Interesting July 2001 article concerning Specific Terroristic threat from Osama Bin Laden

The United States is expecting a terrorist attack orchestrated by the Saudi extremist Osama bin Laden soon, and has placed its forces in the Middle East on the highest level of alert. State Department officials said intelligence services hadintercepted a coded message toone of bin Laden's senior operatives outlining plans for theattack.

The suspected target was in either Saudi Arabia or Kuwait, the officials said. They described the intelligence as highly credible and instantly issued the warning through military and diplomatic channels.

The State Department has had all its embassies on a heightened level of alert since late May, when four of bin Laden's followers were convicted in a New York court over the 1998 bombings of two US embassies in Africa.

Intelligence services have been expecting a reprisal attack since the verdict and believe on the basis of the intercepted message that one is now imminent.

The message was being sent to a bin Laden associate known to be involved in a radical cell of terrorists operating on the Arabian Peninsula.

``In the past such individuals have not distinguished between official and civilian targets,'' the State Department said.

``As always, we take this information seriously. US government facilities remain at a heightened state of alert. American citizens in the region are urged to remain vigilant with regard to their personal security and to exercise caution.''

Government officials said their public warning was in line with US policy, which dictates that US citizens be told if there is credible evidence of a possible terrorist attack.

Bin Laden remains at large but has been indicted by the US Federal Court for his role in masterminding the simultaneous 1998 attacks on the US embassies in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Several of his followers, apart from the four convicted men, have also been indicted and are being sought by international intelligence services.

The US launched a series of missile attacks on bin Laden's reputed training sites in Afghanistan and on a Sudanese pharmaceutical company suspectedof making chemical weapons.

Bin Laden is believed to be hiding in Afghanistan with the sanction of the Taliban Government.

He rose to prominence as a soldier with the US-supported mujahideen guerilla fighters in Afghanistan's war against the Soviet Union in the 1980s, then pursued lucrative business dealings in Saudi Arabia and became a leading campaigner against US influence.

The exiled financier is suspected of masterminding a series of terrorist attacks in recent years, including the suicide bombing of the USS Cole in Yemen in October that killed17 sailors.

US launches missile strikes in attempt to kill Osama bin Laden following terrosit bombings of US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania which killed 250 people.

US warns terrosrists linked to bin Laden are planning to attack US targets worldwide in retaliation from US bombing of bin Laden bases.

US embassies in six African countries closed State Department says they have been under surveillance "by suspicious individuals".

US warns of "credible information that terrorists are planning attacks" against American citizens worldwide following decision to impose sanctions on Afghanistan for protecting bin Laden.

World-wide alert for possible terrorist attacks on millennium celebrations after US State Department said intelligence reports indicated such plans by terrorists linked to bin Laden.

State Department says bin Laden has sent terrorists to at least six countries to prepare to carry out operations.

Terrorists allegedly linked to bin Laden launch suicide attack on USS Cole in Yemen killing 17 sailors.

US forces in the Middle East on full alert for a possible wave of terrorist attacks by bin Laden associates after intelligence reports of "specific threat that is considered credible".

Worldwide alert to US embassies of possible terrorist reprisals after a New York jury convicts four bin Laden followers over the 1998 US embassy in Africa.

US Government confirms it prevented a bomb attack by an Algerian terrorist group on Los Angeles airport during the millennium celebrations on New Year's Eve, 1999.

US warns of "highly credible" threat of attack by binLaden-linked terrorsits on US targets in Saudi Arabia or Kuwait based on intercepted coded message.

I guess the Sydney Morning Herald has better access to US intelligence than the Democrats do. This was two months before September 11 and although it specifically mentions the Middle East as being the target, anyone with half a brain could surmise that any US interest could possibly be a target.

So, like Bush, the Australians knew!!! There should be an investigation! Senator Rodham Clinton, should call on Australia to "come before the American people at the earliest possible time to answer the questions so many New Yorkers and Americans are asking." How did they know? When did they know? What did they know?

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