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Bin Laden network 'plotted hundreds of attacks'
The Guardian ^ | Thursday November 8, 2001 | Julian Borger in Washington

Posted on 11/08/2001 2:27:39 AM PST by maquiladora

The attacks on US targets culminating in the September 11 suicide hijackings were only a fraction of the onslaught planned by Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida, it emerged yesterday.

Over the past three years, US intelligence detected plots against US embassies in 14 countries, mostly in Asia and Africa, and there were over 600 more "credible threats" of attacks. Some were thwarted by arrests or stepped up security. Others appear to have been suspended or may still be pending.

The global extent of al-Qaida's terrorist ambitions is revealed in a new book by Peter Bergen, CNN's terrorism analyst, who interviewed the Saudi fugitive in Afghanistan in 1997. The book, Holy War Inc.- Inside the Secret World of Osama bin Laden, portrays al-Qaida as a multinational corporation with "investments" in terrorist cells all over the world. Mr Bergen argues that if Bin Laden is killed, other members will take his place, including possibly his son Mohammed, or the "eminence grise" of the organisation, Ayman al-Zawahiri.

For about a year, Bin Laden kept in touch with his empire through a computer-sized satellite telephone bought from a New York company for $7,500 in 1996, but he soon became aware his conversations were being intercepted by US satellites. Since then, Mr Bergen writes, he has been communicating by radio or in person, rendering the huge US surveillance operation largely futile.

According to the book, al-Qaida plotted attacks on three US embassies this year, in Yemen, Bangladesh and India. The Indian plot was foiled by the arrest of two men in New Delhi with six kilos of high explosive. The mastermind behind the attack, Mohamed Omar al-Harazi, was also the cell operations leader in the attack on the US Cole warship last year.

Holy War Inc. plays down the CIA's role in creating the Afghan-based Islamic terrorist groups during the 1980s. During the war against the Soviet army, Bin Laden had closer links with Saudi intelligence, Mr Bergen reports. Bin Laden was "effectively working as an arm of Saudi intelligence".


TOPICS: Breaking News; News/Current Events; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: 1996; 199611; 1998; 2000; 200010; abc; abcnews; abumaezook; afghanistan; alarian; alfawwaz; alhamdi; alqaeda; alzawahiri; bangladesh; battery; bergen; binladen; coconspirator9; columbia; embassies; embassyplots; fawwaz; hamas; hamdi; herndon; india; iraqidiplomat; islamicjihad; johnmiller; kenya; khaledalfawwaz; khalidalfawwaz; miller; missouri; musaabumarzook; musamarzook; osamabinladen; peterbergen; pij; prepaidminutes; sadaqa; samialarian; satellitephone; satellitetelephone; satphone; tanzania; tarikhamdi; tariqalhamdi; tariqhamdi; terrorweb; turkey; usembassyplots; usscole; usscoleplot; yemen; zawahiri; ziadkhaleel; ziadkhalil; ziyadkhalil; ziyadsadaqa
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1 posted on 11/08/2001 2:27:39 AM PST by maquiladora
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To: maquiladora
...looks like we have to make sure we also kill bin Laden's son Mohammed.
2 posted on 11/08/2001 2:36:51 AM PST by True Capitalist
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To: True Capitalist
Good grief, he's got something like 40 kids, doesn't he? Ann Coulter may have been wise to advise us to just go in and impose a forced conversion. V's wife.
3 posted on 11/08/2001 2:38:14 AM PST by ventana
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To: ventana
It took time but the Israelis nailed every one of the 'terrorists' that participated in the attack and death of members of their soccer team during the Olympics.

Osama should expect the same fate of his 'follower-terrorists',family or no.

4 posted on 11/08/2001 2:43:24 AM PST by prognostigaator
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To: maquiladora
We can only surmise what would have happened had GORE/LIEBERMAN been in charge.

Thank God for GWB.

5 posted on 11/08/2001 2:44:47 AM PST by ppaul
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To: maquiladora
And so why, exactly, are we letting these 1200 al Qaeda operatives out of jail again? Plots foiled because perps arrested and behind bars...ACLU and Dems screaming abuse of "rights." Hundreds released. Plots rescheduled.
6 posted on 11/08/2001 3:11:17 AM PST by shezza
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To: maquiladora
According to the book, al-Qaida plotted attacks on three US embassies this year, in Yemen, Bangladesh and India. The Indian plot was foiled by the arrest of two men in New Delhi with six kilos of high explosive.

Excuse me? This guy conducted his interview 4 years ago, how does he know what's going on/planned THIS year? If he has any credible information, he had best be informing the authorities about it and where he got it! If there is any information in this book that our government is not aware of, then he should be immediately arrested!

7 posted on 11/08/2001 3:23:06 AM PST by SubSailor
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To: ventana
Ann Coulter may have been wise to advise us to just go in and impose a forced conversion.

I like my wife's idea better. Lock him in his cell and loudly play recordings of TV preachers 24-7. Pure torture.

8 posted on 11/08/2001 3:26:56 AM PST by libertylover
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To: SubSailor
Excuse me? This guy conducted his interview 4 years ago, how does he know what's going on/planned THIS year? If he has any credible information, he had best be informing the authorities about it and where he got it! If there is any information in this book that our government is not aware of, then he should be immediately arrested!

Hey he works for CNN he must be credible.

(rolling eyes)

9 posted on 11/08/2001 3:36:41 AM PST by goofus not gallant
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To: maquiladora
Bin Laden was "effectively working as an arm of Saudi intelligence".

Little more need be said.

10 posted on 11/08/2001 3:38:27 AM PST by Kenyon
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To: libertylover
"I like my wife's idea better. Lock him in his cell and loudly play recordings of TV preachers 24-7. Pure torture. "

Of course with nothing to eat but pork rinds.

11 posted on 11/08/2001 4:35:58 AM PST by NC Conservative
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To: NC Conservative
"Of course with nothing to eat but pork rinds."

LOL! I think they should get some bacon for breakfast, also.

12 posted on 11/08/2001 5:31:28 AM PST by Slip18
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To: ppaul
We can only surmise what would have happened had GORE/LIEBERMAN been in charge.

God forbid, we might have had to suffer through 8 more years of peace and prosperity.

Thank God that Dumbya's term is limited to 4 long years.

(end sarcasm)

13 posted on 11/08/2001 5:43:18 AM PST by MurryMom
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To: maquiladora
he soon became aware his conversations were being intercepted by US satellites

How did he become aware. It is my understanding that some politician (Hatch?) leaked the info to the press which them relayed it to the world. Anyone got details?

14 posted on 11/08/2001 5:45:48 AM PST by F-117A
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To: MurryMom
God forbid, we might have had to suffer through 8 more years of peace and prosperity.

I'm sure Atta and Bin Laden would have postponed the attacks they rehearsed under Clinton's sleeping "watch" until an Evil Republican replaced the Goron. (**snicker**)

15 posted on 11/08/2001 6:01:13 AM PST by an amused spectator
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To: maquiladora
Since then, Mr Bergen writes, he has been communicating by radio or in person, rendering the huge US surveillance operation largely futile

It's hard to surmise who's the bigger idiot here - Mr. Bergen or Osama - for thinking that radio is a secure form of communication. But let'em both go on thinking so...

16 posted on 11/08/2001 6:01:40 AM PST by ctonious
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To: MurryMom
Little early to be drinking, isn´t it?
17 posted on 11/08/2001 6:04:02 AM PST by riri
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To: MurryMom
God forbid, we might have had to suffer through 8 more years of peace and prosperity

You mean 8 years of sitting-on-our-hands and doing-nothing?
You mean 8 more years of wag-the-dog distractions instead of real actions?
You mean 8 more years of hoping that these suicidal jihad-ers will understand that we just want to get along?

Moron.

18 posted on 11/08/2001 6:26:25 AM PST by kidd
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To: Alamo-Girl
Bin Laden was "effectively working as an arm of Saudi intelligence".

Little more need be said.

A-G, please take note. I am consolidating information on a new theory.

19 posted on 11/08/2001 6:30:47 AM PST by japaneseghost
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To: MurryMom
There's no place like home . . . there's no place like home . . .
20 posted on 11/08/2001 6:39:47 AM PST by Ronnie Radford
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