Threat Matrix: September 2007

The Birth of al Qaedastan

In the year 2016, the world may find itself gloomily marking September 6 as the tenth anniversary of the creation of the Islamic Emirate of Waziristan. The Emirate received de facto recognition when the Taliban used the name on the ceasefire agreement they signed with Pakistan on that day in 2006. If things go terribly wrong in the coming decade, they could come to rule a mountainous fragment of Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The Emirate would be a nightmare state: Osama bin Laden as sultan, Ayman al Zawahiri as vizier, and Mullah Omar the spiritual leader. An economy built on smuggling and heroin. Primary export: terrorism. Welcome to ‘Al Qaedastan’.

Analysts say the rise of a terrorist state straddling the rugged area between Pakistan and Afghanistan is now viable. The reason is a number of troubling trends. One, the revival of a Taliban firmly in the control of Al Qaeda. Two, the seeming inability of either Kabul or Islamabad to defeat the new threat militarily. Three, and the most striking, the Taliban’s systematic supplanting of the traditional tribal leadership in the area. Full story...

	Lebanon: Tiny Country, Big Threats
	Islamist Web Site Explains 'How to Join Al Qaeda'
	The Ongoing Hunt for Osama bin Laden

Threat Matrix:
September 2007

August 2007

Threat Matrix Index

Theat Matrix Handbook

Theat Matrix 'BOLO'

Invaluable Tips

Preparedness

A bit of an update on the PHS bomb scare. The teens they arrested apparently made copycat calls. They did not make the original bomb threats that triggered the drastic precautions. The caller(s) that made the first 5 threats are still at large.

Last Thursday, several agencies, including police chiefs from the surrounding communities, had a big meeting about the threats. The media is reporting little about the meeting other than P-burg’s Mayor was upset because the four police officers assigned to PHS came to the meeting while school was still in session. The mayor sent them back to the high school immediately and was upset the school was left unprotected (the undercover leo’s were still at the school).

IMO, there is much more to this story. I would like to hear the original calls/threats that came into the 911 center. I don’t know if they will release them but I’m anxious to hear what prompted such drastic measures when threats are routinely made.

Bomb squad investigates suspicious package (Virginia)
Tuesday, October 2, 2007

A bomb squad is on its way to the Prince William Square shopping center across from the Potomac Mills mall where police say a suspicious package was placed inside a newspaper box.

Around 11 a.m., Prince William County police received a call that a man was seen placing a manila envelope inside a USA Today newspaper box outside of Dairy Queen, said Officer Marshall T. Daniel. Police are at the scene and have cordoned off the area around Dairy Queen, which has been evacuated. More businesses in the shopping center may be evacuated once the bomb squad arrives, police said.

http://www.manassasjm.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=MJM%2FMGArticle%2FWPN_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173352968002&path=!news

Bomb-making items found in Goodyear home (Arizona)
Oct. 2, 2007

The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office says bomb-making materials were found in the West Valley Monday night. The situation forced the evacuation of a neighborhood . Everything unfolded across the street from a high school near Estrella Parkway and Yuma Road in Goodyear.

A robot and bomb squad were sent in to check out the house. Authorities got word that someone in the home wanted to buy chemicals and glassware on line. Police do have a suspect in custody and may be looking for a second person.

http://www.azcentral.com/community/swvalley/articles/12n-bombhouse02-CP.html

London Waterloo Station Evacuated After Security Alert (U.K.)
Oct.2.2007

LONDON - LondonWaterloo station was partially evacuated just after midday Tuesday, after a security alarm in a baggage screening area was set off, a police spokeswoman said.

A man was detained by British Transport Police and the station reopened at 1.30 p.m. (1230 GMT), police said. The spokeswoman had no further information about the alert.

http://www.nasdaq.com/aspxcontent/NewsStory.aspx?cpath=20071002\ACQDJON200710020945DOWJONESDJONLINE000317.htm&selected=9999&selecteddisplaysymbol=9999&StoryTargetFrame=_top&mkt=WORLD&chk=unchecked⟨=&link=&headlinereturnpage=http://www.international.na

FBI says 7 who targeted Sears Tower wanted to overthrow government
October 02, 2007

MIAMI — Seven men intended to destroy Chicago's Sears Tower and bomb FBI buildings to ignite a guerrilla war that would overthrow the U.S. government and pave the way for an Islamic regime, federal prosecutors said today in opening statements.

FBI audio and video recordings show that the so-called "Liberty City Seven'' hoped to use street gangs as soldiers who would stage attacks, ranging from large-scale bombings of major buildings to poisoning salt shakers in restaurants, Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Gregorie said. On one of the 15,000 FBI recordings, Narseal Batiste is overheard saying he would make sure no one survived destruction of the 110-story Sears Tower because his soldiers would be ready to shoot down anyone who escaped.

"These defendants wanted to wage jihad against the United States, and they tell us so in unequivocal detail,'' Gregorie told jurors. "They say 'the war has to be fought here. And it can't be just a bombing. It's got to be chaos.'''

Excerpted

http://www.startribune.com/484/story/1459843.html

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