FBI warns police of possible terrorist attacks in LA, NY, Chicago

Associated Press ^ | JEREMIAH MARQUEZ

[americaprd]

LOS ANGELES - The FBI has warned police that al-Qaida cells might use fuel trucks as weapons to attack Los Angeles, New York and Chicago, but officials stressed Thursday the warning was based on uncorroborated intelligence.

The warning was distributed Tuesday via a computer network by FBI officials in Los Angeles to law enforcement agencies primarily in California, said FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller.

Though intelligence bulletins usually describe how reliable the information is, this one carried no such statement.

The bulletin warned police that terrorists could use fuel tankers in assaults on the three cities. The warning has not been substantiated, according to two law enforcement officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.

The intelligence originated from FBI headquarters in Washington. It was not immediately clear why the bulletin was sent without details on its reliability.

Eimiller noted that FBI officials often notify police of possible threats, regardless of how accurate the information might be.

"Information at all levels is shared with law enforcement," she said.

[ElectricStrawberry]

They'd never attack LA......that's where their supporters in the entertainment industry live.

[sarasota]

Thank you. Now I'm waiting to get the details on the driver of the truck.

[sarasota]

Good Lord. Please provide further details as you get them and thanks.

[show me state]

The truck was owned by Techno Gas of Monterrey, Mexico.

http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/news/state/12362048.htm

[Crusher138]

I have become convinced that:

1. Al Q wants to keep intensifying their attacks. They don't seemed too concerned with a creating a constant drone of small attacks, like the Palestinian militant groups. Instead they like the flashy big news attacks. They would rather blow up an embassy, a well known building, an important governmental building, etc., instead of a gas station, a mall, etc. If we accept the somewhat questionable premise that Al Q was at least partially behind the Oklahoma City Bombing, and add it to the ones they take credit for - World Trade Center Attacks One and Two, the Pentagon, various embassies - and it becomes clear that they do it to be noticed.

2. They increase in intensity, geographically. Think World Trade Center Attacks 1 & 2. 1 was a bomb in the basement, 2 was airliners running into it. If they hit the same place more than once, they try to hit it harder each time.

3. They are patient. They count on their victims dropping their defenses and they tend to plan elaborate coordinated attacks that require time.

With this in mind...

I would guess that the probabilities are high that:

1. New York and Washington DC will be targeted.

2. The attack will more likely be at least year or two away We are still too close to 9/11/01, we are still too vigilant. They would really like to do it during the Bush administration, but are wary of the consequences. I would not be surprised to see something happen in mid-2009.

3. It will be a simultaneous attack on multiple high visibility targets. Attacking multiple NFL or televised college games, tourist attractions, or some other similar target(s) where they can be certain it will be caught on tape and shown over and over again.

4. If they go nuclear, and I still don't think they can, but it is possible, they will attack multiple cities at the same time, wait a few days, make their demands, and when we don't meet them, they will set off devices in other cities. I would bet that Washington DC would not be targeted in this kind of attack because they need a head to give their demands to. I also guess that the first group of cities targeted would be a mixture of red state/blue state metropolitan areas and I would bet big money that at least one city in Texas would go up in the first round.

The next Presidential election is going to be one of the most critical in our nation's history because whomever we elect will likely be the one to deal with the aftermath of the next attack and our response to it.

[livius]

Actually, having gone to a British site and read about it, the shutdown appears to be the result of a "labor action" (strike) of various service personnel. British authorities felt that it would not be safe to let flights take off under such conditions.

[RushCrush]

Too bad we can't carry handguns in Chicago. :(

[sarasota]

Thanks for the update. Breathing easier now.

[NathanBookman]

I live in Chi-town. If I am filling up at the local gas station and a tanker pulls up with a dude wearing a turbin yelling "DURKA, DURKA, DURKA, MUHAMMAD JIHAD!!!!", to save time on my hasty departure, I will select the "No Receipt" option at the pump. Those things take forever to print.

[Deguello]

"coming across the border ."

No Fumar.

[Jenny Hatch]

"Stock up on supplies, in case something disastrous does happen and truckers can't deliver goods, or gasoline supply is low."

I've been wondering if the gas issue will come to a head even without a WMD attack.

Think about it, if we had no gas, America would come to a halt pretty fast.

I think the most important thing to store is in fact water, but after that? Foods that are easy to store with a long shelf life. We have quite a bit of grains, powdered milk, etc...

Jenny

[Paradox]

Down here, there is a mass transit station, I'd say probably the busiest of the stations in this particular system. Well right behind it is a propane facility, with huge exposed tanks of propane. Its a no-brainer.

[pa mom]

There are semi truck accidents every day. Just listen to the traffic reports, don't they all seem to be "a jack-knifed tractor trailor is tying up I-whatever"?

[An Old Marine]

I really don't think the dogs realize how pissed off we'd be if they start their shi* again here in America...I don't think there'd be a dome left standing here or anywhere else if they bomb us...

Sorry.... but I can't get any more pissed off than I am already. It hasn't let up a inch since 9/11. Of course at the time I thought that Bush meant it when he said that they would be hearing from us...

Maybe with another attck we will actually fight this time.

[Sun]

Stock up on supplies, in case something disastrous does happen and truckers can't deliver goods, or gasoline supply is low.

"I've been wondering if the gas issue will come to a head even without a WMD attack.

Think about it, if we had no gas, America would come to a halt pretty fast.

I think the most important thing to store is in fact water, but after that? Foods that are easy to store with a long shelf life. We have quite a bit of grains, powdered milk, etc...

Jenny"

You have a good point. If our gas is limited, our economy could really sink. I call my rep and tell him that we should dig in the U.S.A., like the Gulf of Mexico, Florida, Alaska, etc. The environMENTALists are going to ruin us.

Canned goods last for years, and batteries and extra blankets are important, too.

[La Enchiladita]

If the FBI wasn't so busy investigating LAPD (who were following SOP to apprehend a crazed, coked up perp), we'd have a better chance of heading off terrorist attacks.

[BurbankKarl]

That investigation wont go anywhere...now they have a new name for that guy....

[La Enchiladita]

The grounded British Airways flights are due to a BA employee union strike.

If any other airlines are grounded at Heathrow, do not know what that is due to.

[La Enchiladita]

What's the story on the low supplies of jet fuel this week?

Fuel costs have gone up.

[La Enchiladita]

I know this is off-topic so my apologies to the thread host, but the Consent Decree REALLY PISSES ME OFF.

That made it easier to bring in the current FBI investigation of a department that has their hands so tied, it's beyond ridiculous. Law enforcement? What law enforcement? I wouldn't be suprised if the consent decree is part of the terrorist plan.

What new name are you referring to?