Posted on 01/19/2009 9:34:25 PM PST by Free ThinkerNY
An al Qaeda affiliate in Algeria closed a base earlier this month after an experiment with unconventional weapons went awry, a senior U.S. intelligence official said Monday.
The official, who spoke on the condition he not be named because of the sensitive nature of the issue, said he could not confirm press reports that the accident killed at least 40 al Qaeda operatives, but he said the mishap led the militant group to shut down a base in the mountains of Tizi Ouzou province in eastern Algeria.
He said authorities in the first week of January intercepted an urgent communication between the leadership of al Qaeda in the Land of the Maghreb (AQIM) and al Qaeda's leadership in the tribal region of Pakistan on the border with Afghanistan. The communication suggested that an area sealed to prevent leakage of a biological or chemical substance had been breached, according to the official.
"We don't know if this is biological or chemical," the official said.
The story was first reported by the British tabloid the Sun, which said the al Qaeda operatives died after being infected with a strain of bubonic plague, the disease that killed a third of Europe's population in the 14th century. But the intelligence official dismissed that claim.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
They will try again
Indeed. People have forgotten that we face a determined enemy.
That could be horrific in Manhattan or other densely populated
city.
This is one of those stories in which every single piece of information should be taken with a grain of salt.
It’s George Bushes fault. Them poor Al Queda’s got killed by biological weapons. But that’s okay Barack Hussein will be President tomorrow and all of the Hussein’s love the Al Queda’s so he will make it all better. His first official act will be to send the poor Al Queda’s a hallmark with his deepest apologies.
DUers first reaction would be to blame ‘rightwing christians’... Muslims would never cross their minds
Some of them don’t think we have an enemy now that Hussein is in the WH
A few infected people wandering around Washington tomorrow could start a pandemic.
Old commie Pete Seeger getting nipped by a few fleas?
ping
This reminds me of the war on drugs. We never show any competence. Here is an Islamic base training to kill us in Algeria...a la Afghanistan 2000. Do we do anything about it? Sadly, no. We will though, after they bomb the White House. Boy, we’ll get em then. You’ll see.
From the earlier articles it's gone pneumonic.
Direct human-to-human transmission via coughing.
Asymptomatic but contagious for a week or so, sick for hours or a few days, then dead...
Some DUers said this was Bush’s last warcrime on his way out. These people are really that demented
I am so glad that Leon Panetta is at the helm of the CIA. I get the warm and fuzzies all over, not as extreme as Chrissie, but close. /s
Get out the banjo tomorrow. “This land is your land this land is my land *cough*”
I got sick seeing that old idiot and Springsteen in front of the Lincoln Monument. He was the biggest apologost and fawing stooge for mass murderer Joe Stalin ever seen.
If it is true it is the result of the squalid rat infested conditions they choose to live in. One for the fleas.
Bats. Don’t forget the bats.
Yep - I’m preparing for farts to come out as sunshine and sugar - the Messiah be here for all!
Imagine time critical information in the field over such weapons?
Wouldn’t want to roughly interrogate anyone would we?
We just ask nice and civil, maybe they see the Obama light and spill the beans.
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