Threat Matrix: Daily Terror Threat - Thread Twenty-Nine

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Threat Matrix: Daily Terror Threat

Thread Twenty-Nine (Index)

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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!

Was Bomber's "New York" Shirt A Message?
Full Story

It's hardly a unique fashion statement for a mass transit rider: a Yankees-style cap, and a "New York" sweat shirt.

But the New York Police Department is teaming with British authorities to determine whether those items were worn by suspects in the London terror cases to send a "purposeful message" to the city, according to an NYPD officials.

David Cohen, the NYPD's deputy commissioner of intelligence, raised the concern earlier this week at a security briefing for business leaders at police headquarters in Lower Manhattan.

Related:
New assessments warn of Qaeda suicide attacks in U.S.
Still Not Ready in The ER | Cell Phone Number: ICE
Where bin Laden is, why he's still alive

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

TM Terrorism Handbook	Link to Thread Twenty-Eight "Code Red Implications: Code Red - Stay Home and Await Word." From Tm'er and Freeper ~MamaDearest~	Arabic Links and Resources
TM 'Be on the Lookout'		ExSoldier's Invaluable Tips
Threat Matrix Book List		Godzilla's Summaries
Tracking the Chatter with TM		TM Code of Conduct

Threat Matrix HTML designed by: Ian Livingston

[MamaDearest]

"On this day in 1945, Emperor Hirohito broadcasts the news of Japan's surrender to the Japanese people."

Also on this day in history, the Panama Canal opened in 1914.

[Cindy]

Note: The following post is an exact quote (minus the graphic):
===

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1463877/posts

nts call for full Israeli pullout to follow Gaza
AFP ^ | Aug. 15, 2005

Posted on 08/15/2005 1:05:54 PM PDT by Alouette

DUBAI (AFP) - Arab governments expressed the hope that Israel's pullout from the Gaza Strip will be followed by the evacuation of other occupied Palestinian lands and the establishment of a Palestinian state.

Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas acknowledged the "historic and important" nature of the Israeli pullout from Gaza after 38 years but denounced an Israeli insistance it would keep hold of its West Bank settlement blocs.

Saudi Arabia "looks forward to the Israeli pullout from the Gaza Strip being a step followed by other steps toward withdrawal from all occupied Palestinian territories so the Palestinian people can build their state, with Jerusalem as its capital," said a statement issued after the weekly meeting of the Saudi cabinet in the Red Sea city of Jeddah.

"The cabinet affirmed the kingdom's commitment to the peace initiative put forward by ... King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz to the Arab summit held in Beirut in 2002 and adopted by the summit, thus becoming an Arab peace initiative," said the statement, carried by the official SPA news agency.

The Beirut meeting of Arab heads of state endorsed a blueprint, proposed by then Crown Prince Abdullah, offering Israel peace and normal ties in return for its withdrawal from occupied Arab lands.

Lebanese President Emile Lahoud "hoped the withdrawal from Gaza constitutes the beginning of the recovery of all the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people", the ANI state news agency quoted him as telling Abbas in a telephone conversation.

For their part, the two Lebanese Shiite groups Amal and Hezbollah issued a joint statement saying "the routing of the Israeli enemy of Gaza is a high point in the long struggle of the Palestinian resistance".

They said the withdrawal "proves the effectiveness of resistance."

Jordan's King Abdullah reacted by urging Palestinians to pull together to prevent anyone from "hampering" Israel's withdrawal, an official statement quoted him as saying to Abbas.

The king also gave his "support to Palestinian Authority efforts to impose its authority on territory evacuated by Israel" calling the withdrawal "a positive step which must lead to a withdrawal from the West Bank".

In Kuwait, the cabinet voiced hope the Gaza pullout would be "the first step by Israel to end its occupation of Palestinian territories and will be followed by other steps in compliance with relevant UN resolutions".

A statement cited by the official KUNA news agency said Kuwait also looked forward to the Gaza withdrawal leading to the revival of peace efforts on the basis of the internationally-backed "roadmap."

Bahrain's King Hamad congratulated Abbas in a telephone call on the Gaza pullout, saying he hoped it was "a step on the road to the establishment of a Palestinian state" with Jerusalem as its capital, the BNA news agency reported.

Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh similarly expressed hope that Israel will evacuate all occupied Palestinian and Arab territories and that an independent Palestinian state will be set up, Yemen's SABA news agency said.

TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; Israel; News/Current Events; War on Terror; Click to Add Topic
KEYWORDS: EVERYTHING; GAZA; ISRAEL; Click to Add Keyword
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Saudi Arabia "looks forward to the Israeli pullout from the Gaza Strip being a step followed by other steps toward withdrawal from all occupied Palestinian territories so the Palestinian people can build their state, with Jerusalem as its capital,"

Notice now they don't even bother to say "Arab East" Jerusalem any more.


And when they demand withdrawal from "all occupied territories" what they mean is:



1 posted on 08/15/2005 1:05:56 PM PDT by Alouette
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[Godzilla]

Does this push back the alert condition that we've been under? How does the August 17 target date fit in?

Well, the subways have already been brought down from ORANGE. I am still digesting the current information, but suspect that Aug 17 is the potential opening of the primary window through Sept 19. Other sources extend this into October. I think that AQ is trying to accelerate things because

1. The London cells did poorly and have been broken up significantly

2. The administration is doing poorly in the polls and public perception on the WOT is down, so a quick, showy strike would further that along with a view towards the mid-term elections

3. Iran has gone ultra radical with their leadership and tack on their nuclear program. An attack could potentially divert US attention internally and delay action against Iran. However, this would be a very dangerous gambit by AQ as under W it would likely backfire into justification to strike Iran.

[Cindy]

Thank you MamaDearest for that history-memory jogger.

[MamaDearest]

California cleric to be deported to Pakistan

Why the terrorists are winning

Legal rental issue in Philadelphia

Muslims who work on weekends in Thailand will have their ears chopped off

Al Qaeda's Internet Threat Campaign

What they fear to say is killing us

[callmejoe]

Ramadan (Tet) Offensive. (roughly 10/5-11/3 IIRC)

Earlier chatter (unsubstantiated news reports) UBL on the move for this.

But leadup to 4th anniversary of 9/11 is current focus it seems.

[SlowBoat407]

Good analysis, zilla. Thanks.

[Founding Father]

I don't know how those involved with protecting Sandy Berger can sleep with a clean conscience at night! Removing and destroying evidence is criminal

I'm sure you realize that those protecting Berger are to be found in the Bush Department of Justice. Why did the DoJ offer and agree to such a sweet litle tap on the wrist sentence for Berger? No AUSA or USAtty could agree to this. Orders had to have come from DC and I doubt Gonzales would agree to this without the "Big Man's" approval.

[MamaDearest]

You're certainly welcome Cindy!

DEC investigates deaths of gulls on Lake Ontario caused by botulism

Globalized terror

A village in Kerala that Muslims shun

Canadians warned of counterfit Lipitor

SNIP CONCERNING BLACKOUTS IN CUBA: ''Compared to the first 20 days in July, when practically half the country was in the dark, the electricity situation has improved in the last two weeks for the whole island,'' Sánchez said in a telephone interview. ``Still, an atmosphere of energy insecurity persists.''

[Cindy]

Note: The following text is an exact quote:
===

http://www.ice.gov/graphics/news/newsreleases/articles/050815sanfrancisco.htm

News Release

August 15, 2005

FORMER IMAM OF LODI MOSQUE TO BE DEPORTED FROM THE UNITED STATES

SAN FRANCISCO – One week after an immigration judge ruled that he posed a threat to the community, the former head of the Lodi mosque returned to immigration court where he agreed to accept an order of removal to his native Pakistan.

At a brief hearing this afternoon, Shabbir Ahmed, 39, advised Immigration Judge Anthony Murry that he was abandoning his legal fight to remain in the United States and would return to Pakistan. Judge Murry issued the removal order at the conclusion of today’s hearing.

“ICE is gratified by what happened in immigration court today,” said San Francisco ICE chief counsel Ronald E. Le Fevre. “Once he leaves the United States, Mr. Ahmed will no longer be in a position to advance any doctrine of hate from within our community. Today we are one step closer to that goal.”

Today’s turn of events follows a custody hearing last week where attorneys for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) presented evidence tying Ahmed to the Taliban and Al Qaeda. During that proceeding, ICE attorneys introduced a diagram showing the relationship between Ahmed and several other Lodi-area men who have been taken into custody as part of the ongoing investigation.

One of those individuals, Imam Mohammad Adil Khan, who was arrested on immigration violations, agreed last month to be removed to Pakistan. Two other men, Umer Hayat, and his son, Hamid Hayat, have been indicted on criminal charges in connection with the case.

According to testimony offered by an agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hamid Hayat went to an Al Qaeda training camp in Pakistan where he was schooled on how to commit violent acts targeting Americans and American institutions. Upon returning to the United States, the FBI agent explained the younger Hayat was to await orders for his mission, orders that were to be relayed through Ahmed.

According to ICE attorneys, Ahmed’s long-term goal was to establish a madrassah or religious school in Lodi similar to the madrassah in Rawalpindi, Pakistan where he and Mohammad Adil Khan previously worked. Evidence presented at last week’s proceeding showed that this madrassah has been used to recruit individuals to engage in jihad.

Ahmed was arrested by ICE agents June 6 for violating the terms of his visa. ICE officials will begin making travel arrangements immediately for the cleric’s return to Pakistan. Travel arrangements are also pending for Mohammad Adil Khan.

# ICE #

[nw_arizona_granny]

This is a full article, we have read parts of it, without the dated attacks at the end, the last one is August 19, 2003 the attack on the UN headquarters.
granny

http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2005/07/18/news/world/070af6c70d807d828725704100007b8e.prt

`Poison' messages of Islamic anger possible hints
to bomber recruitment

By BRIAN MURPHY
AP Religion Writer

LEEDS, England (AP) -- Amear Ali remembers how the film images
clicked by in rapid-fire sequence to a soundtrack of pounding drums:
dead Iraqi children, Palestinians under siege, Guantanamo prisoners,
snippets of President Bush repeating the word "crusade."

"You could see how it could turn someone to raw hate," said Ali,
recalling his brush last year with the hard-edged marketing of
extremism at an Islamic bookstore operated by his brother-in-law.

"It even started working on me. Then I said to myself, 'Get out. This
stuff is poison.' "

The shop was drawn deeper Saturday into the international
investigation of the July 7 London bombings, and Ali's introductions
into the militant messages could help explain the possible
recruitment tactics used in the neighborhood where the suicide
mission apparently took shape.

Attempts to discern the motives and mind-set of the suspected
bombers remain among the murkiest parts of the probe. But Ali -- a
36-year-old father of four boys -- claims hardline Islamists had been
quietly making contacts and spreading propaganda for years in the
Beeston area, a hillock of one-room stores and red brick row houses
dominated by families with roots in Pakistan.

Three of the four alleged bombers came from this seesaw world:
born in Britain but influenced by the values and traditions of a
motherland they barely know; watching new skyscrapers rise in
central Leeds but feeling excluded from the opportunities in this
former mill town.

"So someone comes along and says, 'Muslim are oppressed, Muslims
are being killed by the West,' and so on," said Ali, whose late father
emigrated to Britain from Pakistan. "For some young lads who are
confused and feel alienated, it's a powerful thing to hear. If it
happened with young Muslims here, it's happening everywhere."

Ali said he first noticed outsiders coming into Beeston in the late
1990s speaking about Muslim causes and identity. He said they were
always well-spoken, fluent in English and often dressed in the
traditional shalwar kameez, a loose tunic-and-trouser outfit common
in Pakistan and across South Asia.

Ali said the men were always vague about their affiliations -- never
mentioning al-Qaida or any of the Muslim groups in Britain -- and
first offered only generalities about the importance of prayer and
following Islamic codes.

"We used to joke that they were like the Muslim version of the
Mormons or born-again Christians," said Ali. "They would ask if
anyone wanted to attend lectures or just talk further. A few would
go, but we didn't pay them much attention."

It began to change shortly after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. His
sister's husband, Mohammad Tafazil, 38, opened a corner bookshop
with the idea of offering an alternative for young Muslims who were
drifting into drug use and a gang culture, said Ali.

Gradually, Tafazil became more radicalized and aloof from his old
Western-oriented crowd, said Ali. He grew a beard, became
estranged from his wife and began allowing visiting Muslim speakers
to use the shop -- the Iqra Learning Center -- for gatherings. The
shelves increasingly included videos, DVDs and books outlining
conspiracies against Muslims and denouncing the West.

"I remember telling him once, 'This kind of stuff may get you in
trouble if the police see it,' " said Ali. "He told me that I was weak."

Ali said Tafazil also had some financial links to a storefront site
known as the Hamara Youth Access Point, where the suspected
bombers also were known to meet.

Both the bookstore and youth site have been searched and sealed by
police.

"They were always talking about the same thing: how the West is
out to destroy Islam," said Ali.

Among those who became part of the shop's inner circle was
Shahzad Tanweer, 22, one of the suspected London bombers, said
Ali. Another suspected attacker, 30-year-old Mohammad Sidique
Khan, reportedly used the two sites for diatribes against U.S. and
British foreign policies.

It's unclear what -- if any -- connections were made by the bombers
to wider terrorist networks. But senior Pakistani intelligence officials
said authorities were looking into a possible links between Tanweer
and two al-Qaida-linked militant groups.

On Saturday, meanwhile, police intensified their search of the
street-level bookstore. Investigators wearing white protective suits
also were seen on second floor, but it was unclear whether it was a
residence or part of the bookshop operations. Police covered the
shop windows with gray plastic sheeting and the immediate area was
cordoned off.

Tafazil was not at his home or answering his cell phone on Saturday.
In London, the Metropolitan Police said he was not the one
unidentified person from the Leeds area who was being questioned
in the British capital about the terrorist attacks. But police declined
to say whether Tafazil was being held in Britain for any other reason.

Ali said he was approached by Tafazil last year for discussions about
Islam. At first, Ali said he received instructions on proper Muslim
prayers, which he never learned when younger. Then came lectures
about injustices to Muslims around the world. Finally, on the day Ali
and his family returned from their father's funeral, Ali said Tafazil
played him a DVD on a laptop computer.

"It started off with scenes of Muslims being killed or persecuted:
Iraq, Palestinians, Chechnya. It had Bush saying the word `crusade.'
It was slick and really made you feel angry," said Ali. "I know it was
propaganda and was made to make you feel this way. But what
about young guys who see this material as a call to do something?

"I'm convinced something like this was the first step for the
bombers."

The families of Khan and the third suspected bomber from Leeds,
Hasid Hussain -- the 18-year-old believed to have blown up the
double-decker bus -- condemned the attacks and claimed they had
no idea what they were planning.

Khan's family insisted he must have been "brainwashed" and urged
all efforts to "expose the terror networks which target and groom our
sons to carry out such evils."

(AP) - Deadly attacks in Iraq:

_ July 16, 2005: Suicide bomber detonates explosives strapped to
his body at a gas station near a Shiite mosque in central city of
Musayyib, blowing up a fuel tanker and killing at least 54 people and
wounded it least 82.

_ May 4, 2005: Bomb explodes among Iraqi civilians applying for
police jobs in Kurdish city of Irbil, killing 60 people and wounding
some 150.

_ May 1, 2005: A car bomb obliterates a tent crowded with mourners
for the funeral of a Kurdish official in the northern city of Tal Afar,
killing 25 people and wounding more than 50.

_ April 24, 2005: Insurgents stage coordinated double-bombings in
Tikrit and a Shiite neighborhood in Baghdad, killing a total of 29
Iraqis and injuring 74.

_ March 10, 2005: A suicide bomber blows himself up at a Shiite
mosque during a funeral in the northern city of Mosul, killing at least
47 people and wounding more than 100.

_ Feb. 28, 2005: In the deadliest single strike since the fall of
Saddam Hussein, a suicide car bomber targets mostly Shiite police
and National Guard recruits in Hillah, killing 125 and wounding more
than 140. Some of the dead and injured are at a nearby market.

_ Feb. 18, 2005: Two suicide bombers attack two mosques, leaving
28 people dead, while an explosion near a Shiite ceremony kills two
other people.

_ Feb. 8, 2005: A suicide bomber blows himself up in the middle of a
crowd of army recruits, killing 21 people.

_ Dec. 19, 2004: Car bombs tear through a Najaf funeral procession
and Karbala's main bus station, killing at least 60 people and
wounding more than 120 in the two Shiite holy cities.

_ Sept. 30, 2004: A series of bombs in Baghdad's al-Amel
neighborhood kill 35 children and seven adults as U.S. troops hand
out candy at a government ceremony to inaugurate a new sewage
treatment plant.

_ Sept. 14, 2004: A car bomb rips through a busy market near a
Baghdad police headquarters where Iraqis were waiting to apply for
jobs, and gunmen open fire on a van carrying police home from work
in Baqouba, killing at least 59 people total and wounding at least
114.

_ Aug. 26, 2004: A mortar barrage slams into a mosque filled with
Iraqis preparing to march on the embattled city of Najaf, killing 27
people and wounding 63.

_ July 29, 2004: A suicide car bomb devastates a busy street in
Baqouba, killing 70 people.

_ April 21, 2004: Five blasts near police stations and police academy
in southern city of Basra kill at least 55 people.

_ March 2, 2004: Coordinated blasts from suicide bombers, mortars
and planted explosives strike Shiite Muslim shrines in Karbala and in
Baghdad, killing at least 181 and wounding 573.

_ Feb. 11, 2004: Suicide attacker blows up a car packed with
explosives in a crowd of Iraqis waiting outside an army recruiting
center in Baghdad, killing 47 people.

_ Feb. 10, 2004: Suicide bomber explodes a truckload of explosives
outside a police station in Iskandariyah, killing 53 people.

_ Feb. 1, 2004: Twin suicide bombers kill 109 people in two Kurdish
party offices in Irbil.

_ Oct. 27, 2003: Four suicide bombings target International Red
Cross headquarters and four Iraqi police stations in Baghdad, killing
40 people, mostly Iraqis.

_ Aug. 29, 2003: A car bomb explodes outside mosque in Najaf,
killing more than 85 people, including Shiite leader Ayatollah
Mohammed Baqir al-Hakim. Although officials never gave a final
death toll, there were suspicions it may have been higher.

_ Aug. 19, 2003: A truck bomb explodes outside the U.N.
headquarters building in Baghdad, killing 22 people.

[Cindy]

That's interesting.

Well, it could have been some simple event, so now I'll BOL in case it was more than that.

[Cindy]

"But leadup to 4th anniversary of 9/11 is current focus it seems."

I agree.

[Godzilla]

Ramadan (Tet) Offensive. (roughly 10/5-11/3 IIRC) Earlier chatter (unsubstantiated news reports) UBL on the move for this. But leadup to 4th anniversary of 9/11 is current focus it seems.

What I am also trying to sort out is how much is new versus echo of earlier information.

[Godzilla]

Well, it could have been some simple event, so now I'll BOL in case it was more than that.

What I am trying to discern is how much is 'echo' of past warnings, etc, and how much is new. Sometimes the echos take on a life of their own.

[Cindy]

I agree.

Generally speaking...most of the propaganda I've seen is jihadis trying to pump up the base. 90-99% is pure c.s. (irhabi007 would know this), but
there's always that unknown element out there that is patient, silent and
focused on their agenda. That, really is the concern, in my opinion.

[Cindy]

ON THE NET...

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=17060_CNN-_A_Mysterious_Rain_of_Mortar_Shells&only

[Cindy]

Note: The following post is an exact quote:
===

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1463918/posts


Chavez makes US oil export threat
BBC ^

Posted on 08/15/2005 2:57:08 PM PDT by traumer

Oil exports to the US could stop amid growing tensions between the two countries, Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has said.

He described recent US government actions as "aggressive" in a speech at a youth festival in Caracas. As a result, Venezuelan oil "instead of going to the United States, could go elsewhere," he said.

Venezuela exports about 1.3 million barrels a day to the US and is the world's fifth largest oil producer.

Tensions between the two countries have escalated since President Chavez accused the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) of spying on his government.

Washington denies the charge and has accused Caracas of failing to co-operate in the fight against drug-trafficking.

On Friday the Venezuelan government withdrew diplomatic immunity from DEA agents working in the country in response to a US decision to revoke the visas of six Venezuelan officials based in Washington.

Venezuela is an important transport route for cocaine from neighbouring Colombia, which produces 80% of the world's supply.

[Cindy]

http://www.airportbusiness.com/article/article.jsp?siteSection=5&id=3082
"Southwest Bomb-Scare Prankster Indicted"
SAN ANTONIO (AP)

[Cindy]

UPDATE...

http://www.centcom.mil/CENTCOMNews/News_Release.asp?NewsRelease=20050816.txt

NEWS RELEASE
HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES CENTRAL COMMAND
7115 South Boundary Boulevard
MacDill AFB, Fla. 33621-5101
Phone: (813) 827-5894; FAX: (813) 827-2211; DSN 651-5894
August 15, 2005
Release Number: 05-08-16


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


UPDATE-- TASK FORCE FREEDOM SOLDIERS FIND CHEMICAL PRODUCTION FACILITY

MOSUL, Iraq - Coalition Forces continue to analyze chemical samples found in the chemical production facility and storage site in Mosul on Aug. 9. Specially trained reconnaissance units collected the samples, which are initially being tested in Iraq and then sent to the U.S. for confirmation. Early indications are that some of the chemicals are accelerants, which can be used in explosive devices.

Additional analysis of the chemical production facility continues. Coalition Forces and Iraqi security forces also continue to investigate additional intelligence information.

For more information, contact Multi-National Corps – Iraq Public Affairs at mnf-ipaovictorymainJOC@iraq.centcom.mil.

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