Threat Matrix: July 2007

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[nwctwx]

Threat Matrix:
July 2007

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US Steps Up Security Following Attack in Britain

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff made appearances on several television talk shows.

He told ABC's This Week program there is no indication of a linkage between the events in Britain and any specific attacks on the United States. "We do not have, at this point, specific, credible intelligence that there is an attack, a particular attack, focused on this country," he said.

But at the same time, speaking on CNN's Late Edition program, Chertoff said U.S. authorities are concerned about the threat of terrorism, especially in the coming months. "We have had a number of al-Qaida leaders quite publicly talking about how they want to carry out their threats against the West. So, given that and given the history that we have had over past summers, with attacks in Britain, I think we were clearly focused on this as a possibility," he said. Full story...

	More United Kingdom Attacks Possible
	More US Air Marshals on Flights to Europe
	Officials: Car Bomb Plot Bears al Qaida's Trademark

[Cindy]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=russia
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/keyword?k=china

#

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3431058,00.html

Chinese helicopter unit flies to Russia for military drill
Published: 07.29.07, 12:22 / Israel News

A Chinese helicopter unit flew to Russia on Sunday to take part in a six-nation Central Asian anti-terrorism drill, a government news agency reported.

The 16 helicopters took off from a base in the Xinjiang region of China’s northwest on a 2,700-kilometer

(1,700-mile) flight, the Xinhua News Agency reported. The Aug. 9-17 drill is being held by the Shanghai

Cooperation Organization, created by Moscow and Beijing to counter U.S. Influence in resource-rich Central Asia. (AP)

[Cindy]

http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_922.html

Travel Warning
United States Department of State
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Washington, DC 20520

This information is current as of today, Sun Jul 29 2007 02:48:50 GMT-0700.

ISRAEL, THE WEST BANK AND GAZA

July 13, 2007

[Cindy]

Note: The following text is a quote:

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_1161.html

Printer friendly version Email
PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
This information is current as of today, Sun Jul 29 2007 02:50:32 GMT-0700.

Worldwide Caution

April 10, 2007

This Public Announcement updates information on the continuing threat of terrorist actions and violence against Americans and interests overseas. This supersedes the Worldwide Caution dated October 11, 2006 and expires on October 9, 2007.

The Department of State remains concerned about the continued threat of terrorist attacks, demonstrations and other violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests overseas. Current information suggests that al-Qaida and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks against U.S. interests in multiple regions, including Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. These attacks may employ a wide variety of tactics to include assassinations, kidnappings, hijackings and bombings.

Ongoing events in Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East have resulted in demonstrations and associated violence in several countries. Americans are reminded that demonstrations and rioting can occur with little or no warning.

In August 2006, British authorities arrested a significant number of extremists engaged in a plot to destroy multiple passenger aircraft flying from the United Kingdom to the United States. The September 2006 attack on the U.S. Embassy in Syria and the March 2006 bombing near the U.S. Consulate in Karachi, Pakistan illustrate the continuing desire of extremists to strike American targets.

Extremists may elect to use conventional or non-conventional weapons, and target both official and private interests. The bomb attacks targeting buses carrying foreign workers in March 2007 and December 2006 in Algeria, a series of bombings in Thailand in May and September 2006 that targeted commercial and tourist destinations in the far south, and the bombings in the the Egyptian resort town of Dahab in April 2006 all illustrate how terrorists exploit vulnerabilities associated with soft targets. Additional examples of such targets include high-profile sporting events, residential areas, business offices, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, schools, public areas and locales where Americans gather in large numbers, including during holidays. Financial or economic targets of value may also be considered as possible venues; the vehicle-based suicide attack on an oil facility near Mukalla and Marib in Yemen in September 2006 and the failed attack on the Abqaiq oil processing facility in Saudi Arabia in late February 2006 are such examples.

In the wake of the August 2006 plot against aircraft in London, numerous terrorist attacks on trains in India in 2006, the July 2005 London Underground bombings, and the March 2004 train attacks in Madrid, Americans are reminded of the potential for terrorists to attack public transportation systems. In addition, extremists may also select aviation and maritime services as possible targets.

U.S. citizens are strongly encouraged to maintain a high level of vigilance, be aware of local events, and take the appropriate steps to bolster their personal security. For additional information, please refer to “A Safe Trip Abroad” found at http://travel.state.gov .

U.S. Government facilities worldwide remain at a heightened state of alert. These facilities may temporarily close or periodically suspend public services to assess their security posture. In those instances, U.S. embassies and consulates will make every effort to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens. Americans abroad are urged to monitor the local news and maintain contact with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.

As the Department continues to develop information on any potential security threats to U.S. citizens overseas, it shares credible threat information through its Consular Information Program documents, available on the Internet at http://travel.state.gov . In addition to information on the Internet, travelers may obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the U.S. or outside the U.S. and Canada on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444.

[Cindy]

PERSECUTION.ORG
http://www.persecution.org

[Rushmore Rocks]

The SCO (Shanghai Cooperation Organization) is something we need to keep a watchful eye on. Mr. RR was at the same hotel in Shanghai (I think it was last fall) when an SCO conference was held there. Ahmadinejad attended.

[Godzilla]

Manhunt as three Iraqi doctors go missing in Glasgow after terror attack

Police are hunting three Iraqi doctors who went on the run in Glasgow after terrorists tried to blow up the city’s airport.

The men arrived in the UK in May to take part in a Government-backed training programme, but failed to turn up for their flights back to Baghdad earlier this month.

They disappeared just two weeks after Bilal Abdullah, an Iraqi-trained doctor who worked at a Glasgow hospital, was arrested and charged with terrorist offences over the airport attack on June 30.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/worldnews.html?in_article_id=471521&in_page_id=1811

[Godzilla]

Al-Qa’eda divided over drive to oust Musharraf

A deep split has emerged within al-Qa’eda over the wisdom of the terror network’s drive to overthrow and kill Pakistan’s president Pervez Musharraf, according to radical Pakistani Islamists allied to the terror network.

snip

But some senior figures within al-Qa’eda are alarmed that al-Zawahiri’s mission to topple and kill Gen Musharraf will provoke a Pakistani military backlash that could jeopardise their safe havens in the mountainous tribal areas on the Afghan border.

A rival so-called “Libyan faction” led by Abu Yahya al-Libi, who escaped from the US Bagram base near Kabul in 2005, apparently suspects that al-Zawahiri, an Egyptian-born doctor, is trying to position himself as bin Laden’s heir presumptive with his personal crusade.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/07/29/wpak129.xml

[nw_arizona_granny]

Yes, you are correct.

[callmejoe]

Fox News reporting new (but likely dated) UBL images posted on jihadi forum.

[Rushmore Rocks]

FOX News also reporting hazmat situation at several Metro locations in DC......Green Line. Dead birds and a report of a man spraying something earlier today.

[KylaStarr]

placemark

[callmejoe]

rat poison it seems . . .
combined with the wired cheese TSA found, it sounds like someone is trying to build a better mousetrap (or something like that)

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/29/AR2007072900528.html?hpid=topnews

[Rushmore Rocks]

Yep, I read about the D-Con. Poking and probing?????? Or, he just really really did not like rats.

[celtic-cat]

Metro incidents always make me tense as two of my three daughters use the metro daily, even on weekends.

So far heard from one of them...she’s ok and doesn’t have to go to Takoma Park today. The other one hasn’t checked in yet.

[Rushmore Rocks]

I can certainly understand your concern. I’m never as happy as when all my “babies” are home......and my grand children, as well.

[nwctwx]

first i’ve seen of this, guess i should pay attention to local news. ;)

—

All signs point to a contractor making a mistake, said a spokeswoman for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. The poison was spread outside at least six Metro stations.

“We want people to know they weren’t in any danger,” spokeswoman Candace Smith said.

The FBI’s joint terrorism task force and officials from the National Institutes of Health joined the investigation as reports of the dead birds increased during the day.

“They are observing it; they are gathering information,” said Alan Etter, District of Columbia fire and EMS spokesman. “There is no indication at this point that this is an attack that has been aimed at people or anything like that.”

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/D/DC_METRO_STATIONS_CLOSED?SITE=WUSA&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[Cindy]

http://www.wtop.com/?nid=25&sid=1203522

“Gang Task Force Receives Fed. Funding”
July 29, 2007 - 7:21am

WASHINGTON (AP) -

[Rushmore Rocks]

Thanks for the follow up.

[Cindy]

Gone missing...not good for sure.

[Cindy]

Thank you RR.
I learn something new every day.