Posted on 10/04/2004 1:39:27 PM PDT by conelrad
...Washington: As the first anniversary of the September 11 attacks approached, CIA and FBI officials were scrambling to stop a secret al Qaeda plot to assassinate President George W. Bush.
The public was never told why in August 2002 the new Department of Homeland Security raised the alert level from "yellow" to "orange"--signaling a high risk of terrorist attack. But the federal government had fresh, disturbing intelligence that suggested a major attack on America was slated for Sept. 11, 2002.
...
Yet in the summer of 2002, American intelligence was not scrambling based on historical analysis or an inspired hunch. The CIA had received a warning that was specific and credible from a trusted source. And the plot, if it succeeded, would kill the president, destroy the White House, and shock the nation.
...
The CIA's source said that Mekki's mission was to fly a small plane into the White House and kill President Bush--on Sept. 11, 2002.
...
The so-called Mekki plot pushed the CIA to purge its poor intelligence sources in Sudan and led to a newer, stronger relationship with Sudanese intelligence officers. As a result of this new cooperation, since September 2002 the Sudanese have arrested or detained for questioning nearly 70 al Qaeda operatives or associates, according to documents shown to me by a Washington-based Sudanese official who works with the CIA. Another 400 were expelled or handed over to other Arab security services, including those in Egypt and Jordan. ...
With the help of several governments, dozens of al Qaeda operatives were captured and joint covert operations were carried out. Bin Laden's network was denied a critical base on the Horn of Africa. A shadow war against al Qaeda in East Africa was just beginning.
(Excerpt) Read more at opinionjournal.com ...
ping
I hope that the Kerry voters realize that there is a genuine possiblity that John Edwards could become president. Is he capable of the job?
Edwards could probably surrender just as quickly as Kerry.
He would sue Al Qaeda for damages.
Well we all know (from his own admission on Larry King Live) that on September 11th, he left Congress to go home and hide. District police came to his door to take him into safety with the other Congressmen (his family was not permitted to join him).
Of course his home was probably less of a target than the Capitol building and seemed a "safer" place to be.
John Edwards is a coward and I don't trust him at the reigns.
What about the assassination plot that was, back in 1972 when Kerry's Band of Brothers wanted to assassinate numerous political leaders.
The Kerry doctrine;Talk loudly and carry a 3"x5" white pen.
I’m starting to get the feeling that we’re in for a salvo of rapid fire October surprises from Karl Rove. Time to take the offensive!
VICTORY IN THE GWOT PING!!!
Are you kidding???? If they'd vote for Kerry what the hell do they care?
bmp
Very interesting. Shows how tenuous intelligence is.
But we always have to err on the side of caution, or risk disaster.
North Carolina is one of only three states that grants driver's licenses without asking for a Social Security card or other proof of U.S. citizenship. This policy is supposed to encourage road safety and compel illegal immigrants to get car insurance. Whatever its merits, the policy made it easy for Mekki to get a license and a job. He even enrolled as a student at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, where September 11 planner Khalid Shaikh Mohammed had studied in the 1980s.
LOL - I like it.
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