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Locked on 01/30/2005 12:18:25 AM PST by Lead Moderator, reason:
Thread Twenty-four here: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1331735/posts |
Posted on 12/23/2004 10:30:10 PM PST by nwctwx
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Every little bit helps!
Thanks for the hot off the press article. :-)
The war on terrorist organizations gets a lot less media attention than does the war with terrorists. The terrorist violence in Iraq, Israel, Chechnya, Kashmir, Pakistan, Afghanistan, the Philippines, Indonesia and a few other places gets a reporters attention. But there are more important developments, with the terrorist organizations, that we hear little about. There’s a good reason for that, as the war against the terrorist organizations is an intelligence operation. Espionage agents, informants, spy satellites and electronic eavesdropping are the principal weapons. The action, such as it is, takes place in the shadows, and doesn’t make much noise.
Because of the secret war against al Qaeda, a lot is known about the organization. This is mainly because most of the members are not very well educated in areas like OPSEC (operational security, keeping the enemy from observing your activities). Email and phone messages are caught and recorded, while couriers, and what they are carrying, are captured regularly. Fallujah yielded a large haul of al Qaeda documents, as have raids in Pakistan and elsewhere. Hardly any of this stuff is leaked to the media, lest al Qaeda find out how much the infidels know. But despite their bumbling and amateurish efforts, al Qaeda members are out to kill. They get their act together from time to time and pull off a major operation. Until the movement dies out, which may take a generation, the war on terror will continue.
Al Qaeda is not one organization, like the CIA, MI-6 or Mossad. Al Qaeda is a coalition of over three dozen terrorist groups that cooperate, often loosely, in their war against the infidels (non-Moslems). At the moment, the most powerful branch of al Qaeda is the one operating in Iraq. And that’s because there, al Qaeda has joined forces with the Baath Party, which is trying to return the Sunni Arabs to power in Iraq.
This reaffirms an old truism in the terrorist world; you can’t succeed without money and a population to provide support. Anywhere there are Moslems, you will find some who either approve of al Qaeda’s goals (converting the world to Islam), or are willing to support al Qaeda operations. The percentage of approvers is large, often a third or more of Moslem populations. The percentage of supporters is much smaller. You can see this from the small number of al Qaeda terrorist operations around the world. With millions of Moslems in North American and Europe, there have been very few al Qaeda terror attacks. In fact, those two areas have seen just one in the past three years.
It’s a different story in Moslem countries, where al Qaeda goals also include replacing the current kings, dictators, or corrupt democracies, with better government. One thing that must always be kept in mind is that the Moslem world is, for the most part, poorly governed and economically backward. A lot of the support for al Qaeda is actually rage at the inability of Moslems to get their act together in the governance and economics department. Most Moslems recognize that al Qaeda is just one more bad idea to afflict Islamic nations. But for the moment, the al Qaeda crowd are winning the PR war. That will change over time, but for now, al Qaeda is killing people. Most of those being killed are Moslems.
The most active al Qaeda affiliates are in countries where there are other issues in play. For example.
Excerpted
Yeah why were illegal aliens filming a nuclear plant and not arrested?????
Certainly weren't looking for work there were they?
But if they're videotaping NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS....it's A-OK....they're just tourists.
~rant~ ~fume~
They're just tourists....dontcha know.
It's the latest rage in tourism.
The real 'hot spot' for your Kodak Photo moment.
Couldn't resist.
ROFLOL!
Priceless. :-)
This will be the last summary of 2004! It seems a bit thin, mostly because of the overwhelming coverage of the tragedy in South Asia as a result of the Sumatra Mega-earthquake. The impact upon this region of the world in respect to the developoment of Islamic terrorism will be interesting because of the growth that was occuring in the region. Now we’ll see if they backoff to allow emergency workers the ability to try to save the lives of those remaining. If they continue to attack, they risk losing any popular support they might otherwise have. A lot of attacks have been targeting Christians - Christian aid agencies will be providing a substantial amount of the relief to the region. Let us hope and pray that this helps change the views of the muslems in the affected areas.
Let me know if you want on or off the Ping list.
12/29/04 Current National Homeland Defense threat level is YELLOW
1. Attack threat windows
12/29/04 Primary Window: October 29 - December 28, 2004. We are now through this potential attack window. The nefarious German Guy has been proven to be full of hot air. We are not totally out of the window yet as I would consider extending it through Jan 1, 2005.
12/29/04 Secondary windows:
January 20, 2005 - Presidential inauguration
Feb. 6 Super Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla.
2. Attack Indicators
12/23/04 The threat of a terrorist attack on the United States still exists, but counterterrorism officials say there is a conspicuous lack of intelligence "chatter" being picked up indicating a plot is in the works.
11/23/04 This post is being maintained for a historical track - Godzilla
Threats of a nuclear attack continue to appear on some jihadi forums. I continue to monitor the ACSA "alert" regarding the prediction of a nuclear attack within the next 3 months. The credibility of this chatter and alerts is questionable, however, AQ has repeatedly stated it desires nuclear weapons, and there are concerns being raised again about nuclear material becoming available through either N. Korea, Iran or Pakistan.
3. Current Terrorist Operations
Al-Qa'ida / OBL
12/27/04 An audio tape purportedly from al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden (news - web sites) has urged Iraqis to boycott January parliamentary elections, Arabic Al Jazeera television said on Monday. Shortly before airing the tape, the television said bin Laden backed Abu Musab al-Zarqawi as the Islamist network's leader in Iraq.
12/24/04 Osama bin Laden appears to be trying to transform himself from terrorist to political leader, the conclusion reached by some Middle Eastern experts from watching recent messages attributed to the al-Qaida leader. But at least one of those experts questions whether bin Laden has anything to offer his followers beyond a call to arms, saying he does not have solutions to the economic and social issues facing young Muslims......snip......
While some analysts say al-Qaida has been forced to change course because it has been weakened and possibly shattered by a U.S. crackdown, others believe that any shifting by bin Laden is only temporary and tactical.
http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2004/12/24/analysts_bin_laden_seeks_transformation/
Iran
12/21/04 Iran is preparing simultaneous bombing, hostage-taking strikes against Israel’s diplomatic missions in several countries including US. FBI caught Iranian spies scouting Israeli Los Angeles, Atlanta, Houston consulates.
www.debka.com
Indonesia
12/21/04 Fresh security concerns have swept the Indonesian capital of Jakarta after a hand grenade was found hidden in a tin can beside the Hilton Hotel today. The discovery came just days after Australia warned of a possible terror attack on the hotel complex. The grenade, which was taken away by bomb squad officers, was found by a cleaner as he swept around the heavily-guarded hotel grounds.
Israel
12/21/04 The number of terror attacks and terror fatalities dropped significantly in 2004, when only six suicide bombings were carried out within Israel and eight in the territories. A total of 116 people have been killed in Palestinian attacks on Israeli targets in 2004, with 55 of them killed in suicide attacks. A total of 73 civilians and 43 security personnel were killed.
At present, most suicide bombers are sent from the Nablus and Jenin areas, according to the officer. He noted that Hamas leadership in Gaza was significantly weakened in the past year because of the assassination of its leadership by Israel. The group has also been weakened in the Hebron area that was responsible for many killings.
Europe - General
12/23/04 Several agencies have intercepted electronic communications pointing to Al Qaida's plans to launch a major attack over the next two weeks, Western intelligence sources said. The sources said Al Qaida was planning to use Islamic subcontractors to carry out major attacks against civilian targets in Europe. Al Qaida has been gathering assets in several European Union countries and Russia over the past two months, the sources said.
Some targets in Western Europe include NATO headquarters in Brussels, a railroad hub packed with holiday travelers and Istanbul, Turkey. Other leading al-Qaida targets include Moscow or St. Petersburg. The sources said al-Qaida cells in Europe are flushed with operatives that fought the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq.
http://www.geostrategy-direct.com/geostrategy-direct/
Thailand
12/23/04 Terrorists are plotting attacks next year at tourist resorts across Thailand, according to documents found in the house of a fugitive leader of the country's Islamic insurgency, a senior security official said. The rebels also plan to turn three Muslim-dominated provinces in Thailand's south into a base for international terrorist groups.
The documents show that in 2005, the militants plan to attack "soft targets" such as the tropical beach resorts of Pattaya and Phuket, which draw tourist from around the world.
This area was among the hardest hit as a result of the tsunami of Dec 26, 2004. It is unknown the extent or how many TERRORISTS were also killed by the tsunami. Must watch carefully. Godzilla
12/24/04 At least one person has been killed and several wounded after a bomb exploded in a restive area of southern Thailand. The blast happened at a Siam Commercial Bank branch in Sungai Kolok, a town in Narathiwat province on the border with Malaysia, said police. Narathiwat is one of three mainly-Muslim southern provinces at the centre of an Islamic separatist insurgency. (excerpted)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4122863.stm
Not certain if this provinces was affected by the tsunami - Godzilla
Spain
12/22/04 Spanish police have broken up a radical Islamic cell that was trying to buy explosives for a terrorist attack in Spain. Three Moroccans, identified as Majid Bakkali, Mohamed Douha and Abdelkader Farhaoui, were arrested in different towns in the north-eastern region of Catalonia.
New Zealand
12/22/04 SIS director Richard Woods said in the report that the international successes in targeting al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden had raised the security threat level for New Zealand. "From the service's own investigations we assess that there are individuals in or from New Zealand who support Islamic extremist causes.
Saudi Arabia
12/29/04 Militants in the Saudi capital launched coordinated car bombings against the police ministry and a troop recruitment center and battled security forces in attacks that caused oil prices to jump and signaled that Muslim extremists are keeping up their fight despite the kingdom's crackdown on al-Qaida.
Seven militants were killed in the gunbattle with police in a northern district of Riyadh, Al-Arabiya television reported. The clash broke out about the same time as the two car bombings - a remote control blast near the Interior Ministry and a suicide attack on the recruitment center. The attacks came two weeks after al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden called on his followers to focus attacks on his homeland and attacks on oil infrastructure in Iraq and Gulf region.
http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBHR5A1C3E.html
12/21/04 Saudi Arabia's oil company said it has been on alert for an Al Qaida attack on oil fields in the kingdom. The state-owned Aramco issued a statement in wake of a threat by a man purporting to be Osama Bin Laden who urged his supporters to attack Iraqi and Gulf oil facilities. The United States regarded the threat as coming from Bin Laden.
Yugoslavia 12/24/04 Radio beograd is reporting the arrest of a band of terrorist on their way to blow up one of the largest christian churches in europe, st. sava's serb orthodox cathedral. they have been positively identified as al-quaeda members. The reports are still coming in with details, but it looks as if serb military intelligence had them under close scrutiny and caught them on their way to the scene.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1308032/posts
England
12/26/04 A secret intelligence report has revealed that security chiefs believe al-Qaeda may target New Year celebrations across Britain, The Telegraph has learned. The document, which has been distributed to every military base in Britain warns that "crowded places or events" are under "a severe threat" of attack from terrorist bombers. The report, which is marked "restricted", is understood to have been compiled by military intelligence specialists, MI5 and Special Branch officers.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/12/26/nalq26.xml
United States
12/29/04 Nothing really significant other than more “tourists” videoing nuclear plants.
4. Attack method.
11/23/04 No real change in the preferred method of choice of AQ which are bombs - the bigger the better. With the exception of 9/11, car/truck bombs have been widely used. However, aircraft are also still in the mix. There are special concerns regarding the use by terrorists of the following types of vehicles:
1. Uhaul type cargo trucks.
2. Gasoline / Propane supply / tanker trucks.
3. Emergency vehicles (ambulances, police cars, fire trucks)
Current alerts out for at least two stolen fuel/tanker trucks, a stolen crop duster and about a hundred propane tanks. It is uncertain if the thefts are linked to terrorism at this time, however they could be adapted for use in a terrorist attack.
12/22/04 Discussions also evaluated the threat that LNG tankers were. They are a high explosive target if the natural gas is ignited. There is a potential that the intitial strike would not spark a simultaneous explosion. This is because there would not be enought oxygen available to support the combustion and as the gas expanded, it would become very cold. Almost with a certainity a second device/ignition method would be necessary after puncturing the tank(s). The following provides a little more info as well as a link for more details - Godzilla
A terrorist attack on a tanker loaded with liquefied natural gas could cause massive damage a third of a mile away and could send a vapor cloud billowing more than 1.5 miles, government scientists say.
• Safe as a liquid: LNG cannot explode and is not flammable in its minus-260 degrees liquid state. A missile or explosive would allow the liquid to escape, transforming it into a gas that probably would ignite in a massive fire.
• Weapons obtainable: Terrorists, using readily available weapons and technology, could blast a 10-foot hole into the side of an LNG tanker, the Sandia report says.
12/29/04 For U.S. officials and others, it was a frightening reminder of what many consider the ultimate mass-casualty threat posed by modern terrorists. Even a small nuclear weapon detonated in a major American population center would be among history's most lethal acts of war, potentially rivaling the atomic destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Despite the obvious gravity of the threat, however, counterterrorism and nuclear experts in and out of government say they consider the danger more distant than immediate.
They point to enormous technical and logistical obstacles confronting would-be nuclear terrorists, and to the fact that neither al Qaeda nor any other group has come close to demonstrating the means to overcome them. So difficult are the challenges that senior officials on President Bush's national security team believe al Qaeda has shifted its attention to other efforts, at least for now.
"I would say that from the perspective of terrorism, the overwhelming bulk of the evidence we have is that their efforts are focused on biological and chemical" weapons, said John R. Bolton, undersecretary of state for arms control and international security. "Not to say there aren't any dealings with radiological materials, but the technology for bio and chem is comparatively so much easier that that's where their efforts are concentrating."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A32285-2004Dec28?language=printer
5. Personnel
112/22/04The United States has frozen the assets of two Saudi nationals, Saad al-Fagih and Adel Batterjee, another Saudi national -- as "specially designated global terrorists" for providing financial and material support to al Qaeda and its leader, Osama bin Laden.
6. Significant meetings canceled:
12/29/04 No new cancellations.
7. Security has been heightened in specific cities
12/29/04 NYC is at a locally declared ORANGE where it had been since. 9/11/01.
GENERAL: Ongoing work to upgrade security at sea ports and airports.
8. Military operations.
12/29/04 No significant changes except that the USS Lincoln and escort ships have been directed to the Indian Ocean to provide support to humanitarian operations in the region following the Sumatra tsunami.
9. Dept of Homeland Scty. / State Department
12/23/04 PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
This information is current as of today, Thu Dec 23 2004 16:07:43 GMT-0800.
Kuwait
December 23, 2004
This Public Announcement is being issued to alert travelers to security concerns in Kuwait. The Department of State has information that terrorist groups are developing plans for possible near-term attacks against unspecified targets in Kuwait. The Department reminds all U.S. citizens in Kuwait to exercise caution, maintain a low profile, and avoid areas where Westerners are known to congregate. This Public Announcement expires on May 23, 2005.
Terrorists do not distinguish between official and civilian targets. Increased security at official U.S. facilities may lead terrorists and their sympathizers to seek softer targets such as public transportation, residential areas, oil-related facilities and personnel, and public areas where people congregate including restaurants, hotels, clubs, and shopping areas. .......snip.........
http://travel.state.gov/travel/kuwait_announce.html
10. Suspicious Domestic Incidents Not Currently Linked to Specific Terrorism Attempts
12/29/04 The FBI is investigating a laser light beam that was directed into the cockpit of an incoming commercial airliner inbound from Washington, D.C. The airplane was about 15 miles from Cleveland Hopkins International Airport on Monday, traveling 300 mph at 8,500 to 10,000 feet when the green laser shined inside the cockpit, according to the FBI.
http://www.nbc4i.com/news/4033212/detail.html
12/29/04 Eco terrorists threatening new home construction in the town of Lincoln CA (located north-northeast of Sacramento CA).
LEOs are still looking for stole tankers, propane tanks and a crop duster that could potentially be used for terrorist attacks - Godzilla
Heading out to the northwoods for a long weekend.
Happy New Year to each of you!
Wishing you all...health, peace, joy and much love for the New Year.
Stay safe!
MOSCOW (The Moscow News) -- In a surprise move that sent Russian stocks plunging, the Russian federal government slapped a hefty back tax bill on US retail giant WalMart to the sum of $500 Million, despite WalMart not having yet opened any retail locations in the country.
RITFLOL
It's not fair you get to go Velveeta, and I have to stay home - (prolonged whine). Have a great time anyway - and HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU!
Thanks, MamaDearest.
You're welcome to come along.
The ski slopes are calling. LOL!
***Different incidents***
Green Lights at Airport
Lasers Cause Problems For Pilots
Associated Press
Federal officials are investigating reports from two pilots who say bright lights were aimed from the ground into their cockpits as they headed into the Colorado Springs Airport.
Both planes landed without problems on Monday night.
Federal officials issued a warning this month that terrorists might try to down aircraft by shining powerful lasers into cockpits to blind pilots during landing approaches.
The pilots heading into Colorado Springs about 8-30 p-m Monday reported a bright, pulsating light shining into the cockpits. Colorado Springs police say the pilots described the lights as "green laser lights."
F-B-I spokeswoman Monique Kelso says authorities haven't determined what type of light was used, and F-B-I agents are conducting interviews.
http://www.kktv.com/home/headlines/1309846.html
if you find more info on this conference please mail me
Perhaps I've been watching too many episodes of CSI and expect an answer to who is doing this to our airlines? Having been a purchasing agent, I know vendors (who manufacture or supply these items) keep inventory and sales records of such products. It's not rocket science and just might provide officials with useful information. Unless a customer paid cash for these lasers, their names/companies would be in data bases. I know, it's all about manpower and money...(and terrorists know it and rejoice in just these deficiencies of ours).
this is all I could find:
Toronto — Last-minute asylum-seekers in the United States flocked to the Canadian border Tuesday as the deadline for stringent changes to refugee applications drew near.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20041228.wrefugees28/BNStory/National/
Canada Cracks Down on Asylum Seekers
DETROIT — Tens of thousands of refugees looking for asylum arrived in the United States last year. But not all of them stayed. Some of them moved up to Canada, where they thought their chances of officially gaining asylum would be better.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,142873,00.html
Tom Tancredo's Top Immigration Questions
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1310705/posts
good question Davey...don't know
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