Al-Qaeda had planned attacks on US on Feb 12: Report

Hindustan Times ^ | Feb. 16, 2003 | Press Trust of India

[FairOpinion]

The US has credible intelligence that al Qaeda had an attack or multiple attacks set to begin at some point last week and that members of the Congress could have been the terrorist outfit's likely target, a media report said today.

Counter-terrorism officials were today quoted as saying that they had received a phone tip that members of the United States Congress could have beene targets of assassination attempts by Islamic fundamentalists.

Intelligence reports gathered from human and electronic sources around the world suggested what intelligence officials had suspected for weeks- al Qaeda operatives "Are in the execution phase of some of their operations," a senior US offficial was quoted by 'Time' magazine as saying.

Officials said the intelligence specifically mentioned that the likely targets were New York City and Washington on February 12.

Even though the feared attacks failed to materialise, the anxieties did not subside and inside the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) fears of a devastating attack are as high as they had been in months, particularly because of the possibility that "other tools" or biological and chemical weapons could be used, it said.

The Homeland Security has increased the level of alert.

Telephone calls and e-mails exchanged between several suspected terrorists and intercepted by the US and foreign intelligence agencies pointed to a plot inside the US using nerve gas, poisons or radiological devices.

"It was'nt just chatter," said Republican Senator Pat Roberts, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. "It was a pattern." (more)

A senior Administration official tells the magazine that domestic law-enforcement agencies are investigating a report that Islamic fundamentalists in this country are trying to acquire parts to build an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) abroad-the kind of machine that terrorism experts believe could be deployed to spray chemical agents over populated areas.

The fear is that a UAV assembled overseas could be used against U.S. Assets there, Time says.

The US has credible intelligence that al Qaeda had an attack or multiple attacks set to begin at some point last week and that members of the Congress could have been the terrorist outfit's likely target, a media report said today.

Counter-terrorism officials were today quoted as saying that they had received a phone tip that members of the United States Congress could have been targets of assassination attempts by Islamic fundamentalists.

Intelligence reports gathered from human and electronic sources around the world suggested what intelligence officials had suspected for weeks- al Qaeda operatives "Are in the execution phase of some of their operations," a senior US official was quoted by 'Time' magazine as saying.

Officials said the intelligence specifically mentioned that the likely targets were New York City and Washington on February 12.

Even though the feared attacks failed to materialise, the anxieties did not subside and inside the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) fears of a devastating attack are as high as they had been in months, particularly because of the possibility that "other tools" or biological and chemical weapons could be used, it said.

The Homeland Security has increased the level of alert.

Telephone calls and e-mails exchanged between several suspected terrorists and intercepted by the US and foreign intelligence agencies pointed to a plot inside the US using nerve gas, poisons or radiological devices.

"It wasn't just chatter," said Republican Senator Pat Roberts, chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. "It was a pattern."

A senior Administration official tells the magazine that domestic law-enforcement agencies are investigating a report that Islamic fundamentalists in this country are trying to acquire parts to build an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) abroad-the kind of machine that terrorism experts believe could be deployed to spray chemical agents over populated areas.

The fear is that a UAV assembled overseas could be used against U.S. Assets there, Time says.

At a closed-door briefing Thursday a group of Senators grilled Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge about whether they should clear their families out of the capital in anticipation of an attack.

Ridge counseled them against it, but when pressed by the Senators for the odds of an attack on U.S. Targets at home or abroad in the next several weeks, Ridge, according to one source familiar with the meeting, put the probability at "50 per cent or greater."

In private, Time says White House officials sounded almost resigned to the inevitability of catastrophe. "All we can do," Vice President Dick Cheney told a gathering of top administration officials to discuss bioterrorism, "is ask ourselves, Have we done everything we can to prevent an attack?.."

The U.S. Still doesn't have a "credible and comprehensive system" in place to cope with such attacks, the magazine said.

[mommadooo3]

Armageddon. ............I hate to say this... but the word 'armageddon' has no fear for me. For a couple of reasons. First, Armageddon, means that one is on the 'winning' side or the 'losing' side. (it's a Christian thing)
Second...Armageddon, is decided when the LORD says it's Armageddon. And I don't believe He has 'accomplished' all He says needs to be done. (again, it's a Christian thing)

But Saddam, Bin Laden & company are perfectly willing to destroy the world, ....YES. However, you have put names to a bunch of cretins who are pushers to a cult's beliefs. Islames/mooslimes/diaperheads have ONE thing they believe in....if ya ain't one of them, you're an infidel... and ANY horrors committed against an 'infidel' is just 'hunky-dory/'holy'/'justifiable'.
How MANY tragedies/horrors/crimes against humanity has ANYONE read about 'lately' AND the 'group/cult/religion' that proudly steps up to take credit for??
Those cretins, those 'names', those beliefs, ALL have one set of 'priciples' they adhere to....'kill, steal, destroy'.

GIVE them what they believe in. It's time to stop giving them credibility by playing the word games.(the islame is a 'religion of peace' gibberish)

What do you think would happen if it is let loose on the world. (re, smallpox) Smallpox IS a real concern. HOWEVER, it will be a REAL problem for those countries who are NOT up to 'speed' like the U.S. is. Innoculations/quarantines/meds/cleanliness/information will be OUR assets.

"desperate times require desperate measures". ............ARE we desperate?...then where are the closed borders? Are we desperate? Then where is the 'exportation' of 'foreigners from terrorist supporting nations'?And if we are sooo desperate, then WHY is it such a sin to own a gun and carry it?

And everything considered, we really hadn't experienced any curtailment of our freedoms -- not unless you are a terrorist coming into the US. No offense, but THAT is really a scream.

[Mr_Magoo]

Counter-terrorism officials were today quoted as saying that they had received a phone tip that members of the United States Congress could have been targets of assassination attempts by Islamic fundamentalists.

Please clarify:
Are they talking about Democrat congresscritters or Republican congresscritters? It makes a difference 'ya know . . .

[mommadooo3]

IF the informant's story crapped out but didn't have anything to do with the heightened alert level, then why is the orange level 'going to be lowered'?

FWIW.... I have no access to 'hostile media'. FR is the only place I have.

[Monty22]

This threat is never ever going away until we make it clear that everything in the islamic world is a target on a hair-trigger, like we had with the USSR.

And if they pull something else off we have to launch. No delay. Just fast, do it. Then we'll say we'll nuke the survivors if they attack once more. ad infinitum.

[BJungNan]

I think there was a very good reason for the orange "high" alert.

Who needed the Orange Alert to tell you something was up. Every Congressman scurried out of Washington last week. That should be all the warning you need.

[MeekOneGOP]

Al-Qaeda had planned attacks on US on Feb 12: Report

Excerpt:

The US has credible intelligence that al Qaeda had an attack or multiple attacks set to begin at some point last week and that members of the Congress could have been the terrorist outfit's likely target, a media report said today.

Counter-terrorism officials were today quoted as saying that they had received a phone tip that members of the United States Congress could have been targets of assassination attempts by Islamic fundamentalists.

Intelligence reports gathered from human and electronic sources around the world suggested what intelligence officials had suspected for weeks- al Qaeda operatives "Are in the execution phase of some of their operations," a senior US official was quoted by 'Time' magazine as saying.

Officials said the intelligence specifically mentioned that the likely targets were New York City and Washington on February 12.

Even though the feared attacks failed to materialise, the anxieties did not subside and inside the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) fears of a devastating attack are as high as they had been in months, particularly because of the possibility that "other tools" or biological and chemical weapons could be used, it said.

---

Heads up. Sorry for the late ping.

Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my General Interest ping list!. . .don't be shy.

[Oldeconomybuyer]

Thanks for the ping. I heard over the weekend that members of congress were briefed on the threats behind closed doors last week and avoided the media as they came out of the briefing. Many promptly went back to their districts for the week.

What's interesting is that Al Qaida has a history of attacking the same target (WTC), officials have said they fear biological attacks the most, and that congress was the target of anthrax attacks in late 2001. I cannot help thinking Al Qaida was behind those attacks.

[LS]

That is your reply? Ok, I'll say it: you are deeper in it with every post.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the heads up!

[MeekOneGOP]

What's interesting is that Al Qaida has a history of attacking the same target (WTC), officials have said they fear biological attacks the most, and that congress was the target of anthrax attacks in late 2001. I cannot help thinking Al Qaida was behind those attacks.

Pretty scary. Especially since they haven't made any progress on the anthrax thing. I'm thinking that Iraq may be involved in that too. Thanks for the update...

[sit-rep]

Okay, what was tried is not working, only with you. So, I'll try it like this... Instead of being an idiota, why don't you tell me where my thinking is flawed. Or, is it easier the way you've been thus far??

SR

[LS]

An idiota? Are we into Latin conjugations now in our name calling?

[sit-rep]

LS, tell me why I should be comfortable, or shut the hell up.

[LS]

Comfortable about what? And quit with the threats. It seems your ilk gets rather mean when someone calls you on your rants.

[sit-rep]

What threats???????

Tell me why I should be as comfortable as you are? You are the one who was saying I'm deep into it... Com'on...my "ilk" just needs a little of your wisdom.

[LS]

Comfortable about what? You aren't being clear?

I am FULLY comfortable that Frist knows what he is doing and that Estrada will be confirmed.

I am NOT COMFORTABLE at all with the terror threat level that came out, because I think we narrowly averted some really big stuff. That was directly tied to the evacuation of Washington, and was the "recess" was a convenient way to get people out. But WHEN THEY HAVE ANTI-AIR MISSILES IN WASHINGTON AND REPORTS OF UAVs in the hands of terrorists to spray crap on people, I think that's pretty serious. That is what Bush is focused on, it's what Frist is focused on, and all this crapola about Frist "caving" on this, that, or the other needs to take FIRST AND FOREMOST the war on terror into account.

[sit-rep]

First, thank you for finally saying something.

I am happy for you. You're content with the security and the handling of everything. Cool...

I'm not...

Why did they not put the AA sites in place the day after 9-11? The AA sites shown on TV, are they capable of taking out UAVs?

[LS]

Do you really want an answer---or merely to mince words? Please don't respond again if you aren't sincere.

If you are, then here is an answer as best I can tell: we cannot defend every inch of the U.S. against every type of attack. This is why we have intelligence operations, and why their job is to determine where we are MOST vulnerable. There was no, repeat, no report ever that I am aware of prior to last week of AQ having any kind of UAVs.

[sit-rep]

Do you really want an answer---or merely to mince words? Please don't respond again if you aren't sincere.

Always wanted an answer. You chose to answer the way you did way back in the beginning. But let's move on...

I am one who is always suspicious of Government. Always. When someone sits befor a crowd, and talks down to them, using their hands in that most irritating way, I am suspicious of them. Like the old Democrat joke..."When is a Democrat lying?

..When he opens his mouth... Same thing with today's politic in general imo. As I sit here, I watch my country deteriorate. I watch our Culture go down the crapper, being plunged by the homosexual movemnet and the socialists, pushing their Cultural Diversity down the throats of my fellow man. I watch Politicians embrace these people. I see them having lunches and Coffees with them. I see the lobby effort and it's red carpet treatment from our fedgov.

I see Nafta and Gatt taking it's toll on America. It does not take 8 years of college to analyze and come to a hypothisis on the outcome years from now. I see a government embrace this too. I see, along with our manufacturing, I see our technology being offered as a side item for campaign monies. I see the result of this today, and I also see the complaisance of our current gov because of the business lobby and their, effortless pursuit of slave labor. It is a snowballing effct that will splatter on the back, smothering America.

I see a government that is not interested in my or a great many others' ideals of a sound and secure country. So why, are most here, content with the ongoing snafu of government?

The UAV deal is a concern. True enough. But, my interest lies in the fact that they put out anti aircraft batteries to counter this threat. They may not have said this, they may not have meant for this. Fact is, Joe public heard the story, seen the missle launchers set up around DC, and figure that is the cure...the safety net. I am by no means a weapons expert, but I do not think these peices of equipment they showed on the news can lock onto a "Made in China" remote controlled airplane. I would not think that Al queedas' UAVs are much more than that.

When you have a body of people who are continuously playing politics and deceit, I find it hard to relax when they try to show they're on the ball protecting me and my country. Sorry to be the pessimist, but what else do I got to go by?...

A bit wordy, but I hope you caught my drift...

SR

[LS]

Well, we have insurmountable differences over NAFTA and free trade. I live in an area that is thriving by making machine parts and high tech stuff that used to make tires and "widgets." Yah, the widget people are sad, but not all the high tech people I see. And I'm not talking people with college educations, but skilled people we used to call "blue-collar."

I am suspicious of government. But I'm not suspicious of individual people. I believe, had I lived in 1788, I would put my faith in Washington and (as events turned out) not been one whit disappointed. I believe George W. is a spiritual man, a man guided directly by God. Now, if you don't, fine, but then there is no more grounds for discussion, because it is a matter of faith and not reason.

So let's just agree to disagree. Anyway, what started all of this, as I recall, was Estrada, and in the end, he will be confirmed. And to me, that is further evidence that Bush is running the show, and has a plan. If E. isn't confirmed, then Bush isn't and we're all screwed anyway!