Posted on 10/21/2001 12:59:26 PM PDT by t-shirt
CIA Reportedly Gets Authority to Hunt Down Bin Laden
October 21, 2001 8:48 am EST
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush last month gave the CIA it broadest authority yet to conduct lethal covert action against Osama bin Laden and his al Qaeda network, The Washington Post reported in its Sunday edition. The newspaper, quoting unidentified senior government officials, said Bush signed an order, known as an intelligence finding, that directed the CIA to undertake to sweeping and deadly covert action against bin Laden and his network.
The finding specifically called for the destruction of bin Laden and al Qaeda, who are the prime suspects in the Sept. 11 attacks on New York and Washington, the Post said.
"The gloves are off. The president has given the agency the green light to do whatever is necessary. Lethal operations that were unthinkable pre-Sept. 11 are now underway," the newspaper quoted a senior official as saying.
The finding also gave the CIA an additional $1 billion to apply toward its anti-terror campaign, most of which will fund covert action aimed at taking out bin Laden's communications, security apparatus and infrastructure, the Post said.
The operations were to include a high degree of coordination between the CIA and military units, to give Bush the power to rapidly dispatch troops based on the newest and best information from the intelligence agency.
Soon after the attacks, in which hijackers crashed commercial airliners into the twin towers of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, Bush said bin Laden was "wanted dead or alive."
Though all U.S. presidents since Gerald Ford have signed an executive order prohibiting the CIA or other agencies from getting involved in political assassinations, there is agreement among some CIA and White House lawyers that the ban does not apply in time of war, the newspaper said.
EXPLANATION OF NATIONWIDE ALERT OCT. 11
The Post also said that a highly classified daily CIA report known as the "Threat Matrix," which includes the rawest and newest intelligence on credible threats, was the reason the FBI on Oct. 11 issued a national alert of impending terrorist action.
Vice President Dick Cheney told the newspaper the decision to warn the public based on information from the threat matrix was among the administration's hardest tasks.
"You have to avoid falling into the trap of letting it be a cover-your-ass exercise. If you scare the hell out of people too often, and nothing happens, that can also create problems," he said.
"Then when you do finally get a valid threat and warn people, and they don't pay attention, that's equally damaging," he said.
The Post also reported that the CIA and FBI had been given a new break in their pursuit of al Qaeda leaders overseas. The agencies have had limited access to a man believed to be a top bin Laden lieutenant who was arrested in a foreign country, which the paper did not identify.
The man, who was arrested along with five other al Qaeda members, has various aliases including Abu Ahmed and is "a significant player," the paper quoted a senior Bush official as saying.
Ahmed has not given investigators any information about future terrorist operations, but the paper said he did deliver some details about the October 2000 attack on the USS Cole in a Yemeni port.
Pray for America.
And remember not to give up any of your rights. liberties or freedom for a false promise that it will bring you more security.
New Powers To Track Terror
Sky News
September 16, 2001
The US Justice Department is seeking to strengthen its range of investigative weapons against suspected terrorists as it hunts for the perpetrators of last week's attacks.
US Attorney General John Ashcroft said the department would seek expanded powers to detain foreigners suspected of plotting attacks on US soil, to wiretap telephones of suspects and track money laundering that finances their networks.
Investigation
"It's easier to get a wiretap against a drug dealer or someone who's involved in illegal gambling than it is against terrorists," he said.
The FBI has about 4000 agents tracking down 40,000 leads on the attacks, in which hijackers crashed aircraft into the World Trade Centre's twin towers in New York and into a section of the Pentagon building in Washington.
As part of the investigation, the Justice Department has been tracking alleged anti-Arab incidents in the US and has taken steps to advise the Arab-American community of its rights and steps that should be taken to report crimes.
"The Department of Justice has made it clear that we don't think this is a time for Arab Americans to be persecuted and otherwise the victims of activity that is inappropriate," US President George W. Bush said.
-------------------------------------------------------
White House reviewing rules governing CIA
September 16, 2001 Posted: 1:53 PM EDT (1753 GMT)
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Bush administration officials are reviewing all the rules governing CIA and other intelligence activities abroad, ranging from the ban on assassinations to rules mandating that informants be checked for their criminal and human rights records, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell told CNN on Sunday.
Powell said the executive order signed in 1976 by President Gerald Ford forbidding assassination "is under review." Critics charge lifting the order would reduce U.S. moral prestige around the world and make U.S. officials from the president down less safe.
Powell said in many respects it will be "an intelligence war ... and a law enforcement war" against the Al Qaeda organization headed by suspected terrorist Osama bin Laden.
U.S. President George W. Bush has named bin Laden as the "prime suspect' in Tuesday's hijacking attacks on New York and Washington that left thousands dead or missing.
Senior Republicans on Capitol Hill told CNN on Wednesday that the rules on checking informants' pasts before hiring them will likely be abolished by legislation, if the executive branch does not act soon.
In a related development Sunday, the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee said he plans to introduce a bill creating an "Office of Counter-terrorism" at the White House with broad power to direct the federal government's efforts to fight terrorism.
"We need to have someone who has the ability to establish a national program, allocate resources, and be held accountable for our response against terrorism," said Senate Intelligence Chairman Sen. Bob Graham, D-Florida.
The new office would have powers to direct counter-terrorism efforts patterned after the powers the Office of Drug Control Policy has to direct anti-drug efforts, according Paul Anderson, the spokesman for the Senate Intelligence Committee.
The head of the drug office is often referred to as the "drug czar."
Anderson said the new office would have "broad budget authority" to direct counter-terrorism efforts by various agencies, including the FBI and the CIA.
Graham said he intends to introduce the legislation as soon as Congress reconvenes on Thursday.
Stung by charges in some quarters of a massive intelligence failure, a U.S. intelligence official said "we didn't win this battle, but we will win the war".
The official said the public does not realize how many "hundreds, possibly thousands" of lives have been saved by counter-terrorism efforts in recent years. Former CIA operatives say changing the rules on assassinations or recruiting will not help against the key problem: how hard it is to penetrate terrorist cells.
However, intelligence officials say more money for additional case officers and with which to pay off informants and agents "could certainly help". House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Porter Goss, R-Florida, told CNN he believes U.S. intelligence has been "underfunded and under-resourced" for a decade.
Last Modified: 19:10 UK, Sunday September 16, 2001
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
More Government power through terror, never mind that much intelligence and tracking and ways to easily deport and/or arrest terrorists clearly existed for the FBI, CIA, INS and Federal government, yet they failed to act on what they had and knew.
1 Posted on 09/16/2001 13:54:55 PDT by t-shirt
Aren't we engaged in a cycle of violence, Sec. Powell. How could we be moral and right if the Israelis are wrong. Gen. Powell please explain your doctrine.
US Congress Subpoena Orders Ashcroft To Release Clinton Evidence on Sept. 11, 2001 http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3bb905f8276b.htm)
Bush, Jiang Vow to Cooperate in War (Look For More Military Exchange Programs For China) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/552780/posts
US Anthrax is `military grade' http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/552173/posts
Hollywood Buys Rights to Novel on Bin Laden (99'Book/Movie Has Bin Laden Behind Bombing White House) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/537229/posts
U.S. and Britain Clearing Way for 'Relentless' Campaign, Bush Says (&FLA Under Terror Alert) http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/542401/posts
U.S. Official Sees Anthrax as Terrorism http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/547944/posts
U.S. Forces Mass; Pakistan Says Taliban Days Numbered http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3bb8db3953aa.htm
US Official Warns of New Terror Strikes, Terrorists May Have Biological Warfare Capability: US http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3bb7d94b6500.htm
US Special Forces 'Held In Afghanistan'(Pray For Them), Russians: You Must Know the Terrain http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3bb7794e4ca2.htm
(20 Arrested) ‘DIRECTLY INVOLVED' (It's Time To Deport/Arrest All Illegal Or TerrorTied People NOW!) http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3bae9b2b4deb.htm
Germans Tie Terror Groups to Pre-attack Stock Trading http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3bae4bdd5bb7.htm
(US)DOJ brewing expansive anti-terror proposal, Blunkett(Britain) warming to (National)ID cards http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3bae38b7420d.htm
Biological Attack Threat Real, but Small http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3ba7ea3f3d61.htm
Bin Laden Surrender Probably Not Enough..Rumsfeld (Why Remove Afgans' Incentive To Hand Him Over??) http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3ba7dceb2427.htm
New Powers To Track Terror (& Powell Wants New CIA Rules, Assasinations,etc) http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3ba5119f0b50.htm
Terrorist Moved Freely Across USA Using Real Name,On State Dept, INS &FBI Watch List-mytitle3stories http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3ba4fe966559.htm
How Did We Miss Enemies In Our Midst? http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3ba4812b2ba1.htm
FAA Attack Alert Failed to Reach Pentagon http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3ba44b1f0c9a.htm
Seven Pilots Were Among 19 Hijackers (Evidence Terrorist Operation Planned Attacks For 5 Years!) http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3ba40c011fee.htm
CIA Reportedly Warned FBI About One Suspect (6 Stories of Prior Knowledge By FBI & Government) http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3ba3756f074a.htm
FBI 'Ignored Leads' http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3ba232131410.htm
Iranian Man in Germany Warned of Attack (WasAllowed to Ring WhiteHouse &CIA,Wasn't TakenSerious) http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3ba1c69709c5.htm
U.S. Gets Promise of Pakistani Cooperation http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3ba1c3340837.htm
How the World Trade Center Fell (Deadly Mistakes Made "I Would Have Given Order To Get Out!"Expert) http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3ba1b16f79fa.htm
Ashcroft: 18 Hijackers Involved in Attack (How Could So Many CarryOut Plot Undetected?ClintonHelp?) http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3ba141a25556.htm
(5)Suspects Caught Crashes on Camera (They Watched Crashes & Celebrated, Also Some Suspects Abroad) http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3ba0e1b83f28.htm
FBI Looks at bin Laden's Strong Ties to Boston (Why Didn't They Look & Act Before?!!) http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3ba02db8669d.htm
48 Iraqi & MidEasterns Caugh At Tightened Mexican Border Following U.S. Terrorist Attacks! http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3ba00b391f72.htm
ABC NEWS REPORTS 12 Plane HighJackers/Suspects Identified (Dead) & Arrest Warrants Issued For Others http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3b9f8fbd7b5f.htm
Already Weak Airlines Stand to Lose Billions http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3b9f18ae602c.htm
FBI Seizes 911 Tape (He Heard Some Sort of Explosion, Was It Shot Down Before Reaching Camp David?) http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3b9ee9762979.htm
B-25&767 Hit WTC,3 Planes Hit Pentagon, Bomb Near WhiteHouse,PittsBHit,Who Coordinated?,10000Die (This thread has over 50 different news stories on it.) http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3b9e390647f1.htm
Breaking: US Congress Subpoena Orders Ashcroft To Release Clinton Evidence on Sept. 11, 2001 http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3b99d9b10b76.htm
-------------------------------------
3 follow-up threads to US Congress Subpoena Orders Ashcroft To Release Clinton Evidence on Sept. 11, 2001:
Breaking: US Congress Subpoena Orders Ashcroft To Release Clinton Evidence on Sept. 11, 2001 – Thread 2 http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3b9a84661c0d.htm
Will Ashcroft Obey House Subpoena Commanding Evidence by11th or KeepProtecting Clinton?Thread 2 1/2 http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3b9bd4a06221.htm
US Congress Subpoena Orders Ashcroft To Release Clinton Evidence on Sept. 11, 2001 - Re-Post http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3ba0411b092f.htm
US Congress Subpoena Orders Ashcroft To Release Clinton Evidence on 9/11/01 - Re-Post Thread 2 http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3bb623972397.htm
-------------------
Another Related thread:
New Terror Task Force http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3af86f6b440c.htm
No Retrial for Oklahoma Bomber (Nevermind "FBI [Illegally] Failed Turn Over Thousands of Documents")http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/537198/posts
Blow for Bush as Saudis deny use of bases http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/536854/posts
'CIA worked with Pak to create Taliban' http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3ba5064573dd.htm
The coming Bio-Terror http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3939bea472a2.htm
(1)Deporting and or arresting all illegal alien immigrants and all individuals (mostly foriegners) in America linked to terror groups.
(2)And rearming our pilots as they were before the evil 1968 gun Control Act was passed. The evil law was by crooked politicians over one mass shooting in Texas brought on by a shooter who was heavily on pychotropic drugs and under psychiatric care/experimentation when he commited his mass murders. And for 30 years the record was sealed and keep secret, while the FBI bold faced lied for over 30 years that on Aug. 1, 1966, sniper Charles Joseph Whitman was not on psychiatric or pschotropic mind altering drugs.
Once the FBI and government was finally forced to release the record it was clear that Whitman was on pschotropic mind altering drugs and under psychiatric , as have most of the mass random shooters since 1966 that have been used to passed gun control.
(3)Repealing the 1968 Gun Control Act
(4)Most importantly the solution is not passing any new anti-terror laws which violate our God given, Bill of Rights protected rights and freedoms as Americans! Giving up our rights only increases our chances of becoming victims of terror by enemies--foriegn and domestic enemies.
1 posted on 10/20/01 11:33 AM Pacific by t-shirt
Because unless I missed some telling detail in our latest War Against a Noun, I see no particularly objective or official Declaration by which this War on Terrorism will be any less "open-ended" than our Wars on Poverty or Drugs.
Imagine laying the mine field through which they'll be right behind us as we go clean it up ...
You have to admit ... they make us look like TOTAL CHUMPS. We deserve everything we get ... it's just unfortunate the paybacks don't work "top-down" like the much-touted Prosperity and Security they're always hawking to us.
Not quite. That'd be a step, but only a step.
We are out of time.
There is not time to investigate all of the millions of enemy aliens in the U.S. Therefore what we should do is:
-Announce that all non-U.S.-citizens who are citizens of terror-supporting states are considered enemy aliens and must leave at once;
-Round up and deport all such individuals who are here on student visas, green cards, expired visas, etc.
-Begin exhaustive background checks of every single "naturalized citizen" from any terror-supporting nation.
-Stop issuing visas--any visas--to nationals of any nation that supports terror--for any reason.
-Seal the borders. Use National Guard troops if necessary.
We will probably not do most of these--I'd be surprised if we did any of them. And we shall deserve what we get for our failure to act.
Of course, we could get wise--after an American city or two disappears.
--Boris
The ban on assassinations in an executive order, not a federal law. The President has the option of upholding it, temporarily suspending it, or revoking the ban outright at any time. The President has the last word on the assassination ban and he can do what he wants with it.
Way to go, Mr. President!! Let our people do WHATEVER IS NECESSARY to rid the world of this maniac!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.