Threat Matrix: Daily Terror Threat - Thread Twenty

[nwctwx]

Threat Matrix: Daily Terror Threat

Thread Twenty

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The Threat Matrix

The title refers to a daily report given to the president of the United States detailing the most serious terrorist threats against the country. To tackle those threats, the government has formed a top-notch task force to infiltrate the terror cells and cut off the danger.

"Every morning, the president receives a list of the top ten terrorist threats - this list is known as the threat matrix."

We here at FR are trying to be in conjunction with the daily reports around the world that involve threats. We try to provide a storehouse of information that takes hours of research.

YOU Be The Judge and Get Informed!

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Ramadan terror concerns?
Full Story

ATLANTA (CNN) -- As more than one billion Muslims prepare to celebrate Ramadan, terror experts are mixed about whether the holy month is a tool for recruiting terrorists.

Some terrorism experts and Islamic scholars say Ramadan gives extremists an opportunity to enlist new recruits.

"It's a time which can be exploited by radical clerics to motivate individuals into taking action on the basis they are somehow serving their religion," says terror expert M.J. Gohel.

And analysts see another temptation for terrorists: exploiting the Battle of Badr, a symbolic date in Muslim history, which falls near the U.S. presidential election.

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

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Link to Thread Nineteen	Terror-Alert.com "Code Red Implications: Code Red - Stay Home and Await Word." From Tm'er and Freeper ~MamaDearest~	Cindy's Links of Interest
Threat Matrix "TM'er" Tips		ExSoldier's Invaluable Tips
TM Code of Conduct		Godzilla's Summaries
TM's 'Be on the Lookout'		nwctwx's Highlighted Links

[nwctwx]

Experts question Bush's figure on purge of Al-Qaeda leadership
http://www.turkishpress.com/news.asp?id=31679

WASHINGTON, Oct 25 (AFP) - US President George W. Bush has touted the capture or killing of 75 percent of Al-Qaeda's leaders to show US voters the war on terror's progress, but intelligence experts say the group's senior ranks have been filled by new people.

"We're making progress, three-quarters of Al-Qaeda leaders have been brought to justice," Bush said in the last televised election debate against Democratic challenger John Kerry on October 13.

Kerry, who will face Bush in the November 2 election, did not question the president's figure but vowed to conduct an aggressive battle against Osama bin Laden's network.

"I will hunt them down, and we'll kill them, we'll capture them. We'll do whatever is necessary to be safe," the Massachusetts senator said.

Melvin Goodman, a national security expert at the Center for International Policy, questioned Bush's figure.

"The president throws numbers around," Goodman said.

The US intelligence community is "not even sure about the number of actual Al-Qaeda (members)," he said, adding, "We don't know the real number."

A US counter-terrorism official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Bush's 75 percent figure represents Al-Qaeda's pre-September 11 leadership.

The captured or dead leaders have partly been replaced and Al-Qaeda's leadership has not necessarily been reduced to 25 percent, the official said.

There have been high-profile arrests but top Al-Qaeda figures remain on the run.

Ramzi bin al-Shaiba, an accused co-conspirator in the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington, and Al-Qaeda number three Khalid Sheikh Mohammed are among the most prominent members to have been captured.

But Bin Laden and his second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahiri, remain at large.

"Seventy-five percent of the known leadership of that time (September 11) has been probably eliminated, but of course it has been devolved and replaced," said Vincent Cannistraro, a former CIA official and a private security consultant.

"The organization is probably no smaller overall than it was on September 11, because they have been able to attract new recruits since September 11, and particularly since the war in Iraq," Cannistraro said.

Al-Qaeda's structure has also changed since the attacks, he said.

"The organization is more dispersed and disseminated and it probably has less central command now because the leaders Zawahiri and Osama himself are hiding," Cannistraro said.

"It makes it more difficult for them to control and command an organization," he added. "There is maybe a devolution of authority to lower ranks, but it is in fact not true to say that 75 percent has been destroyed."

He added that the figure is not a reliable measure to show progress in the war against terrorism.

"It is of course the wrong way of thinking of it," he said. "It is not a mechanistic process. These are people who come from an environment which is perpetuated by our actions and that environment creates new terrorists."

[nwctwx]

Soap opera yanked over terror threat
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2004/10/25/684702.html

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- Arab viewers of a soap opera about Afghanistan apparently won't learn how the love story ends after the series was suspended following Internet threats against anyone involved in airing it.

The series -- "Al-Tareeq ila Kabul," Arabic for "The Road to Kabul" -- chronicled life under Afghanistan's former Taliban rulers. It was being aired during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, which began Oct. 15 in most Muslim countries.

The soap's producers had asked all channels planning to air the series not to do so after a threat surfaced Oct. 14 on a Web site known for its militant content.

The statement threatened harm against anyone involved in the series, from actors to TV executives, if the Taliban was portrayed in a negative light. The authenticity of the threat could not be verified.

Some Arab channels pulled the show off the air even before the first episode, but the Middle East Broadcasting Centre and the Orbit Satellite Television and Radio Network, both Saudi-owned, aired several episodes.

MBC said in a statement Saturday it was forced to suspend the show because the producers had refused to provide any more episodes.

"Qatar Television, which funded the series, and the Arab Audio Visual Centre, which produced and distributed it, violated their commitment to provide all of the episodes before Ramadan," MBC said.

It said it had received only eight episodes, the last of which aired Friday.

A senior Qatar Television official refused to comment.

Orbit, another Saudi-owned channel that was airing the series, said on Sunday it had also suspended the show.

"The Road to Kabul," one of the most anticipated series this year, revolved around an Afghan woman who goes to England to study and falls in love with an Arab man. She returns to her native country, where she faces pressure from the hard-line Taliban, who force her to wear an all-enveloping burqa and prevent her from working.

Producers have said the series also depicted internal feuds among the Taliban but did not rebuke the thousands of Arabs who fought the Soviets alongside the Taliban.

Viewers only got to see the heroine fall in love and return for a visit to her native Afghanistan while it was under Soviet occupation.

"I am so disappointed that the show is no longer being shown," said Khitam Abdul-Hameed, a viewer in Dubai who had seen every episode. "It was a really good drama, and of course I wanted to know what happens next."

"The Road to Kabul" was filmed in Jordan, Pakistan and Cambridge, England, at a cost of $3 million.

[jerseygirl]

"Naming Bin Laden the Al Mahdi during this Ramadan is significant."

I could not agree more.

[Godzilla]

Sinai Probe: Al Qaeda, Palestinians – or Both?

When this occured, I thought of Al-Zarqwai who had threatened to widen his operations outside of Iraq. This area of the Sinai is thought to be a transit way for his supporters and supplies to Iraq. This also would account for the AQ-ish style of assault, but also for some of the apparent mis-execution. Recent Egyptian reports indicate a Palistanian connection, suggesting Hamas.

Since it was noted that the Chechen terrorists had teamed up with AQ on their recent assaults in Russia, it is very possible that Hamas and Al-Zarqwai teamed up, since reportedly Hamas doesn't have the assets to do much outside of Israel.

[4thygipper]

trackingterrorism.com seems to be having a DNS

[JustPiper]

FBI agents have interviewed thousands of people considered possible sources of information as well as about 10,000 operators of self-storage facilities, which are considered likely places to hide bomb-making materials or other items that could be used in an attack.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,136410,00.html

Muslim statement on Israelis outrages many
http://interestalert.com/brand/siteia.shtml?Story=st/sn/10230000aaa02a3e.upi&Sys=rmmiller&Fid=NATIONAL&Type=News&Filter=National

Attempts to buy vehicles raise suspicions
After St. Petersburg College employees call the FBI, the buyers, described as Middle Eastern, vanish.
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/10/22/Tampabay/Attempts_to_buy_vehic.shtml
SPC auction buyers aroused suspicion
College officials notified the FBI of men interested in buying surplus vehicles.
http://www.sptimes.com/2004/10/23/Tampabay/SPC_auction_buyers_ar.shtml

Mystery Illness Strikes Vegas Hotel
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/news/102404_nwAP_sick_vegas.html

[Cindy]

HAGANAH INTERNET.US (Sharon Behn, THE WASHINGTON TIMES): "SATELLITE TV STATION AIRS HATRED OF U.S. GLOBALLY" (October 24, 2004) (Read More...)

INTELLIGENCE AND TERRORISM INFORMATION CENTER AT THE CENTER FOR SPECIAL STUDIES (C.S.S.) - Special Information Bulletin: "MARKETING OF TERRORISM: HEZBOLLAH'S USE OF THE AL-MANAR TV STATION TO SPREAD INCITEMENT AND HATRED ACROSS THE GLOBE" (October 2004) (Read More...)

ON THE NET...

"www.manartv.com"

"web.manartv.org"

"www.arab2.com/radiotv/manar-tv.htm"

"web.manartv.org/html/live/livefeed.html"

Google Search Term: "Manar TV"

[JustPiper]

Dems Register al-Qaida Terrorists in Ohio Vote Drive
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2004/10/24/120810.shtml

Border Security Stepped Up Ahead of Election
http://www.cfra.com/headlines/index.asp?cat=2&nid=21018

Poison sufficient to kill 3,000 missing from Kyoto University
http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=news&cat=2&id=316500

Airfield on alert for terror threat
http://www.eadt.co.uk/content/news/story.asp?datetime=25+Oct+2004+08%3A00&tbrand=EADOnline&tCategory=NEWS&category=News&brand=EADOnline&itemid=IPED24+Oct+2004+23%3A22%3A55%3A657

Tycoon foils ‘nuclear bomb sale’ plot
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-1325302,00.html

16 more children die of mysterious disease; Toll mounts to 48 in western UP
http://www.teamindia.net/news/index.php?action=fullnews&id=31847

Brazil Can Enrich Uranium for 6 Nukes-Researchers
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=6586010

'Act now on biological weapons'
Anthrax is one of the threats
The threat of biological weapons is real and needs to be tackled now, medical experts warn.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3950391.stm

[Chaos]

Yep, saw a post on another forum from Fullwave that they've been hit. He hopes to be back up later today or night.

[JustPiper]

Secret report: terrorism spreading across Iraq
http://www.sundayherald.com/45619

FBI worried about plans for election day terrorism
http://www.dhonline.com/articles/2004/10/24/news/nation/nat01.txt

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford) is the privileged son of the once mighty Nassau County Republican Party. He wouldn't be in Congress if not for machine politics and party bosses. He knows it, and he says he isn't ashamed to admit it.

Ghazi Khankan, a spokesman for the Islamic Center of Long Island, said King unfairly lambasted all Muslims for the actions of a few so he could sell books.

"When Mr. King's friend Gerry Adams was involved in terrorism we didn't call him a Christian terrorist," he said.
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-usking24,0,985662.story?coll=ny-nation-big-pix

[JustPiper]

Identities Stolen in Seconds
http://www.starbanner.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041024/ZNYT01/410240301/1009/BUSINESS

Arrests reveal U.S. security flaw
.. plates to wanted criminals, suspected terrorists, gang-bangers ... Operation Money Clip started in October 2003 ... Wiretaps led investigators to the Midway connection
http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-midway24.html

Q-C nuclear plant tightens security
http://www.qctimes.com/internal.php?story_id=1037849&t=Business&c=31,1037849

N.K. may have 2 nuke bombs: minister
http://www.koreaherald.co.kr/SITE/data/html_dir/2004/10/25/200410250002.asp

[Cindy]

GOOGLE Search Term: "White Al Qaeda"
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22white+al+qaeda%22&btnG=Google+Search

Google Search Term: "White Al Qaida"
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22white+al+qaida%22&btnG=Google+Search

[Cindy]

Don't be sorry...that's interesting.

[ZionForever]

Hey guys, sorry for the lack of posts but i've been rather busy trying to find health insurance for me and my girlfriend... cost of living is way too much in New York.. anywho..... bringing back all of that "belly of the eagle" talk, you might think im NUTS but this is what i see happening VERY soon.... America has Osamma. Hence, he is already in "the belly of the eagle". The crazy islamis are most probably waiting for the media to announce this capture, and that is when they will hit us, and hit us HARD. why wait until we announce that we have their leader? A) To make Osamma the ULTIMATE martyr for their cause and B) to PROOVE to our dumb government and all of us hard working americans(ok, thats rude and im a patriot and all but come on, dop you really tink our governement is doing EVERYTHING in their power to help end this LUNACY!!) that even though osamma is gone, terrorism and attacks on our proud nation will ALWAYS exist, andf for every osamma capturewd another Islamofascist will rise to power....

stay safe all, keep it real
-dan

[ZionForever]

and cindy, i just read my old messages as i havnt logged in in like a month... What were you saying about looking at the way i type, and i seem familiar. I do post at IH, and Freedom Watchers, im curioujs as to why you think you know me
-dan

[JustPiper]

That is really naive Whistleblowers ring a bell?

[JustPiper]

miss you

[JustPiper]

Had not heard this, out of the loop

I did post info today they have had a warning from Feds in Porter County,Ind

[JustPiper]

Welcome V, ut's here several times -g-

Do fake Gucci bags fund terrorists?

Here's Some more...

To rally consumers against counterfeiting, officials say bargain hunters could be risking lives.
http://money.cnn.com/2004/10/25/news/funny/fake_gucci.reut/index.htm

Bush: U.S. safety from terror 'up in the air'
http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/10/24/bush.sunday.reut/index.html

Saudi embassy in Pakistan receives grenade threat
http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/10/25/saudi.pakistan/index.html