Al Qaeda again threatens New York, Washington and Los Angeles - Daily Terror Threat

Debka ^ | 11-3-2003 | Staff

[tubavil]

Monday, November 3, 2003

A new message was posted in the last few hours by the Jeddah-based al-Qaeda-linked Al-Islah (Reform) society calling on Muslims to flee New York, Washington and Los Angeles in advance of major al Qaeda attacks in those cities. This is revealed by DEBKAfile.

The message accuses the United States of predetermining its end (doom) by its policies. ?The Jews rule the Pentagon by remote control and (are the cause) of Muslims being killed in every corner of the world. The United States should therefore expect more blows.?

The message is signed on behalf of the al Bayan (The Threat) movement by ?your warrior brother, Abul Hassan al Khadrami?.

Our Muslim expert identifies the name of the signatory as belonging to a Yemeni from Hadhrameuth, the Bin Ladens? place of origin where Osama enjoys substantial tribal support.

DEBKAfile?s counter-terror sources stress that warnings appearing on these forums are taken both very seriously and with caution by the intelligence services keeping track of the terrorist network?s electronic traffic.

Last November, Jeddah-based fundamentalist forums addressed a message to an Al Qaeda member, saying whoever understands ? understands; whoever knows, knows, but we are marching towards an operation that will take us to Paradise. Three days later, the Mombasa Paradise hotel was blown up killing 12 Kenyans and 3 Israelis and a failed shoulder-launched Strela anti-air missile missed an Israeli airliner at Mombasa airport.

Link to Thread 2

[WestCoastGal]

Is it my imagination or do we all discuss these very same things days before the media pick it up??

[philetus]

Illegal Crime


http://www.fairus.org/Focus.cfm?keyword=81

[FairOpinion]

The first part of this message just has the sound of reality to me and it's greatly disturbing.

[Cindy]

re post no. 10841...

OPINION...The lame-stream media does seem to be slow and oh dear, slowed down by political correctness.

[FairOpinion]

"Is it my imagination or do we all discuss these very same things days before the media pick it up??"

==

It's NOT your imagination -- maybe the mainstream media is reading this thread as part of their research.

I have noticed it quite a few times by now.

[happy_happy_joy_joy]

"What could "a stronger strike than nuclear weapons" mean?

It is possible that this could refer to an earthquake. One jihadi contributor, Abu Muhammad al-Ablaj, has been quoted as discussing the triggering of explosions along America's continental fault lines. "
___________________________________________________________

It is so hard for me to believe that this is possible. This would definitely be a stronger strike than a nuclear weapon if they could get multiple faults to activate at once. If there was anyway that they could get the Yellowstone volcano to erupt, that would be an even bigger disaster. Is that even possible? It just doesn't seem possible. Well, I guess with evil minds like AQ, anything is possible! Whew! I need a stress break! :)

[WestCoastGal]

Isn't the english much better than the other messages that have been posted?

[FairOpinion]

This was just in local news:


2 malls cut walking hours as terror precaution
Public access to indoor exercise spots limited
Posted: Jan. 15, 2004


For some Wisconsin mall walkers, the threat of terrorism is limiting access to their favorite exercise spots.

Police presence has been heightened at malls such as Brookfield Square, but at least two Wisconsin malls - Forest Mall in Fond du Lac and Bay Park Square near Green Bay - have taken precautions a step further by cutting back mall-walking hours. So far, no Milwaukee-area malls have restricted walking in response to the federal government's heightened terror alert.

Previously open for walkers at 8 a.m., Bay Park Square has been prohibiting such activity until the usual start of shopping hours at 10 a.m.

Forest Mall in Fond du Lac still gives walkers their run of the place, but not until 9 a.m. - one hour later than usual.

Forest Mall spokeswoman Karen Rausch said a full complement of security guards is not in place until 9 a.m. to protect the walkers, should a terrorist attack occur. Rausch said there have been few complaints from walkers.


http://www.jsonline.com/news/wauk/jan04/200288.asp

[WestCoastGal]

Now the little old ladies that get the extra frisking and wanding at the airport can't even get their walk in at the mall. OI don't think a terrorist is going to blow up an empty mall at 8 in the morning.

[hummingbird]

Saw the movie years ago; may have to watch again. Also, you might want to check out: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084920/
Plot Summary for
Wrong Is Right (1982)

A satire of American news reporting, Covert Agencies, and political system. The theft of two suitcase sized nuclear weapons, and their sale to a terrorist group, leads TV Newsman Patrick Hale on an international chase to track them down, and uncover the twisting maze of apparent involvement of US Government agencies.

Kind of like Dr. Strangelove...and it stars Sean Connery - can't go wrong with that!

[Pro-Bush]

This may be related to the EOM post tracked back to Juarez, Mexico. This particular EOM I/P addy was traced to Juarez, Mexico, in a series of posts discussion earlier. (credit to Freeper's who posted it)



Right on the US border near El Paso!

This most urgent messages. We arrive early this day and will make final crossing within next few hours. Allah has provided us the greatest opportunity for a glorious victory. Wire transfer complete yesterday at the first stop. Have you heard from others who arrive elswhere and those already inside. Reply PGP code at the public forum we planned.

[FairOpinion]

"I don't think a terrorist is going to blow up an empty mall at 8 in the morning."

==

That is correct. But the article also mentioned that the security guards don't come on duty until after 9 am, so the terrorists could plant some bombs and have them go off later.

Of course, in my opinion the answer would be to have the security guards come in earlier, but why should they choose the sensible solution?

[LayoutGuru2]

It is time to end this thread. Isn't it clear that their threats didn't mean anything?

OK tubavil, send a FReepmail to the AM and have this thread pulled. Just kidding!

You know, I feel this thread has just become the de facto gathering spot for those FReepers that want to discuss, share, speculate and even poke fun at some of the more bizarre news related to very real possibility that this land of ours is likely going to get whacked again by the jihadists. <--- Man, is that a run-on sentence or what?

Lately it has been suggested that the title be changed to something more descriptive. I've grown accustomed to the current title, I'd say no to that. Threads never end at FR unless some troll publishes some DU article, so I guess this one will just keep growing to the current upper limit of 65,535 post and then we'll start thread #2.

It is possible that their threats meant nothing, and it is even possible that many of them were actually floated by wanna-bees, but it is still terror I guess.

< tinfoil > Also, who's to say some of what was speculated here wasn't in fact prevented and we just don't know (or may never know) about it yet? < /tinfoil >

[hummingbird]

This thread no doubt has some "out-there" speculation but I feel like we are all getting an education in one way or another. It certainly has spurred me on to further readings. If by chance, someone does see something that thwarts a disaster, so much the better.

[Cindy]

On The Net...

http://www.al-intashar.s5.com/custom6.html

http://www.alminbar.com/khutbaheng/819.htm

http://www.google.com/search?q=%22jihaad%22&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&filter=0

http://inhonor.net/videos/fl_praise_allah.htm

[brucecw]

It is possible that this could refer to an earthquake.

It is so hard for me to believe that this is possible.

I think it might well be possible if you choose your fault or volcano carefully and put the right amount of energy at a critical point. But the "right amount" of energy would be huge!! A large nuclear blast - possibly a chain of them for a large earthquake - would probably be necessary to trigger anything "interesting." You'd probably also have to explode it well underground - a surface explosion is unlikely to do anything. A good-sized meteor would also suffice but would be harder to arrange. :-) But how do you compute what's enough energy and how do you identify a critical structure? Seismologists have studied this for decades and it's still not a very exact science.

If you're trying to do something like that it's probably a better bet to look for unstable soil regions or a large dam that you might blow up - those could be quite nasty without taking on something as hard as what you describe. Personally I think the idea of creating large-scale earthquakes like that is just wishful thinking - the logistical problems are huge, most especially if you need to keep your preparations secret.

[Pro-Bush]

Religion of peace Bump!

[FairOpinion]

Interesting point made in this article:



http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1058988/posts


Breaches seen as terrorist tests

The arrest of a Sudanese passenger carrying bullets after a trans-Atlantic flight from Washington Dulles International Airport to London this week follows a series of breaches, and an airline security analyst suspects terrorists are testing the system.
"It would be a mistake to brush this off," said Charles Slepian of the Foreseeable Risk Analysis Center. "We should be more concerned with their ability to blow up a plane than to hijack one."
A leaked FBI memo reported last week by British news outlets, including the London Times, says suicide terrorists are plotting to hijack trans-Atlantic planes by smuggling "ready to build" bomb kits past airport security, and later assembling the explosives in aircraft bathrooms.
"Terrorist operatives are more confident that they can successfully smuggle [bomb] components, rather than fully assembled bombs past airport security," the FBI memo said.
Mr. Slepian said the combination of the FBI memo and several recent security incidents indicate that terrorists are probing airline security procedures. The recent breaches include:


(see link for list)

[brucecw]

"What could "a stronger strike than nuclear weapons" mean?

For the above reasons I don't think it's likely to be an earthquake. For one thing, an earthquake has to be really big in order to cause substantially more damage than nuclear weapons - and the larger the earthquake, the harder it's likely to be to trigger it. By the time you've used enough megatonnage to trigger a big enough earthquake you might as well have destroyed a few cities with them instead - much better targeted.

If the quote isn't just idle "wouldn't it be nice if..." musing, it's probably talking about either an attack of a different nature. Possibly one that would cause huge casualties - biological attacks come to mind. Or perhaps an attack that could be compared to an earthquake because of its (metaphorically) earth-shaking consequences - which could be almost anything with a severe psychological impact, including political assassination.

[FairOpinion]

Here is a little good news for this thread:

Is bin Laden losing heart?

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1057962/posts

A terrorist leader who appeals for advice on how to fight adversity is already applying the loser label to himself


RICHARD GWYN

Except as confirmation that he's still alive, Osama bin Laden's latest audiocassette has largely been dismissed as yet another "same-old, same-old," rant.

In fact, bin Laden's tape is one of the most interesting he's given since the Al Qaeda leader's early days on the run when he defiantly called for holy war to demonstrate that defeat in Afghanistan didn't mean the defeat of terrorism.

The interest in this new tape lies not in its content, which is indeed familiar and stale, but in its tone. That tone is palpably pessimistic.

As in: "O Muslims, The situation is serious and the misfortune is momentous."

And: "Lend me your ears and open up your hearts to me so that we may examine these pitch-black misfortunes and so that we may consider how we can find a way out of these adversities and calamities."

Rather than a Churchillian-style speech of a general rallying his troops for a last, glorious charge to the top of a hill, these are the ruminations of a commander who not only is keenly aware of the setbacks his side has experienced but who himself is beginning to become demoralized.

It's possible to read too much into a single speech. Arab rhetoric tends to exaggeration.

Bin Laden may be getting tired of forever skulking around in chilly, damp caves. He may be increasingly frustrated by the difficulty of keeping in touch with his supporters when a single phone call is likely to bring a reply in the form of a cruise missile.

It's possible also, though, that bin Laden is beginning to yield to pessimism and demoralization because he recognizes he's losing the war.

To make that same point more cautiously, bin Laden may be approaching a tipping point after which his cause will lose momentum and his supporters begin to melt away.

Consider these recent events:

Saddam Hussein is captured.

Libya announces it will abandon all its weapons of mass destruction.

Afghan politicians agree to a new constitution.

Iran agrees to allow unlimited United Nations' inspection of its nuclear facilities.

Saudi Arabia starts cracking down on Al Qaeda cells, and with considerable success.

Syria starts to try to break out of its long isolation, reaching out to its old enemy Turkey (a U.S. ally) and proposing peace talks with Israel.

Not all these encouraging events will go from success to success. Setbacks are inevitable.

Thus, the fact that 2 1/2 years have now passed without Al Qaeda repeating its spectacular success of Sept. 11, does not mean than another terrible attack in the U.S. may not happen, even as this column is being written. Clearly, though, the prevailing trends in the war against terror are positive.

In Iraq, for instance, attacks by insurgents are down by one-fifth since before Saddam's capture. In lockstep, the pace of reconstruction there is at last starting to quicken.

Something much more important is now happening in Iraq. This is, what is not happening there. The U.S. invasion, Western critics widely predicted and, of course, bin Laden hoped and expected, would be the military equivalent of kicking over a hornet's nest.

The anti-U.S. insurgency has indeed achieved some considerable successes. But it's been strictly local, in the Sunni "triangle" and in parts of Baghdad.

Very few Shiites, no Kurds and many Sunnis — the great majority of Iraqis that's to say — have not taken part in it.

The iron law of terrorism is that either it escalates into a popular rebellion, or it eventually fades away.

As significant, the insurgents have failed to attract outside supporters.

By the best available estimates, only a few hundred "foreigners" from countries like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Afghanistan, have slipped into Iraq to join the insurgency.

Presented with the best possible target — an American army of occupation in the heart of the Middle East and, thus, available to be attacked directly by Al Qaeda terrorists — bin Laden has failed to mobilize more than a handful of supporters against his, and their, enemy.

Unless something dramatic happens soon, the deadly label of "loser" is going to be attached to bin Laden.

He's looking more and more like an ideologue who took on a fight he lacked the resources, ability and imagination to win.

About terrorism, there is one other iron law: No terrorist leader who looks like a loser can ever win.

A terrorist leader who appeals to his supporters for advice on how to "find a way out of these adversities and calamities" is already applying the loser label to himself.