FBI Probes Leads on Election Terror Plot

My Way News ^ | 10/23/04 | JENNIFER C. KERR/AP

[wagglebee]

WASHINGTON (AP) - FBI investigators have made new arrests and developed leads that reinforce concerns that terrorists plan to strike around the presidential election, officials said Saturday, even though the CIA has discredited a person who told its agents of such a plot involving al-Qaida.

A senior FBI official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said some of the leads were culled from interviews with thousands of individuals that agents have conducted in the Muslim community.

The official would not be more specific, but said the FBI continues to have misgivings about possible al-Qaida intentions to launch an attack with the goal of affecting the elections.

Several people have been taken into custody recently on charges not related to terrorism, but officials are investigating whether they may have been involved in terror activities, said another law enforcement official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

As for the person who warned the CIA, at least some of that individual's reporting no longer is seen as credible, said a U.S. intelligence official, speaking on condition of anonymity. The official stressed, however, that a number of other sources point to terrorist activity around the election season.

The official also said no concrete plot has been discovered so far with specific mention of time, place, method or identity of would-be attackers.

James Carafano, a homeland security expert with the conservative think tank Heritage Foundation, said there's little doubt that al-Qaida wants to send a message with an attack.

"I think they're probably less concerned with affecting the outcome of the election, whether Bush or Kerry wins, but it would be more prestigious, the capability to do something before the election and really undermine the confidence of the United States," he said.

Top government officials have warned since the spring about al-Qaida's desire to attack during the election with the hope of orchestrating something similar to the March commuter train bombings in Madrid. The bombings, which killed more than 190 people, were a factor in the ouster of Spain's former ruling party.

The FBI has partnered with American Muslims and others as part of what the agency describes as a prevention plan aimed at disrupting an attack. Thousands of agents from bureaus across the country are participating in the effort.

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.

[wagglebee]

Doesn't al Qaida realize that their allies in the 'Rat party are already doing plenty to screw up the election?

[Future Useless Eater]

Thursday October 28 is the peak timeslot for an October Surprise by international and domestic terrorists.

The year 2000 DUI slime-bomb was dropped on Thursday November 2nd, 5 days before that election.

The Thursday eruption over George W. Bush's old DUI arrest of 1976 quickly trumped the amount of TV time most other fall campaign issues or controversies received within the first 24 hours. -mediaresearch.org

The Madrid train bombings also occurred on a Thursday, THREE days before their Spanish national election the following Sunday.

A Chechnya election on Sunday Aug 29th, with a Moscow-backed candidate in the lead, was preceeded by the downing of TWO Moscow-to-Chechnya commercial jets the THURSDAY before. A militant Muslim group claimed credit for the attacks.

One timing 'problem' for the democRAT slime-bombers... FREEPERS... Dan ra^THer's slime-bomb backfired very quickly thanks to them. Any damage raTHer did to Bush in the polls was reversed within 24hours.

Many of the weekend talk shows are recorded Thursday or Friday. Newspaper articles for the weekend too. And it takes 24 hours for a slime-bomb to build up to fever pitch.

[shield]

This will only make people feel unsafe and will want to re-elect GWB...are these people stupid!!!

[geekchick]

Stupid perhaps, but strategists with a few successes under their belts (and, I suspect, many failures dealt to them over the past few years by fine intelligence, military, law enforcement, and financial services folks around the world).

IMO, terrorists seeking to derail President Bush's re-election would not try to do it through an attack here -- because look how Americans rallied after the 9/11 attacks. Not to mention all our LE and plenty of the public will be on constant high alert status through Election Day, making a homeland attack more complicated and probably more expensive for the terrorists to pull off.

Seems to me they would be more likely to stage a massive attack in Iraq. A *really* massive one on a scale larger than anything they've been able to pull off yet, designed to weaken our resolve and turn us against the war (and, therefore, the wartime President). Perhaps anticipation of that kind of attack is part of the motivation for recent clean-up activities in the holdout areas like Fallujah.

[MarMema]

I think a lot of people, liberals, think that we are being attacked because of our own behavior. I have had some debates with them this last week.

So in their minds, if we just left the rest of the world alone, we'd be left alone. It's a faulty belief but they don't think there is a real threat.

[MarMema]

Seems to me they would be more likely to stage a massive attack in Iraq.

You could be correct here. Since the media loves to remind us of our losses in Iraq.

I will step up prayers for our troops this week. Thanks.

[Capriole]

My little son is scheduled to fly out to see his uncle this coming weekend. I have to confess to having some real fears. The probability that his plane would be the subject of an attack is minute. Still, I'm a mother, and he is the most important, precious person in the world, and. . .

[Prime Choice]

The probability that his plane would be the subject of an attack is minute.

Not only that, but Americans are no longer willing to do nothing in the event of a hijacking. Look at what happened to Richard "Shoe Bomber" Reid when he pulled his stunt. He got the living crap beat out of him by the passengers.

That reality alone helps me feel safer when I fly. I feel more secure with 90 irate passengers than 1 marshal on board.

[Stateline]

Al-Qaida should'nt worry....The Demoncats will do more than enough to screw up the elections.......

[No Surrender No Retreat]

After a thorough competent un-biased investigation the promulgation of the plan would probably be the DNC. Bush/Cheney2004

[Capriole]

Ah, but hijackings are no longer the issue. I'm not too worried about hijackings either. Surface-to-air missiles or bombs are the issue.