Threat Matrix: December 2008

Previous ^

[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

[Polarik]

The article on the threat of global terrorism is workt reading, especially inlight of what an Obama Administration might do.

BRUSSELS, Nov. 21 (UPI) -- A top Israeli defense official, during an address at the recent NATO meeting in Brussels, called global terrorism the greatest threat to international security.

Lt. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, Israel Defense Forces chief of the general staff, was in Brussels for NATO's annual fall meeting of the Chiefs of Defense that ended Thursday. During a speech, Ashkenazi said the greatest threat in the 21st century is global terrorism, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.

Ashkenazi said terrorists are supported by radical states and are becoming more sophisticated in their militant operations. He said terrorists have no borders and are determined to kill as a result of an absence of any moral restraint.

"The enemy is no longer in uniform," Ashkenazi said in a statement.

"He has become elusive, harder to detect. The battleground has widened to engulf the field of ideas. Therefore the terrorists are determined never to surrender, ready to kill and be killed."

Ashkenazi called on the Chiefs of Defense to strengthen cooperation with Israel in order to counter the evolving threat.

Excerpted from

http://www.upi.com/Emerging_Threats/2008/11/21/Ashkenazi_Terrorism_is_greatest_threat/UPI-57961227312417/

[Oorang]

Thanks Polarik; I’ll be able to read the article in full later tonight.

[Bronwynn]

Come on, people. We know better than to buy into this crap.

First Obama has all these alleged smears to fight that is so necessary it requires a “Fight The Smears” website. Even Ann Coulter pointed out that most of the so-called smears were first alleged by OBAMA himself!

Now all of a sudden, we see more of the same. YES! We need a beefed up national security to police America because Obama is being threatened. It must be because he’s BLACK. Oh wait! He’s only 6.9% black according to Ancestry.com, but they’re going to try to kill him for that reason. Gimme a break!

Nice excuse for trying to police Americans, Obama, but I’m not buying it. Half of your tips from the tipline probably came in from O-bots who are upset at reading that you’re not even eligible to BE POTUS, so they reported every person that said it. And if you think that’s a “threat”, just imagine what millions of Americans are thinking YOU ARE to them.

[IrishPennant]

Obomination promises CHANGE...well, here’s a quarter. I’ll keep my freedom, my guns and the rest of my money, and you, Zer0, can keep the CHANGE!

[Bronwynn]

“Not only has the Red Cross been put on alert, but also the military and police departments across the country. An additional 4,000 National guard were activated just for DC.
This is unprecedented.”

Of course it’s unprecedented. What other scheme could he come up with to present the dire need for his new “National Civil Service Program”? This is how he introduces it to the public.

If he was so keen on getting rid of terrorists, he wouldn’t have favored the amnesty bills that he does. And he certainly wouldn’t be ready to go over and talk to Iran and Hamas without preconditions. He’ll do THAT but he’s afraid of a ceremony?

GIVE ME A BREAK!

This is nothing more than a ploy to launch his “POLICE AMERICA” game. Hello, Hitler? Someone has been reading your books.

What kills me is that Americans are so stupid, they’ll actually believe there’s a major threat planned for the inauguration. I call BS!

[Bronwynn]

The FBI has launched a system to share tips about possible terror threats with local police agencies just in time for the presidential inauguration. The program aims to get law enforcement at all levels sharing data quickly about suspicious activity and people, particularly in and around the nation's capital in the week leading up to the historic ceremony.

I hate to tell whoever wrote that article, but WHENEVER an official comes to town or the president, there's ALWAYS... let me repeat, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, an alert and more security and logistics involved.

But they present it to the public as if this is anything new and we should all be at DEFCON 1.

This is getting really stupid now. There's an agenda here alright, and it stinks of nothing but a scare tactic on Obama's part so that people will embrace his smelly, disgusting, socialist marxist buddy, Rahm Emanuel and his 10-point plan to put us all under perpetual martial law.

Fat chance, because I'm not buying this or Rahm's program. He can stick it if he thinks he's getting away with that crap in this country.

[Velveeta]

***Saad bin Laden is either in Iran, or he’s not in Iran***

U.S. targets a bin Laden son, 3 other militants

The U.S. Treasury said on Friday it would freeze the assets of one of Osama bin Laden’s sons and three other members of al Qaeda it believes are operating in Iran.....
http://uk.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUKN16307582

Bin Laden’s Son No Longer Under Arrest in Iran

Osama bin Laden’s third eldest son, an al Qaeda operative, is no longer under arrest in Iran and is likely in Pakistan, the top U.S. spymaster said Friday.

The release or escape of Mr. bin Laden’s son, Saad bin Laden, suggests possible collaboration between Iran and al Qaeda and the potential that Saad bin Laden is a go-between. Al Qaeda has been regrouping in Pakistan after the U.S. forced the group out of its base in Afghanistan, and Osama bin Laden is thought to be hiding there.....
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123214632242491755.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

[Velveeta]

U.S. Intelligence chief: Son of bin Laden likely in Pakistan

A son of Osama bin Laden, believed to be an al Qaeda operative, has left Iran and is likely in Pakistan, the chief intelligence officer of the United States said Friday.

Director of National Intelligence Michael McConnell told reporters that Saad bin Laden departed Iran in September and is probably hiding in Pakistan, where his father is also believed to be.....
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/asiapcf/01/16/bin.laden.son/

(I wonder if he’s at UBL’s bedside?)

[Velveeta]

Spy case dropped; defendant ruled unfit for trial

~snippet~

During a hearing last year, psychiatrist Stuart Kleinman, who examined Lindauer at prosecutors’ request, said Lindauer has a serious, long-standing mental disorder that includes grandiose delusions, such as the belief that Osama bin Laden told her about a hidden bomb....
http://www.silive.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/news-41/1232151856195150.xml&storylist=simetro

[Velveeta]

CIA Director Calls Search for Bin Laden ‘Hideously Complex’

~snippet

“[I asked] one of the best people we have, the head of our counterterrorism center, and I went up to him and said ‘You know I get asked this question a lot ... help me here, why haven’t we captured him?’” he said.

Hayden said he was not trying to trivialize the issue, but the answer he got was surprisingly simple. “He kind of leaned forward and said: ‘Because he’s hiding.’”

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,480261,00.html

[Velveeta]

History will treat Bush kindly
http://www.pnj.com/article/20090114/OPINION/901130325/1162/NEWS01

Farewell from TM, President Bush.
Thank you and God bless.

[Velveeta]

Said it before; I’ll say it again: Bush will be vindicated
He’s done his successor a favor or two, and the evidence suggests that Obama knows it.

By Charles Krauthammer

http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentary/37740144.html?elr=KArksc8P:Pc:U0ckkD:aEyKUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiU

[Velveeta]

Russian President Emphasizes Friendship Bonds with Cuba

HAVANA, Cuba, Jan 16 (acn) Russian President Dimitri Medvedev commented on the bonds of friendship and trust between his country and Cuba as a solid grounding for the further development of bilateral relations, as the Cuban ambassador to Russia Juan Valdés presented his credential letters in that country.

In a ceremony at the Kremlin’s Alexandrovski Hall, Medvedev appreciated the more recent collaboration projects signed between the two countries, reported Prensa Latina.

The leader noted that the promotion and implementation of the projects respond to the agreements penned with the Cuban authorities on his latest visit to the island in November 2008.

In the ceremony, the Russian president welcomed 14 ambassadors, including those from Algeria, Iran, Pakistan, Cyprus, Mali, Sudan, Cameroon and Cuba, among others.

http://www.cubanews.ain.cu/2009/0116Cuba-Rusia.htm

[Velveeta]

Arab summit in Doha releases final statements

Doha, 16 January – While the Israeli government is preparing for a vote in parliament over a unilateral ceasefire without any commitments that would tie its hands, Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal told the Arab summit in Doha that his movement would not accept any ceasefire that did not provide for a full withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from the Gaza Strip and the opening of its borders.....

http://www.arabmonitor.info/news/dettaglio.php?idnews=25930&lang=en

[Velveeta]

European Banks Probed Over Iran Transactions

NEW YORK — Manhattan District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau said his office is probing whether nine European banks helped Iran or Iranian clients evade U.S. sanctions.

At a news conference Friday, Mr. Morgenthau said his office is looking into whether the banks helped Iran engage in prohibited transactions, including purchasing materials that could...(subscription required, but you get the gist)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123215399459792343.html

[Velveeta]

NY state gets $109m, part of Lloyd’s Bank caseJanuary 16, 2009

NEW YORK - Manhattan’s chief prosecutor has presented New York’s governor with a check for $109 million _ the state’s share of a settlement paid by Lloyd’s TSB Bank of London for transferring money from Iran and Sudan through New York City......

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny—lloyds-sanctions0116jan16,0,5631677.story

[Velveeta]

Pope calls Iranian Catholics to work for peace among nations
http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=14800

[Velveeta]

Iran has acquired sensitive metals: Report

The US has fresh evidence of recent efforts by Iran to evade sanction and acquire metals from China used in high-tech weaponry, including long range nuclear missiles, a media report said on Friday....

http://arabia.ndtv.com/Story.aspx?pageheader=news&sub_category=&ID=NEWEN20090080255

[Velveeta]

Israel Signals New Readiness to End Gaza Offensive
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123212394635290635.html

[Velveeta]

Former Mujahid seeks Serbian asylum

A former member of the militant “El Mujahid” brigade has sought temporary asylum in Serbia in exchange for testifying about al-Qaeda style atrocities in the 1992-1995 Bosnian war.

Ali Ahmed Ali Hamad, a Bahraini who has just completed a 12-year prison term in Bosnia-Herzegovina for robbery and terrorism, said this week he would give evidence linking Bosnian Muslim wartime officials to the unit’s crimes against Serbs and Croats.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/017b6b6a-e3ef-11dd-8274-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1