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

[milkncookies]

The only thing that differentiates Zarqawi from Osama then is lack of business contacts here? He has declared war on Americans. Who is to say that Zarqawi doesn't have direct contact with operatives here? Our FBI conducts investigations all over the world in places like Russia and S. Korea. Tenet went to Iraq.
The bounty on Zarqawi is now up to $25,000,000. Seems to me he can't make the list due to a technicality or two. After all, neither one are known to be in the U.S. And Zarqawi has been the one getting all of the attention lately, not Osama.

[milkncookies]

Friday, July 2, 2004 · Last updated 5:57 a.m. PT

Seattle Post

Group warns Europe of more terror attacks

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

CAIRO, Egypt -- The group that claimed responsibility for the Madrid train bombings warned European nations that they have only two weeks to withdraw troops from Iraq or face the consequences, a pan-Arab newspaper reported Friday. (SNIP)

[TBall]

This makes me think that they will try to hit the US hard in the next two weeks. Was it in March when they said operation winds of black death was 90% complete?

[freeperfromnj]

From your article:

``To the European people: only few days remain for you to accept the truce offered by bin Laden. Otherwise you will have nobody but yourself to blame,'' the paper quoted the statement as saying.

[milkncookies]

TBall, it was right after the Madrid bombings. Was that in March? I don't remember right now. (Only on my first cup of java) : >)

[freeperfromnj]

In the April 15 audio tape, bin Laden gave Europeans three months to withdraw their troops from what he called the countries of the Muslim nation. Bin Laden warned against any ``aggression'' against countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan. At least seven European nations have troops serving in the multinational force in Iraq: Britain, Italy, Poland, Ukraine, the Netherlands, Romania and Denmark.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4269434,00.html

[freeperfromnj]

Here's a follow up on the police activity at Penn Station yesterday. You were right Labyrinthos. It was a drill for the convention. Click the link for a map of street closures and alternative routes for anyone traveling to/from Penn Station via Amtrak, Long Island Railroad, New Jersey Transit and various subway lines.

Convention to Close All But Two Entrances to Penn Station

By Marcus Solis

(New York-WABC, July 1, 2004) — If you are one of the hundreds of thousands of commuters who use Penn Station, be prepared for a serious inconvenience the week of the Republican Convention.

For security reasons, six of the eight exits will be closed -- causing major pedestrian back ups. Marcus Solis reports from Penn Station with more.

Police held a drill outside Madison Square Garden on Thursday. It was also a small glimpse at the level of security that will be in place during the Republican National Convention -- cops crawling everywhere, through every entrance to Penn Station.

But come next month commuters will have a harder time entering or leaving the station. That's because six entrances to Penn Station will be closed.

Commuter: "That's not a very smart idea."
Marcus Solis: "Why not?"
Commuter: "Look at all the people. I mean, where are they going to go?"

This is the plan: both Amtrak-level entrances on Eighth Avenue will be closed, as well as the two access points at the old taxiway between Seventh and Eighth Avenues. The A-C-E subway station entrance on Eighth Avenue will also be shut down.

This means all commuters will have to enter and exit through the Seventh Avenue side under the Garden marquee, or the Long Island Railroad entrance on 34th Street.
Thousands of Amtrak, New Jersey Transit, LIRR and subway riders -- bottlenecked through two exits.

Jim McGovern, LIRR Commuters Council: "People are going to have to behave themselves. It's going to be hot, it's going to be crowded. Other than that I think people are just going to have to suck it up."

A spokesman for the MTA calls the closures a "... minor inconvenience" that New Yorkers will deal with. He adds that the last week of August is traditionally a big vacation week with fewer commuters, and that there will be additional personnel on hand to direct and assist passengers.

Tom Renner, Commuter: "It's already crazy now. It's probably going to be more crazy when that comes up. It's going to be impossible to get in here then."
Raphael Mercado is a lineman for Amtrak, and he'll be working on the tracks during the convention. He says there's no other option.

Raphael Mercado Amtrak Worker: "They got no choice but to do it. Because anybody can easily enter the track levels and cause a hazard to the commuters."

http://abclocal.go.com/wabc/news/wabc_070104_msgclosures.html

[milkncookies]

Then they are right on track. I guess they are counting down the days.

[milkncookies]

Reuters

ANALYSTS' VIEW-Militant statement on attacks in Europe

02 Jul 2004 11:55:15 GMT

BERLIN, July 2 (Reuters) - A group claiming links to al Qaeda threatened on Friday to renew attacks on Europe once a three-month "truce offer" from Osama bin Laden expires in mid-July.

Following are reactions from intelligence sources and analysts.

EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE SOURCE

"The statement from the Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades changes nothing. We don't take them very seriously ... We've been on alert for attacks before, we're on alert for further attacks. Nothing has changed."

UK SECURITY SOURCE

"They claimed the Madrid bombings and it clearly wasn't them. It's the sort of thing they say all the time. They're just repeating the same old bile ... The general threat is taken seriously. But what these people say doesn't add anything significantly to that."

DAVID CLARIDGE, JANUSIAN SECURITY RISK MANAGEMENT, LONDON

"There is quite a lot of doubt about Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades, whether it actually represents part of al Qaeda, or whether it is a part of al Qaeda that is established solely for propaganda activities and seeking to cause disruption, without any physical backup ..."

"It's clearly concerning that any organisation is making threats of that sort of nature. An ultimatum was made (by bin Laden), the ultimatum has clearly not been adhered to, so I would expect that this would push the threat level up ..."

On the likelihood of an attack after the mid-July deadline:

"It's very rare for specific pointers to be given to dates. It's very difficult for them to actually carry out attacks at specific times, particularly if they're giving a warning of them ... I don't think it is going to be seen by anyone as an immediate trigger."

ROLAND JACQUARD, INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM OBSERVATORY, PARIS

"Today it's very hard for counter-terrorism organisations to distinguish well between genuine statements, fantasist statements or statements which have an element of truth and an element of exaggeration. As far as Abu Hafs al-Masri is concerned ... it was first to claim the Madrid attack, giving a certain number of details..."

"I think this threat needs to be taken seriously. This is the logical follow-up (to bin Laden's ultimatum)..."

"It's probable that the more time passes, the more radical organisations will try to do something. There's the (Republican and Democrat) conventions in the United States, the Afghan elections in September, the NATO decision to send ISAF troops to Afghanistan, the September 11 anniversary, the U.S. elections, the trial of Saddam Hussein ... For Islamists, these are so many pretexts to unleash terrorist campaigns. In that context, the threats presented today I think should be taken very seriously."

[milkncookies]

Daily Press

Celebrating Independence Day on July Fourth is a mistake, a W&M professor says.

BY SANDRA YIN
July 2, 2004

John Adams said you should fire up the grill today.

In Philadelphia 228 years ago today, representatives of the American Colonies voted to break from England's empire.

Adams was a delegate representing Massachusetts in the Continental Congress. He predicted Americans would commemorate Independence Day on July 2. (SNIP)

[freeperfromnj]

We don't take them very seriously ...

What is wrong with these people????

[SwankyC]

Am I missing something or can you read that stuff?

[milkncookies]

For public consumption perhaps.

[freeperfromnj]

U.S. official: PORTS VULNERABLE TO ATTACK

7/2/2004, 9:36 a.m. ET
By Leslie Miller
The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. ports remain vulnerable to the kind of speedboat attack that crippled the USS Cole and killed 17 sailors, Coast Guard Commandant Tom Collins said Thursday.

http://www.nj.com/newsflash/topstories/index.ssf?/base/politics-4/1088775568218470.xml&storylist=

[milkncookies]

WPVI.com

Security Measures Over Holiday Weekend

July 2, 2004 — Some 3-million people are expected to visit Philadelphia this holiday weekend, and security is a top priority.

 Police, Del-DOT Prepared for Another Holiday

Independence Mall is expected to be the biggest attraction, with Afghan President Hamid Karzi accepting the Liberty Medal. And there is still a chance President Bush could be in town, as well.

The secret service is coordinating all security measures and getting help from the FBI, as well as state and city police.

For Sunday's Ceremony at Independence Mall, airspace will be closed, and several streets will be shut down to increase security even more.

(Copyright 2004 by Action News. All Rights Reserved.)

[freeperfromnj]

Philly is probably going to turn out to be one of the safest places in the country this weekend.

[freeperfromnj]

BAHRAIN SECURITY RISK MAY REQUIRE AMERICANS TO LEAVE, U.S. SAYS

July 2 (Bloomberg) -- Americans should consider leaving the Persian Gulf island state of Bahrain because of heightened security concerns, the State Department said in a travel warning.

``U.S. citizens in Bahrain should evaluate their own security situation and should consider departing,'' the bulletin said. The statement didn't specify the threat to Americans.

Bahrain, a U.S. ally in the region, is the home of the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet.

http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=a9Tva210qlgY&refer=home

[null and void]

I think all westerners should leave the entire area, and we should send back every native son to the middle east.

Then we'll build a kilometer high wall around it. And fill it with water.

But maybe that's just because my coffee hasn't kicked in...

[freeperfromnj]

My three cups has kicked in....and I agree with you.