Threat Matrix: Daily Terror Threat - Thread Sixteen

Yahoo ^ | 8-02-04 | AP

[nwctwx]

I have news for them....the 9/11 plot was what, 5 or 6 years old!

It was discussed/planned (by Ramzi Yousef, Kalid Sheikh Mohhamad and several others) at great length starting in 1994.

Ramzi Yousef began concocting the general idea the instant he saw the towers were still standing in 1993.

[nwctwx]

Reminder : Preparing for Terror?
1997 Al Qaeda Tape Shows World Trade Center and Other Landmarks

-+Link+-

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March 3, 2003 - ABCNEWS has obtained video footage that Spanish and American authorities say was used as a "target tape" in preparation for the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center.

The 29-minute tape, shot in the summer of 1997, shows the exterior of both towers, along with the lobby and observation deck of the South Tower, which were open to tourists. It also shows other New York landmarks, including the Empire State Building, the Brooklyn Bridge and Times Square.

It was shot by Ghasoub al-Abrash Ghalyoun, a Syrian national who was arrested when Spanish authorities broke up a suspected al Qaeda logistics cell in 2002. The cell had direct ties to top deputies of Osama bin Laden, and helped finance hijack leader Mohamed Atta in Hamburg, Germany, according to Spanish and American authorities. They believe the tapes may have been delivered to al Qaeda's leadership in Afghanistan several months after Ghalyoun's trip.

"If you wanted to use one word, I would say they were target tapes," said Gustavo de Aristegui, a member of the Spanish parliament and former chief of staff of the National Police.

On the tape, Ghalyoun and another man are heard discussing the footage in Arabic. "We are at the twin towers of Manhattan. This is the inside of one of the twins, the entrance," one of them is heard saying.

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This is a good reminder for those who want to dismiss the current threat because the information is years old.

[Kinetic]

No problem. Glad I could help with something.

[Kinetic]

Wow. Thanks! Rock seems like a strong word, although it's much appreciated. =D

[Kinetic]

Thanks. =) Definitely proud of the way they have turned out this far.

[Kinetic]

Heheheh, yeah it is, once again. I love them all, though my nerves are frequently shot after a visit with all of them. XD

[Unknowing]

Disturbing story; here's a link: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1183924/posts?page=1

[Cindy]

http://www.assistnews.net/Stories/s04080006.htm

ASSIST News Service (ANS) - PO Box 2126, Garden Grove, CA 92842-2126 USA
E-mail: danjuma1@aol.com, Web Site: www.assistnews.net

Monday, August 2, 2004

ASSYRIAN CHRISTIAN LEADER CALLS ON CHRISTIANS AROUND THE WORLD TO DEMAND PROTECTION FOR THE CHURCH IN IRAQ
Another says, “We have warned and warned that this was going to happen”

By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST Ministries

BAGHDAD / MOSUL, IRAQ  (ANS) -- An Assyrian Christian leader has called on Christians worldwide to demand protection for the Church in Iraq.

Ken Joseph Jr., of www.AssyrianChristians.com has told ANS, “For whatever their disagreements over the war, I do not think any American agreed to fight a war to create the Islamic Republic of Iraq and to cause the Christians to have to leave their historic country. We must provide this minimum protection accorded to the community under the law." (Pictured: Ken Joseph Jr.).

His statement follows a long predicted series of attacks on five Christian Churches - two in the Karada section of Baghdad, one in the Dora Section, one in the New Baghdad Area and the other in Mosul -- on Sunday evening (August 1) just as worshipers were leaving.

The attacks killed 11 people and wounded more than 50 in the first big assault on Iraq's Christian minority since the 15-month-old insurgency began.

"We have warned and warned that this was going to happen" screamed one Assyrian Christian who asked that his name be protected. "We have begged for help, from the International Community, we have begged for protection but nobody would listen. Maybe finally they will realize that what we have been saying is true." he continued.

“The bombings follow a long string of bombings of Assyrian Christian owned businesses, homes - a particularly gruesome killing involved two Children aged 6 and 16 gunned down in cold blood in their home,” said Joseph.

“Further difficulty happened days ago when the Assyrian Christians were completely shut out of election preparations for their two most populous areas in Northern Iraq.

“Entitled to a minimum of four seats out of 28 for the upcoming National Congress to prepare for Iraq Elections, the Assyrian Christians received no seats.”

Another individual at the scene, who also asked not to be named, related what happened immediately after the bombing. "American troops immediately circled the area and visibly angry soldiers nearly lost control as they watched and attempted to do all they could to help the worshipers as they struggled out of the Church" he said.

"They were screaming they were so angry at the people who would bomb a Church as people were leaving the service. Frankly, I can't repeat some of what they were saying but it was very clear they were deeply affected by this brutal act." (Pictured: Church bombing).

Another individual involved in the efforts, who to asked that his name not be used for fear of reprisal, put it more succinctly. "Maybe this will finally alert the public to what the situation is. We call specifically on the US Congress to attach a rider to the appropriations bill for Iraq. The Assyrian Community is demanding protection and needs specifically four things - resettlement to their original villages, repair of the villages destroyed by Saddam Hussein, autonomy in Assyria as provided by Article 53 of the Iraqi Constitution and voting rights."

"The only way we can remain in Iraq is if we can have a protected area in our original homeland. Without this we must tell our people to leave. With all due respect we do not believe the American people fought a war and liberated Iraq to have it become a radical Moslem state.

“It is we - the Assyrian Christians who love the Americans and will be eternally grateful for what they have done. This the true feeling of the majority of the Iraqis. Now is the time for the Americans to help their friends and insist that the Assyrian Christians have an autonomous area in their homeland so they can live in peace."

Experts predict a continuation of the violence against the Assyrian Christians until either they leave the country en masse or the Assyrian Regional Government is set up as provided for in the Iraqi Constitution next to the similar Kurdish Regional Government, seen by many as the only long term solution for the estimated 2.5 million Assyrian Christians in Iraq.

Predicting much of what is happening, EU Parliament Member Albert Jaan Maat had weeks earlier issued a report to the European Union saying, "Is the Commission aware that the Assyrian Christians are systematically excluded from the distribution of aid by local leaders?"

Maat went on to speak of clear cut religious discrimination saying further "International aid is mainly distributed through regional and therefore Moslem leaders and seldom or never reaches the Assyrian Christians." according to Assyrianchristians.com  a website devoted to the Assyrian community worldwide.

Reflecting the widespread lack assistance to the minority community including the Assyrian Christians, Yazidis and other non-Moslem communities some view the whole situation as another example of ethnic cleansing in a more subtle way.

"This is our last cry for help" said a local Assyrian Christian. "If the world will not listen to us now then they do not care. Where are the Christians of the world when we need their voices and help? Why should we have to leave our own homeland where we were the first people to accept Christianity and where we have practiced our faith and lived in peace for 2,000 years?"

“The bombings are expected to increase as more and more responsibility is handed over to the interim Iraqi Government and the move toward elections proceeds, stated Ken Joseph Jr.

"We are calling on American Christians to appeal to their Congressman to have a ‘rider’ attached to the 18.4 Billion Dollar appropriations bill for Iraq that demands that according to Article 53 of the Iraqi Constitution the Assyrian Christians be provided with autonomy over their homeland as the only way for them to survive in this terrible situation and all aid and assistance to be provided without discrimination.

For further information, go to www.Assyrianchristians.com.



Dan Wooding is an award winning British journalist now living in Southern California with his wife Norma. He is the founder and international director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times) and the ASSIST News Service (ANS). Wooding is the co-host of the weekly radio show, "Window on the World" and was, for ten years a commentator, on the UPI Radio Network in Washington, DC. Wooding is the author of some 42 books, the latest of which is his autobiography, "From Tabloid to Truth", which is published by Theatron Books. To order a copy, go to www.fromtabloidtotruth.com.
danjuma1@aol.com.



** You may republish this story with proper attribution.

[Cindy]

You're so right.

[Selene]

Disturbing find in local neighborhood leads to terror fears

http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/news/080204_local_launcher.html

The rocket launcher was found in the back of this Humvee parked in a northeast Houston neighborhood.

[Kinetic]

Thank you! I'm just so glad people are pleased with it.

[Kinetic]

Thanks a ton! Any time. =)

[Kinetic]

I sure hope not!

[null and void]

*** Unconfirmed ***

Just heard on the top of the hour (0200 Lima) ABC radio or local KSFO (not sure which), that a Virgin airline flight from SFO was canceled because of suspicious passenger behavior.

Five people with Romanian passports were called to the front of the plane before the flight was canceled. One is being detained, no charges/arrests at this time.

Virgin is putting remaining passengers up at local hotels.

Story missing at 0300.

Nothing to see here, move along...

[JustPiper]

The Admiral won the bet.

Damn Skippy ;)

A sailor went to sea,sea,sea....

[JustPiper]

You are just too good -g-

[JustPiper]

A roundup of editorial opinion from Michigan newspapers
Detroit Free Press - Detroit,MI,USA
... Along Lake Michigan, in Michigan and Illinois, more than 2,000 tons of waste from nuclear power plants are stored in temporary casks. ...
http://www.freep.com/news/statewire/sw102060_20040802.htm

US split on tracing, freezing terror funds
Baltimore Sun - Baltimore,MD,USA
... money, saying that "trying to starve the terrorists of money ... active cases that remain classified where money is being traced in connection with possible ...
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bal-te.money02aug02,1,3188178.story?coll=bal-home-headlines

UK terror alert remains high
08/03/04 02:22 AM, EDT
Britain said that the threat from terrorism remains high but officials did not warn of any specific threat like that announced in the United States.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/08/03/britain.security.reut/index.html

TAMING the wild west
FCW.com - USA
... familiar hurdles to clear before they can stop incidents of data ...Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Y-12 nuclear weapons plant,for example ...
http://www.fcw.com/fcw/articles/2004/0802/feat-energy-08-02-04.asp

The security challenge: Finding the needle
08/02/04
Finding a needle in a haystack is child's play compared with the difficulty of protecting the public from explosives that could be placed in any of the millions of cars and trucks on the roads in and around New York and Washington.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/08/02/terror.threat.trucks.ap/index.html

[JustPiper]

HEADLINES ONLY CNN:

Oil's fear factor
An al Qaeda style attack would lead to lower, not higher oil prices in the United States.
08/02/04
It doesn't take much for oil prices to reach a record peak these days.

Buying safety off-the-shelf
Heightened state of alert prompts calls to retail outlet for gas masks, parachutes and safety kits.
08/02/04
Plenty of calls poured into Safer America over the weekend -- a New York City retail store that sells gas masks, parachutes and a myriad of other personal protection products -- including a few from concerned Citigroup employees.

[JustPiper]

[WFSB] NEW YORK - NEW JERSEY - Suspicious activity in New York ignored by police

http://www.wfsb.com/Global/story.asp?S=2122567

[AP] WISCONSIN - More security at AirVenture after suspicious Web post found

http://www.usatoday.com/tech/webguide/internetlife/2004-08-01-oshkosh-terror-warning_x.htm

[WRAL.com] NORTH CAROLINA - Chatham Commissioner Wants More Security At Nuclear Plant

http://www.wral.com/news/3607359/detail.html

[Collective Bellaciao] NORTH CAROLINA - FBI, ATF Told Of Three Tons Of Stolen Ammonium Nitrate

http://bellaciao.org/en/article.php3?id_article=2365

[The New Mexico Channel.com] NEW MEXICO - NM Raises Threat Level For Financial Sector

http://www.thenewmexicochannel.com/news/3608307/detail.html

[Omaha World Herald] NEBRASKA - Nebraska bankers added to terror alert calling list

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_np=0&u_pg=1638&u_sid=1164870

[WHO-TV] IOWA - Iowa Business Terror Alert

http://www.whotv.com/Global/story.asp?S=2122679

[Arizona Republic] ARIZONA - Class offered on responding to terrorism

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/0802evclasses.html

[INDYchannel.com] INDIANA - Courthouse Closed Temporarily Over Mystery Illnesses [ Metallic taste, odor ]

http://www.theindychannel.com/news/3608129/detail.html

[NBC Sandiego.com] CALIFORNIA - San Diego Border Scrutinized In Wake Of Terror Threats

[JustPiper]

Forgot link:

[NBC Sandiego.com] CALIFORNIA - San Diego Border Scrutinized In Wake Of Terror Threats

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/3608124/detail.html