US sees likely al Qaeda WMD attack within 2 years

Reuters ^ | 06-09-03

[Brian S]

UNITED NATIONS, June 9 (Reuters) - The United States sees a high probability the clandestine al Qaeda network will try to launch a chemical, biological or nuclear attack within two years, the U.S. government said in a report made public on Monday.

"Al Qaeda will continue to favor spectacular attacks but also may seek softer targets of opportunity such as banks, shopping malls, supermarkets and places of recreation and entertainment," the United States told the United Nations in the report.

"Al Qaeda will continue its efforts to acquire and develop biological, chemical, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) weapons. We judge that there is a high probability that al Qaeda will attempt an attack using a CBRN weapon within the next two years," said the report.

The report, prepared before last month's triple suicide bombings in Saudi Arabia which killed 35 people, did not say whether it thought such an attack would take place inside the United States or elsewhere.

Dated April 17 but just released by the world body, the report was prepared in response to a U.N. Security Council resolution requiring the 191 U.N. member-nations to crack down on al Qaeda -- by, for example, freezing its assets and tracking its agents -- for its role in Afghanistan leading up to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

The group led by Osama bin Laden is blamed by Washington for the suicide hijack attacks, which killed thousands in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.

Washington said al Qaeda remained the "top concern" of U.S. law enforcement authorities.

There were hundreds of ongoing counter-terrorism investigations in the United States directly associated with the group, most of them on the East and West coasts and in the U.S. Southwest, it said.

But the greatest threat to U.S. security was possible "sleeper cells" that have not been identified or detected, it said. "Identifying and neutralizing these sleeper cells remains our most serious intelligence and law enforcement challenge," the report said.

[wayoverontheright]

There will always be those who don't want to be seen as complacent, I guess, also those who have an investment in keeping us fearful, because if we ever feel safe again, it's a tremendous victory for George W. Bush.

I don't think the al-Qaeda boys want to stick their hand in this hornet's nest again, and I know the "Arab street" is cautioning restraint.

[rface]

"pinged" for later reference

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Pakistan (Yes, Pakistan)

Presumably in a brilliant campaign known as Operation Madrassa Basha!

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

They won't be getting any WMD from Iraq, we haven't been able to find any there, and that was supposed to be the mother of all WMD headquarters.

As I recall, we've checked about one-fourth of the places of concern regarding WMDs. Something could still turn up. No, I don't work out of the White House basement

[mombonn]

You are soooo tiresome.

[cardinal4]

let's all forget France

Agreed.

[LurkedLongEnough]

"You forgot Syria and France."

What about northern California and Oregon?

[cardinal4]

Georgie Porgie doesn't want a terrorist attack before Novermber 2004.

Damn, thats one moronic post!

[RightWhale]

CBRN

Can't say WMD amymore. Couldn't really say it anyway, so CBRN is an improvement. See-burn weapons.

[Monty22]

If they use a nuclear warhead on us, isn't it in the Pentagon's warplans to launch a retalitory strike of massive scale?

All the arab countries must be concerned that we have them targetted.