Al Qaeda May Be Plotting Holiday Attacks

CBS News (excerpt) ^

[HAL9000]

Excerpt -

Intelligence agencies have been warned that al Qaeda may be planning to attack air and rail travel in Europe in actions that may occur during the busy holiday travel season, CBS News has learned exclusively.

In separate interviews with Arab and other intelligence sources, CBS News has been told that the warnings come from interrogations of al Qaeda suspects who recently left Afghanistan and Pakistan.

"One suspect said plans for repeating the Heathrow attempt (a reference to the failed 'liquid bomb' plot interrupted in August) were all prepared. It is now a matter of taking action," said one Arab official who asked not to be named because he is not authorized to speak to the media. "Al Qaeda's strategy appears to be raising the pressure in Europe."

In a move that has been puzzling intelligence agencies, al Qaeda has been withdrawing well-trained Arab fighters from the mountains and battlefields of Afghanistan.

~ snip ~

[Soothesayer]

Ya that really hurts my feelings. It's also confusing because I always vote Republican.

[Sacajaweau]

And AFTER the attack, the Dems will ask why weren't the intelligence agencies on these dudes tails. Because we couldn't monitor their calls??

[MediaMole]

A Beslan style attack would harm al qaeda in the short run. Preparations would be noticed. Moving even 100 arab fighters into the US would set off alarm bells in the intelligence establishment. No matter how bad the southern border is, large-scale movement of foreign fighters into the US would be noticed.

Also, it would only serve to wake up the American public. Americans would remember that they are directly in the crosshairs of the islamists and would regain their resolve.

Loss of Pakistan would give al qaeda another safe base of operations and would be rightly perceived as a major loss for the US.

If al qaeda strikes in the continental US in the future, they have to top 9/11, not just anger the US populace. They need a country where they can operate with impunity in order to plan a massive operation.

[Soothesayer]

They will surely succeed unless a miracle intervenes. Most are just not vigilant enough. Someone once said that the price of liberty is eternal vigilance.

Looks like not enough people are paying their dues.

[Earthdweller]

Oh Europe..you definitely should not applaud the Dem takeover of the US.

[diamond6]

When are they not planning an attack?

[PghBaldy]

That is a possibility, the other is they are actually planning attacks for very soon. Some of those who returned to their native countries in the Arab world and were caught have told investigators that the orders only specified al Qaeda's decision for the Arabs to depart Afghanistan. The thing is, there are so many data points, it is hard to know what exactly is important, until often after the fact. Could this be predictive like the attack on Masoud, right before 9/11?

[PghBaldy]

THAT is cause enough (if the embassy takeover wasn't...) for us to bomb them to pieces. They have NOT allowed us any access to Al Qaeda they are holding/entertaining.

[PghBaldy]

I hope you are kidding.