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Zarqawi Planning U.S. Hit?
TIME ^ | 3/13/05 | By ADAM ZAGORIN, TIMOTHY J. BURGER AND BRIAN BENNETT

Posted on 03/13/2005 7:49:06 AM PST by ApesForEvolution

N O T E B O O K Zarqawi Planning U.S. Hit? Intelligence officials say operatives may infiltrate via Central America to strike at soft targets on American soil

By ADAM ZAGORIN, TIMOTHY J. BURGER AND BRIAN BENNETT

Sunday, Mar. 13, 2005 Two weeks after intelligence officials confirmed that Osama bin Laden had sent a message to Jordanian-born terrorist Abu Mousab al-Zarqawi, urging him to plan attacks on U.S. soil, details are emerging from one of al-Zarqawi's lieutenants about what the man behind many of the terrorist attacks in Iraq could have in mind. Intelligence officials tell TIME that interrogation of a member of al-Zarqawi's organization, who was taken into U.S. custody last year and has been described as a top aide, indicates that al-Zarqawi has given ample consideration to assaults on the American homeland. According to a restricted bulletin that circulated among U.S. security agencies last week, the interrogated aide said al-Zarqawi has talked about hitting "soft targets" in the U.S., which could include "movie theaters, restaurants and schools."

The bulletin also notes the Iraq-based master terrorist's apparent belief that "if an individual has enough money, he can bribe his way into the U.S.," specifically by obtaining a "visa to Honduras" and then traveling across Mexico and the southern U.S. border.

Al-Zarqawi's aide also revealed that his boss, after pondering the absence of attacks in the U.S. in recent years, concluded that a lack of "willing martyrs" was to blame. Al-Zarqawi believes, according to his lieutenant, that "if an individual is willing to die, there was nothing that could be done to stop him," even in the U.S. There is no evidence, say intelligence agencies, that al-Zarqawi's agents have infiltrated the U.S. But authorities remain vigilant.

Security sources tell TIME that just last week the FBI sent out two nationwide bulletins warning of a nonspecific threat to railroads in Detroit and Los Angeles. On her visit to Mexico last week, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice issued her own reminder of the border's vulnerability. "There's no secret," Rice told reporters, "that al-Qaeda will try to get into this country ... by any means they possibly can."


TOPICS: News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: aq; border; homelandsecurity; jihadinamerica; zarqawi
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Nothing to see here, move along ...
1 posted on 03/13/2005 7:49:07 AM PST by ApesForEvolution
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To: Travis McGee; Happy2BMe; Jeff Head; dennisw; FBD; HiJinx; madfly

(((PING)))


2 posted on 03/13/2005 7:49:56 AM PST by ApesForEvolution (I just took a Muhammad and wiped my Jihadist with Mein Koran...come and get me nutbags.)
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To: ApesForEvolution

The borders will be secured (probably by Hillary) only after a major terrorist attack via Mexico.


3 posted on 03/13/2005 7:50:47 AM PST by Atlas Sneezed (Your FRiendly FReeper Patent Attorney)
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To: Happy2BMe

The bulletin also notes the Iraq-based master terrorist's apparent belief that "if an individual has enough money, he can bribe his way into the U.S.," specifically by obtaining a "visa to Honduras" and then traveling across Mexico and the southern U.S. border.

>>>

Que sera, sera...no problemo!


4 posted on 03/13/2005 7:51:59 AM PST by ApesForEvolution (I just took a Muhammad and wiped my Jihadist with Mein Koran...come and get me nutbags.)
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To: Beelzebubba

I press forward in the hopes you are wrong!


5 posted on 03/13/2005 7:52:28 AM PST by ApesForEvolution (I just took a Muhammad and wiped my Jihadist with Mein Koran...come and get me nutbags.)
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To: ApesForEvolution
Intelligence officials tell TIME
Security sources tell TIME

Consider the source

6 posted on 03/13/2005 7:52:47 AM PST by Bommer
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To: Bommer

Consider the message...coupled with reality.


7 posted on 03/13/2005 7:53:33 AM PST by ApesForEvolution (I just took a Muhammad and wiped my Jihadist with Mein Koran...come and get me nutbags.)
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To: Beelzebubba
The borders will be secured (probably by Hillary) only after a major terrorist attack via Mexico.

Please - with the sky is falling and only bad things to come are going to happen BS! -

Fact is securing the border is tremendously hard (and impossible to do fully) - Secondly, we are winning this WOT overwhelmingly - al Qeade is on the run...plain and simple.

Stop talking like a defeatist - and stop foolishly suggesting that Hilliary is the scary beast that no one can defeat - We own the Presidency, House, Senate and more Governorships - That is reality.....not bogeymen scenarios -

8 posted on 03/13/2005 7:57:52 AM PST by SevenMinusOne
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To: SandRat; TexasCowboy; appalachian_dweller; Calpernia; Velveeta; SevenofNine; DAVEY CROCKETT; ...
<<<<>> Ping
9 posted on 03/13/2005 7:59:01 AM PST by nw_arizona_granny (The enemy within, will be found in the "Communist Manifesto 1963", you are living it today.)
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Comment #10 Removed by Moderator

To: BurbankKarl; lainie; Ernest_at_the_Beach; Brad's Gramma; onyx; A CA Guy; HangFire; Joy Angela
"...According to a restricted bulletin that circulated among U.S. security agencies last week, the interrogated aide said al-Zarqawi has talked about hitting 'soft targets' in the U.S., which could include 'movie theaters, restaurants and schools...' "

and

"...Security sources tell TIME that just last week the FBI sent out two nationwide bulletins warning of a nonspecific threat to railroads in Detroit and Los Angeles. On her visit to Mexico last week, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice issued her own reminder of the border's vulnerability..."

11 posted on 03/13/2005 8:03:14 AM PST by bd476
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To: ApesForEvolution; dennisw; SJackson; MeekOneGOP; TrueBeliever9; Geist Krieger; JohnHuang2; Salem; ..
HONDURAS --> MEXICO --> (WIDE-OPEN) MEXICAN BORDER --> U.S. SOIL --> SCHOOLS, MALLS, BURGER KING --> BOOM! - ping.

(Why do I get the feeling our gubmint is trying to 'cover their arses' over what they know is coming across the Mexican border?)

================================

According to a restricted bulletin that circulated among U.S. security agencies last week, the interrogated aide said al-Zarqawi has talked about hitting "soft targets" in the U.S., which could include "movie theaters, restaurants and schools."

12 posted on 03/13/2005 8:04:57 AM PST by Happy2BMe (Government is not the solution to our problem, government *IS* the problem.)
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To: ApesForEvolution
......Iraq-based master terrorist's apparent belief that "if an individual has enough money, he can bribe his way into the U.S.," specifically by obtaining a "visa to Honduras" and then traveling across Mexico and the southern U.S. border.

He's read the playbook.

13 posted on 03/13/2005 8:06:47 AM PST by Mr. Mojo
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To: ApesForEvolution
"Consider the message...coupled with reality."

=============

Why don't we just shoot the messenger then the problem will go away.

(Good find, BTW.)

14 posted on 03/13/2005 8:06:48 AM PST by Happy2BMe (Government is not the solution to our problem, government *IS* the problem.)
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To: nw_arizona_granny
The bulletin also notes the Iraq-based master terrorist's apparent belief that "if an individual has enough money, he can bribe his way into the U.S.," specifically by obtaining a "visa to Honduras" and then traveling across Mexico and the southern U.S. border.

Those of us here have been saying this sort of thing for Y-E-A-R-S but have they listened N-O-O-O!

The border is a powder keg now. Let one more MUZZIE attack take place and it be traced back to the HOMICIDE BOMBER coming across the border with a bunch of illegals and it will erupt and erupt big. So the States and the Feds better get their acts together and close the border before it's too late.

15 posted on 03/13/2005 8:07:39 AM PST by SandRat (Duty, Honor, Country. What else needs to be said?)
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To: ApesForEvolution
Intelligence officials tell TIME that interrogation of a member of al-Zarqawi's organization, who was taken into U.S. custody last year and has been described as a top aide, indicates that al-Zarqawi has given ample consideration to assaults on the American homeland.

IMPOSSIBLE.

The Mexican Border has been shut down tighter than a drum -- thanks to the immediate post-9/11 security measures taken by President Bush.(barf)

16 posted on 03/13/2005 8:08:37 AM PST by Liberator
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To: ApesForEvolution
The bulletin also notes the Iraq-based master terrorist's apparent belief that "if an individual has enough money, he can bribe his way into the U.S.," specifically by obtaining a "visa to Honduras" and then traveling across Mexico and the southern U.S. border.

Yeah, 8 dollars American still goes a long way in Honduras.

17 posted on 03/13/2005 8:08:41 AM PST by hflynn
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To: ApesForEvolution
"Consider the message...coupled with reality."

I believe the reality is that every terrorist act conducted within this country in the last 10 years or so was conducted by someone who was within our borders legally. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

18 posted on 03/13/2005 8:09:12 AM PST by Rokke
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To: ApesForEvolution

As 'homeland security' is just a big barrel of pork, the presumptive reason the US hasn't been victimized is that AQ and its state sponsors are terrified of the US response.

Si it probably is true that the best defense has been a good offense.


19 posted on 03/13/2005 8:12:06 AM PST by hlmencken3 ("...politics is a religion substitute for liberals and they can't stand the competition")
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To: Happy2BMe

The bots won't believe it until it happens.


20 posted on 03/13/2005 8:12:08 AM PST by international american (Tagline now fireproof....purchased from "Conspiracy Guy Custom Taglines"LLC)
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