Posted on 01/19/2006 11:52:20 AM PST by Extremely Extreme Extremist
CAIRO, Egypt -- U.S. counterterror officials said Thursday they have seen no specific or credible intelligence to indicate an upcoming al-Qaida attack on the country, despite a new audio tape claiming preparations for such a mission.
The United States will not let up in the war on terror despite the threats on the tape, purportedly made by Osama bin Laden, said White House press secretary Scott McClellan.
"We do not negotiate with terrorists," McClellan said. "We put them out of business."
While warning against downplaying the taped threat, officials at intelligence and law enforcement agencies said there has been no recent increase in "chatter" that can indicate that such an attack is imminent. The officials discussed the tape on condition of anonymity because intelligence analysis is usually sensitive and because the tape was still being examined.
A Department of Homeland Security official said the agency has no immediate plans to raise the national terror alert, noting that intelligence agencies are still "working to authenticate the tape."
The national threat level is currently at "yellow alert," the middle of five stages, signifying an elevated risk of terror attacks. It has mostly been at yellow since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, but has been raised to the orange "high alert" level seven times since then.
Intelligence officials said authenticating the tape, released by the television network Al-Jazeera Thursday morning, could take between several hours and several days - and perhaps through the weekend.
"If there is any actionable intelligence, we will act on it," McClellan said.
A U.S. counterterror official said analysts had no reason to doubt an assessment by Al-Jazeera that the tape was recorded in the Islamic month that corresponds with December.
President Bush was told about the audiotape shortly after an appearance on the economy in Sterling, Va., McClellan said.
Intelligence authorities were examining why bin Laden - if in fact the voice on the tape is verified as his - would be speaking out after more than a year of letting his top deputy, Ayman al-Zawahri, serve as al-Qaida's public face in statements and other communications.
One official speculated that it might be an attempt to show supporters that bin Laden is still around.
"It woulda been cool if McLellan would have walked in the press room, and said "Nuts" and walked out."
Better yet, if McClellan had simply walked into the press conference, wordlessly pressed the PLAY button on a CD player and then left the room:
http://www.grouchymedia.com/videos/die_terrorists_die/download.cfm
An old chestnut, but highly apropos.
Explicit lyrics version, and quality subwoofer highly recommended.
President Bush should make a counter offer.
Pres.Bush: "osama, we are going to kill you and you are going to be dead."
nothing gives me the creeps more than that kumbaya song.
even: `If I had a Hammer'?
Let's see....
Bombed on Friday, demands truce on Thursday......
Nah....methinks we need to keep the pressure on.
UBL sounds like the guy that just lost an alley fight, bragging about how he bloodied the other guys knuckles.
""even: `If I had a Hammer'?""
Wellllll.........
you certainly know your peter paul and mary...
catchy little tunes, aren't they??
makes me want to jackhammer someone's face
Perhaps we should ask for more information about his offer?
Ask him where we can meet him IN PERSON to discuss it.
Think he'll fall for it?
Had a phone call, sorry.
Saw/heard them a long time ago. "Leavin' on a Jet Plane' and others, anachronisms today, but first of the `love-dove' why can't we all just get along minstrels in the gallery.
Back to you,
you really think President Bush is stubborn for taking the position,
"We'll have to insist that you lay down your weapons, go home and promise to stop killing us in sneak attacks," rather than their proposal,
"Let's take a break so we can re-group."?
I was just being sarcastic with the stubborn bush thing. the whole truce concept is absolutely silly. I wonder what's up with it. I would give $5 to know what's going through UBL's head - he must really think that the left runs the show here. If so, another fatal mistake on his part..
Usama flatters himself if he thought he was empowered to offer an olive branch. Despite the left he misinterpreted our resolve & I don't think he's really running anything any longer.
If anything it shows weakness on their part. I hope we really take it to them now.
Prayers for our troops, and our allies, and no rest for the `Lions of Islam': killers of women and children from hiding.
See you later, `gator.
Is there a difference between these people and the Jews in 1948 who targeted the King David Hotel? (I think that was the name of it.)
I agree with you that targeting kids and civilians is crap. It is not only crap, it is stupid evil crap. But the fact remains that there is apparently an ample supply of people willing to strap the pack on and ignite. I don't think we can get them all. The Israelis haven't and they live with troops on every corner.
The deal that has been offered is worthless. I couldn't agree more. I think we should jack up the ante and see if they want to play. If they don't we lose nothing. If they do, we then at least have a line of communication to them.
Heck, maybe we can "tap" the line, follow them to a new location, and then bomb crap out of them when the truce is over.
parsy, who is open to suggestions.
They would wet their pants, crawl under the covers and shivverrr.
Question. Did your Mom, or your third grade teacher ever teach you punctuation in the English language; and respect for the President of the United States of America?
Around here, all of us who love and admire President Bush may refer to the man as "Dubya," or, in my case, merely, "W"
The missus and I love your tag line. Thanks. May I steal / copy it?
Yes, you are more than welcome to it, Cobra64. Somewhere in my life (almost 50 years now), I heard that general sentiment expressed and it's stuck with me. So I'm known to say, "I'm old enough to know many things, but not young enough to know everything". :)
Our daughter is very pretty, expressive smile. Phi Beta Cappa from Lehigh University. Participated in the Lehigh Iacocca fellowship. Both are very well spoken.
However... I will send them your tag line just to keep the children listeneing to their elders.
Thank you.
How is it that the text of the headline is not supported by the text of the article?
Since you posted it, the article was revised to: "The CIA has authenticated the voice on the tape as that of bin Laden, an agency official said. "
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