Posted on 06/17/2011 9:02:38 AM PDT by DGHoodini
WASHINGTON - Authorities are warning hotels in major US cities to be vigilant after intelligence recently obtained in Somalia shows al Qaeda was planning to launch a Mumbai-style attack on an upscale hotel in London, FOX News Channel reported late Thursday.
The intelligence emerged from computer accessories and other materials gathered at the checkpoint in Mogadishu where Fazul Abdullah Mohammed, the al Qaeda operative who masterminded the 1998 US embassy bombings in East Africa, was killed Saturday, according to sources.
The warning came as US intelligence officials confirmed they had translated some 95 percent of materials obtained from Osama bin Laden's residence in Pakistan where he was killed by US Navy Seals last month.
Al Qaeda, now headed by Egyptian-born surgeon Ayman al Zawahiri, was working on what one senior US intelligence official described as an "aspirational" -- but possibly operational -- plot to target the Ritz Carlton hotel in London. As part of the plot, operatives would stay in strategically chosen rooms on the first floor of the hotel, then they would set their rooms ablaze in hopes of trapping guests on the floors above.
(Excerpt) Read more at myfoxny.com ...
It was reported yesterday that there was a list of American notables and other U.S. sites for target. Sorry, no source other than my ears. Unable to find it on the net.
Heard that too. I think the attitude that it couldn’t happen in modern hotels is arrohance. One thing we know for certain, is that Al Qaeda is adaptive. They may do after the same target, they may use similar tactics, but they will alter the parts of previous plans that didn’t or won’t work.m any more. I think the American focus also works as a feint.
Perhaps Congressperson Sheila Jackson Lee could suggest a likely source for these threats.
Great, first attacks using airplanes which led to the TSA and security-line insanity and now 5 star hotels. Apparently Al-Qaida’s real war is against travel agents.
Damn, now I gotta worry about more than bed bugs.
Here is the FR thread.
It shouldn’t be too hard to figure the targets—Like in India—they will be rich—spectacular places. Like the Waldorf-Astoria in New York, The Fairmont or St. Francis in Frisco, or the Watergate in Washington. The Muslims in Russia did this I believe. Have several check in with lots of bags (with guns and explosives) there “Friends” come up for drinks and a chat and start forming teams to shoot people. Or just set bombs. I don’t think it will work in the US because too many people are armed and we will not sit back and be killed. I would think a prime target would be Las Vegas—Sin city to these nuts. What ever happens—there will be two cities involved and teams of about 10 each—that seems to be a pattern with these guys. I bet the teams will come across the Mexican Border and I would suspect the targets might be in the southwest—due to its closeness to the border. They might try germ warfare as well—E-Coli or Hoof and Mouth disease. After OBL’s death Obama might well be a target—he should be wary of any large hotel speaking engagement. That’s my take on the threat.
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