Threat Matrix: December 2008

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[nwctwx]

The Age of 'Celebrity Terrorism'

Quite apart from the scores murdered and the hundreds injured, what the Mumbai terrorists really wanted was an exaggerated - and preferably extreme - reaction on the part of governments, the media and public opinion.

In these terms, the attackers received as much attention as they could possibly have hoped for, and the Mumbai outrage can only be described as a very significant terrorist success.

The attack received saturation coverage in the world's media from the outset. Read More

	Mumbai Terrorist Attack May Affect U.S. Foreign Policy
	Nuke, Bioterror Attack Called Likely
	Zawahri Hails Executed Bali Bombers

Threat Matrix:
December 2008

November 2008

Threat Matrix Index

Theat Matrix Handbook

Theat Matrix 'BOLO'

Invaluable Tips

Preparedness

[Velveeta]

That highly likely to be it.

[WestCoastGal]

Although Tobin was just on again and he said the Israeli army ran into some kind of trouble and had to use force to end it. My words, as I can’t remember verbatim wording.

[Godzilla]

I don’t think the use of WP in itself is what the greta wire comments were about - but they may have been a component of enabiling IDF to either engage or break engagement from a strong Hamas counter attack in the northern part of gaza city.

[Velveeta]

Hamas leader: Revenge for Israel’s Gaza assault will be murder of Jewish children across the world

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/israel/4127907/Hamas-leader-Revenge-for-Israels-Gaza-assault-will-be-murder-of-Jewish-children-across-the-world.html

[Velveeta]

Gaza Twitter
http://search.twitter.com/search?q=%23gaza

[WestCoastGal]

Link to NY threats for our archives and hopefully nothing will happen. Sounds ominous.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2159281/posts

[Velveeta]

You’re most likely correct, however the headlines will be “Israel uses checmical weapons on Palestinian women and children”. ~groan~

[Velveeta]

WOW. Crossposting that one:

Frightening Text Messages Being Forwarded Around NY Jews:EXCLUSIVE FREEPER UPDATE INCLUDED

Yeshiva World News ^ | Jan 2, 2009 and Jan 5, 2009 | Yehuda Drudgestein - YWN

UPDATED - ALERT - Frightening Text Messages Being Forwarded Around NY Jews January 2, 2009 3:00PM EST: [UPDATE BELOW] With the situation in Gaza deteriorating by the day, and anti-semitism rampant around the world, thousands of NY Jews were frightened upon receiving the following text message which has been going around on Friday afternoon:

“A Jewish woman gave a tip to a Muslim taxi driver and out of appreciation he warned her not to go to Manhattan next week Wednesday.”

more at link

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2159281/posts

[callmejoe]

http://www.thememriblog.org/blog_personal/en/12664.htm

http://www.isna.ir/ISNA/NewsView.aspx?ID=News-1266431&Lang=E

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=79492&sectionid=351020101

Thursday is Ashura. (Shia Iran is running the Sunni Hamas thing.)

Somewhere on an old 2004 thread (summer I think) is a map of NYC with multiple Mumbai-style targets.

“the water”

[Velveeta]

Thanks to Cindy:

Let’s look at THREATS on the internet:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/2142635/posts?page=27#27

[Velveeta]

“the water” Still gives me chills to read that.

A poster on Race Bannon’s thread mentioned that Aashura was Wednesday 1/7/2009.

Which if you add the numbers together 1+7+2+9 equals (drumroll) 19.

That’s enough for me to be on high alert this week even though I’m not in New York.

[WestCoastGal]

Cleared for publication: Three IDF soldiers were killed and 20 others were injured, one critically and three seriously on Monday evening, in a friendly fire incident in northern Gaza.

Among the fatalities were two officers and a soldier. Colonel Avi Peled, commander of the Golani Brigade sustained minor injuries in the incident.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3651165,00.html

[Oorang]

Thanks for the input on the Tobin emails. This is going to get worse before it gets better.

[Oorang]

Rocket launcher, grenades seized on PNG flight (Papua New Guinea)
Tuesday, 06 January 2009

A rocket launcher and nine grenades have been found in the luggage of a Papua New Guinean man travelling on an internal flight. The unnamed man was being questioned at the Mt Hagen police station, PNG's National newspaper reported on Tuesday. Police seized the weapon and ammunition after discovering them at the Mt Hagen airport in PNG's Highlands region last Wednesday. They also discovered a scope that is believed to be part of the rocket launcher.

Police arrested the Southern Highlands man when he arrived on a flight from PNG's south coast Gulf Province. PNG's Police Minister Sani Rambi has called for greater security by airlines, including the state-owned Air Niugini. "Airline companies operating in the country should resort to more competent security practices and install modernised security systems," he said. "The ineffective and slack security divisions of airlines are solely blamed for the transport of illegal firearms from one place to another," he said.

Excerpted

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4810795a12.html

Danish military to increase security after thieves raid army depot
Mon, 05 Jan 2009

Copenhagen - At least 200 rifles and handguns were stolen over the weekend in a raid at a Danish army base, police and the army said Monday. Guards posted at the arms depot were threatened and also tied up by three thieves, who appeared to have been well-informed about the layout of the base near Slagelse, eastern Denmark.

The weapons were due to have been sent with Danish forces due to serve in Afghanistan in the coming weeks. The army said it would increase security after the raid. The thieves also got hold of some 60 rounds of ammunition but did not obtain any explosives, according to police. "It was an exceptionally brutal theft. The defence has never experienced anything like it," Bjorn Bisserup, head of the Danish defence command, said.

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/249016,danish-military-to-increase-security-after-thieves-raid-army-depot.html

[Velveeta]

Oh no, very sad.

[Velveeta]

Thank you for those reports, Oorang.

[Oorang]

Banned Pak terror outfit Lashkar-e-Islam launches its website
4 Jan, 2009

PESHAWAR: The banned terrorist outfit, Lashkar-e-Islam (LeI) has launched its website to highlight the activities of the organization. (LeI) is led b y Mangal Bagh in Khyber Agency, which was declared illegal in June 2007. The website shows a black flag inscribed with 'Tehrik Lashkar-e-Islam' on the top right corner and outfit's logo on the top left. With two cross swords on the homepage, the website was launched in the English language about two months ago, The News reports.

Written in poor quality English, the flash animation belt of the site shows the news highlights, generally, tales of LeI volunteers helping families to find out their kidnapped relatives, and acting against the criminal gangs. The left table of the site has seven sections for videos, verses of Holy Quran, Hadith, stories, daily addressing, contact and feedback.

The 'contact us' on the page features two landline and three cell-phone numbers, while the feedback option requires visitor's email address to send a message to the LeI group. The 'daily addressing' section of the web-page consists the audio speeches of LeI's leaders, mostly the routine orders, the LeI code of conduct and support invitation from people.

So far, the video section has been left empty, but LeI sources said that they would soon upload videos of their routine activities. The 'Hadith' and 'Ayat' section of the LeI website consists of English translation of Hadiths and verses, while the 'stories' section contains LeI's routine work details and leaders' statements with photographs. Though the quality of the language used on the site is sub-standard but, most readers can understand the messages posted on the site.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/PoliticsNation/Banned_Pak_terror_outfit_Lashkar-e-Islam_launches_its_website/rssarticleshow/3933672.cms

[Velveeta]

Wanted: 850 new FBI agents

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Despite a bleak economic environment featuring wide-ranging layoffs and rising unemployment, the nation’s premier law enforcement agency is touting “one of the largest hiring blitzes in our 100-year history.”

The FBI is about to embark on its biggest hiring spree since immediately after the September 11, 2001.

The FBI posted openings for 850 special agents and more than 2,100 professional support personnel. Officials say it’s the largest FBI job posting since immediately after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The FBI’s unexpectedly large number of job openings results more from attrition and a wave of retirements than from growing government appropriations, Bureau officials told CNN.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/01/05/fbi.hiring.binge/

[Oorang]

B.C. police probe 4th pipeline blast
January 5, 2009

RCMP investigate a pipeline blast in Dawson Creek early December.Photograph by: RCMP, SuppliedMore pipeline equipment has been attacked in northeastern British Columbia — the fourth explosion in three months. The RCMP said Monday there appears to have been a "deliberate explosion" at an EnCana Corp. site near the community of Tomslake, B.C., about 560 kilometres northwest of Edmonton. The incident was discovered Sunday after gas line workers found a partially destroyed metering shed at a wellhead site. There were no injuries or gas leakage as a result of the blast.

"Obviously what is most important to EnCana is the safety of our workers . . . and the people who live in the areas where we operate," said Alan Boras, a spokesman for EnCana, the company's whose equipment has been targeted by all four blasts. "We have continued our increased security and we are asking the public to assist the police in their work to try to determine who is responsible."

One terrorism expert said those responsible for the recent attacks are showing no lack of audacity. "We're clearly dealing with someone who's an amateur, but it does show that although they lack technical ability, their will is certainly not lacking," said eco-terrorism expert Paul Joosse from the University of Alberta. "They're continuing to carry out these attacks, even though we're throwing everything we have at them from a law enforcement perspective."

Excerpted

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/RCMP+investigate+fourth+pipeline+bombing/1143633/story.html

[Oorang]

Sadly, I can imagine that if I were military, FBI, CIA, etc., I would not want to work under the in-coming administration. Just speculation on my part.