Terror prosecutors thwarted by Washington, documents show
Associated Press
Aug. 9, 2004 05:55 AM
WASHINGTON - Behind the scenes of the first major terror trial after Sept. 11, frontline prosecutors complained bitterly they had not received needed help from the Justice Department and were prevented from introducing some of their most dramatic evidence in the courtroom, internal memos show.
As a result, jurors in the trial of four men accused of operating a terror cell in Detroit never heard testimony from an Osama bin Laden lieutenant or saw video footage of European operatives casing U.S. landmarks. Prosecutors believed both would have connected the defendants to al-Qaida.
Excerpted
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0809TerrorTrial09-ON.html
FBI: Terrorists may use helicopters, limos in attacks
Associated Press
Aug. 9, 2004 11:45 AM
WASHINGTON - Al-Qaida may attempt to launch attacks in U.S. cities using helicopters or rented limousines packed with explosives as weapons, the FBI said in two nationwide bulletins.
Terror operatives could attempt to hijack commercial, charter or tourist helicopter flights and use them in suicide attacks against buildings, parades or sporting events, said one of the intelligence bulletins obtained Monday by The Associated Press.
Excerpted
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0809TerrorPlot09-ON.html
Associated Press
Aug. 9, 2004 07:10 AM
BEIRUT, Lebanon - The emergence of small, little known groups with ideologies like al-Qaida's has made the fight against terrorism a far more daunting task. Instead of targeting just al-Qaida, the West and its allies now face many "al-Qaidas," splinter groups that are mostly unrelated to each other but are bound by the same hatred of the West - especially the United States and its allies, including Israel
Excerpted
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0809AlQaidaOffspring09-ON.html