Posted on 01/22/2007 12:16:37 PM PST by maquiladora
Edited on 01/22/2007 12:29:11 PM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
ABC NEWS: DOCS SEIZED IN IRAQ REVEAL INSURGENT PLAN FOR ATTACK IN U.S.
Suspects, Reportedly Tied to Al Qaeda in Iraq, Sought Student Visas
WASHINGTON, Jan. 22, 2007 — Mimicking the hijackers who executed the Sept. 11 attacks, insurgents reportedly tied to al Qaeda in Iraq considered using student visas to slip terrorists into the United States to orchestrate a new attack on American soil.
Lt. Gen. Michael D. Maples, head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, recently testified that documents captured by coalition forces during a raid of a safe house believed to house Iraqi members of al Qaeda six months ago "revealed [AQI] was planning terrorist operations in the U.S."
At the time, Maples offered little additional insight into the possible terror plot. ABC News, however, has learned new details of what remains a classified incident that has been dealt with at the highest levels of government.
Watch the full report tonight on "World News with Charles Gibson."
Sources tell ABC News that the plot may have involved moving between 10 and 20 suspects believed to be affiliated with al Qaeda in Iraq into the United States with student visas — the same method used by the 19 al Qaeda terrorists who struck American targets on Sept. 11.
U.S. officials now require universities to closely track foreign nationals who use student visas to study in the United States. University officials must report international students who fail to arrive on campus or miss class regularly.
In August, the FBI and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement alerted intelligence agencies and state and local law enforcement about 11 Egyptian students who had failed to report to their classes at Montana State University. The students were ultimately apprehended.
Still, despite the heightened precautions, some security analysts fear that skilled terrorists — handpicked because of their clean records and because they are carefully trained — could still slip through an academic setting.
The plot was discovered six months ago, roughly the same time that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the leader of al Qaeda in Iraq, was killed by coalition forces. Sources tell ABC News that the suspects involved in the effort to launch the U.S. attack were closely associated with Zarqawi.
The plan also came only months after Ayman al-Zawahiri, al Qaeda's No. 2, had requested that Zarqawi attempt an attack inside the United States.
"This appears to be the first hard evidence al Qaeda in Iraq was trying to attack us here at home," said ABC News consultant Richard Clarke, former chief counterterrorism adviser on the U.S. National Security Council.
The plan was uncovered in its early stages, and sources say there is no indication that the suspects made it into the United States. Officials also emphasize that there is no evidence of an imminent attack.
The hunt for suspects continues, however, and some fear that al Qaeda recruits in Iraq could be easily redirected.
"Anyone willing to go to Iraq to fight American troops is probably willing to try to come to the United States," Clarke said.
http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=2813235&page=1
ABC outed Plan A, which was just a stalking horse.
Their friends are working on Plans B,C and D.
If we leave Iraq with tail between legs, they will follow us home...
If we leave Iraq with tail between legs, they will follow us home...
But But But..
I've been told war in Iraq had nothing to do with the War on Terror....
You took the words rightouttamymouth!!!
Regards,
TS
IF, IF we believe cells are already here... (which I do)
Why would they need to send the others?
Didn't we just let in a bunch of Saudi students? Did we ever find ALL of the missimg arab students that were destined for CO a few months ago?
for later consumption
Not only are there no terrorists in the US, even if there WERE, now that the Dems are in charge, they have no reason to attack us. It's true -- Ted Kennedy told me so. *snerk*
WOW! The MSM woke the hell up and noticed that Iraq wanted to Attack us?
OMG! I have to go play the Lottery RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It must be because they think that Hillary! is the only person who can save us.
-PJ
Yet stupid leftist dims like Murtha,Pelosi, Hildabeast and others continue to maintain that fighting in Iraq is not part of the War on Terror.
Often universities have summer sessions that begin in July ( I know our Summer II session does), or special seminar classes that are a week or so long, and usually start late in summer...
Dear me, my astigmatism is really acting up. I thought title was dogs that were attack dogs that were going to be running loose in America killing people. Wow what a nutcase I am today.
LOL!
It won't affect them at all. Their line will be thus: 'If we weren't in Iraq, the islamofascist nuts would not be bothering us'.
Don't take my word for it though, call Chuck Hagel.
Well yes, Richard, it was called 9/11. And guess what: they will do it again and again, even if we 'redeploy' our troops.
Astounding the ignorance and delusions of the kook liberals. As if we will be free from attacks if we just leave the terrorists alone.
Maybe reality is setting in and they're frightened at the prospect of Hillary as Commander in Chief.
Gee, ABC is reporting that there is al Qaeda in Iraq? I wonder if they cleared this story with Hitlery, Weasley Cluck, How-weird Dean, Bella Lugosi Pelosi, Dingy Harry, et. al., who have been telling us for years that their ain't no connection between Iraq and al Qaeda?
So? The contention is that the US is creating terrorists. From reading the excerpt, it doesn't say this plan predated the US attack on Iraq. The left will say, "I told you so".
Why am I so not surprised that ABC would hire a pitiful, self-imnportant scumbag like Clarke as a "consultant"? Thanks for all your great anti-terror work during the Clinton Administration, Richard.
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