching the NASA broadcast on my computer right now.

[WestCoastGal]

saving for later listening

[Donna Lee Nardo]

You can count me in, too, Granny. Prayers sent...

[Godzilla]

bookmark

[Honestly]

Granny mentioned earlier that I sent links to her last night while searching for Plum Island information.

Lighthouse picture:
http://www.cr.nps.gov/maritime/light/plumisl.htm

Plum Island transfered to Homeland Security:
http://www.nynewsday.com/news/health/ny-2dex23773634apr26,0,4411454.story?coll=ny-health-headlines

Generator failure:
http://www.promedmail.org/pls/askus/f?p=2400:1001:494790::NO::F2400_P1001_BACK_PAGE,F2400_P1001_PUB_MAIL_ID:1010,20258

Dead Scientist:
http://www.frontpagemagazine.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=4037

[freeperfromnj]

If I recall, the falcon is the symbol for Egypt Air.