Threat Matrix- Daily Terror Thread (4):

New York Post ^ | February 24, 2004 | By NILES LATHEM

[Revel]

February 24, 2004 -- WASHINGTON - The Pentagon has dispatched the elite commando force that hunted down Saddam Hussein to Afghanistan for a new operation aimed at getting Osama bin Laden, officials said yesterday. Military sources confirmed that members of the shadowy Task Force 121, the unit that conducted the high-tech search for Saddam and his henchmen, have recently begun operating in the remote mountainous region along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border where bin Laden and key al Qaeda and Taliban fugitives are believed to be hiding. The Task Force is made up of highly trained Delta and SEAL commandos, as well as CIA paramilitary operators. It operates outside normal military channels.

[Calpernia]

From that thread:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1088913/posts

Mon Mar 1, 5:44 AM ET BAGHDAD, Iraq - A large explosion was heard Monday in central Baghdad and appeared to have come from the vicinity of the headquarters of the U.S. occupation authority.

Shortly after the blast, a Black Hawk helicopter circled over the green zone, the U.S. compound that includes Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s former Republican Palace and serves as headquarters of the U.S.-led coalition.

[oceanview]

Mansoor is still pushing that story about the rockets with the chem weapons. Iran would have to be insane to sponsor such an attack in my opinion.

[rickylc]

They are not only insane, but desperate. Their time is coming to an end.

A bad combination.

[freeperfromnj]

Shortly after the blast, a Black Hawk helicopter circled over the green zone, the U.S. compound that includes Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s former Republican Palace and serves as headquarters of the U.S.-led coalition.

What do you think this means? I think I'm missing something.

[Calpernia]

I think they are trying to do a jail break.

[Velveeta]

I did hear Mansoor today. For some reason lately when I hear Mansoor, I shift uncomfortably in my seat. That "hinky meter" thing again. He's really pushing and pointing the finger at Iran. I'm curious as to his real agenda. Who is he really?

I know alot of folks here trust him and his assessments, I can't put my finger on why I don't....but I don't.

[rickylc]

I can understand your uneasiness, but it's true that a lot of fingers need to be pointed at Iran.

It looks to me like they are preparing for war. They are flipping the rest of the world the finger about their nuclear weapons program.

Signing a mutual protection accord with Syria and hosting a terrorist summit earlier in the month.

Iran is very very dangerous right now IMHO.

[Cindy]

ON THE NET...


http://www.taliyah.org/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=100&sid=

http://www.taliyah.org/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=360&sid=

[rickylc]

White Powder Shuts Down PA Offices

(Erie-PA) March 3, 2004 — Erie City Hall and the county courthouse next door are shut down today -- and several employees are confined to their offices -- after five letters containing a white powder or granules were sent to various offices in both buildings.

[Cindy]

THE FOLLOWING TEXT IS AN EXACT QUOTE:

http://travel.state.gov/colombia_warning.html

Travel Warning
United States Department of State
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Washington, DC 20520



This information is current as of today, Wed Mar 03 2004 13:24:39 GMT-0800.


Colombia

March 3, 2004

This Travel Warning is being issued to remind American citizens of ongoing security concerns in Colombia, continues to warn against travel to Colombia, and notes a continuing threat in urban areas throughout Colombia. This supersedes the Travel Warning issued December 19, 2003.


The Department of State warns U.S. citizens against travel to Colombia. Violence by narcoterrorist groups and other criminal elements continues to affect all parts of the country, urban and rural. Citizens of the United States and other countries continue to be the victims of threats, kidnappings, and other violence. Colombian terrorist groups also operate in the border areas of neighboring countries, creating similar dangers for travelers in those areas. Bombings have caused civilian casualties throughout Colombia. Targets include supermarkets, places of entertainment, and other areas where U.S. citizens congregate. There have been no security incidents, to our knowledge, on San Andres Island (off the coast of Nicaragua).


About 2,200 kidnapping incidents were reported throughout Colombia in 2003. Since the year 2000, 28 Americans were reported kidnapped in various parts of the country. American kidnap or murder victims have included journalists, missionaries, scientists, human rights workers, U.S. government employees and businesspeople, as well as persons on tourism or family visits, and even small children. No one can be considered immune on the basis of occupation, nationality or any other factor. Most kidnappings of U.S. citizens in Colombia have been committed by terrorist groups, including the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN), which have been designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations by the Secretary of State. Since it is U.S. policy not to make concessions to, or strike deals with, terrorists, the U.S. government’s ability to assist kidnapped U.S. citizens is limited.


As the Department continues to develop information on any potential security threats to U.S. citizens overseas, it shares credible threat information through its Consular Information Program documents, available on the Internet at http://travel.state.gov. U.S. travelers can also get up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 in the U.S. or Canada or on a regular toll line at 1-317-472-2328.


U.S. citizens should also consult the Department of State’s Consular Information Sheet for Colombia and the Worldwide Caution Public Announcement at http://travel.state.gov.


Return to Consular Information Sheets and Travel Warnings Page

[Cindy]

DEA.gov
http://www.dea.gov

NOTE: View The Wanted Poster on the Front Page of DEA.gov

NOTE: THE FOLLOWING TEXT IS AN EXACT QUOTE:
http://www.dea.gov/pubs/pressrel/pr022704.html

UP TO $5 MILLION REWARD FOR THE CAPTURE OF DRUG FUGITIVE ISMAEL ZAMBADA-GARCIA


FEB 26—The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) proudly announced today that the U.S. Department of State, through its Narcotics Rewards Program, is offering a reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Mexican drug lord Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada-Garcia.


Zambada-Garcia is responsible for bringing in at least 16 metric tons of cocaine into the United Sates during the past five years. He is designated as a major violator of the United States narcotics laws and was indicted for importing nearly 3,000 kilograms of cocaine, worth approximately $47.5 million, and charged with conspiracy to import and export under Title 21 U.S.C. 963 and, aiding and abetting under Title 18 USC 2. The indictment was unsealed by Attorney General John Ashcroft in July 2003, during the final stage of “Operation Trifecta”, a multi-agency, multi-nation initiative targeting the Zambada-Garcia drug trafficking organization’s command and control infrastructure.


Zambada is controlling one of the largest and most powerful drug trafficking organizations in Mexico, smuggling wholesale quantities of cocaine and marijuana through almost every port of entry in the state of Arizona and is expanding his influence along the 2,000 mile Southwest Border. DEA Acting Special Agent in Charge, Anthony Coulson stated, “Zambada-Garcia is an extremely dangerous criminal whose narcotic trafficking activities are legendary. For more than three decades, he has skillfully aligned with almost every known drug trafficking organization in Mexico. We are asking the assistance of Arizona residents to provide any information they may have on his whereabouts so that we can bring his criminal career to an end.”


Zambada-Garcia recently emerged as one of the top drug smugglers in Mexico after a bloody battle with the Arellano-Felix Organization, the once-powerful Tijuana cartel, and has consolidated his control over the smuggling routes from the Mexican state of Sonora into Arizona.


DEA spokesperson, Ramona Sanchez stated that the DEA is trying to dramatically increase the pressure on Zambada by soliciting the public’s help in finding him. Sanchez remarked that the DEA will pursue every possible lead until he is found and brought to justice. As part of a state-wide, aggressive media campaign, the DEA has posted two billboards along Interstate 10 in southern Arizona for information leading to Zambada-Garcia’s capture. “Wanted” posters and flyers of Zambada will also be posted at ports of entry along the Southwest Border as well as in federal, state and local government buildings.


Zambada-Garcia will be featured on “America’s Most Wanted” to be aired on the Fox Channel on Saturday, February 28, 2004.


Anyone with information about Zambada-Garcia’s whereabouts is urged to call the DEA Phoenix Tip Hotline 1-866-332-7469 from the United States or Mexico. All calls are Strictly Confidential.

If you have questions or need further information, please call Public Information Officer Ramona Sanchez at (602) 664-5725

[MamaDearest]

The top secret international commando group which tracked down Saddam Hussein is being transferred from Iraq to Afghanistan to spearhead the hunt for Osama bin Laden.

It's about time!!!

[Cindy]

I couldn't get your link to work. This one seems to be working. FYI.

http://www.aftenposten.no/english/world/article.jhtml?articleID=744707

"Swedish uranium may be missing" (March 3, 2004)

ARTICLE SNIPPET: "Large amounts of uranium may have gone missing from a nuclear technology company in Sweden. The American Central Intelligence Agency fears a worst-case scenario where the material has already fallen into terrorist hands, newspaper Expressen reports.


"The company (Ranstad Mineral) is a security risk and we have taken the matter to top level to get the Swedes to stop them," a CIA spokesman told the Swedish newspaper.


The CIA operative claims to know that the little Swedish company has educated Syrian nuclear physicists in the treatment of uranium. He also has information that a Swedish consultancy has sold nuclear equipment to Syria that can be used in the treatment of radioactive material."

[MamaDearest]

"The Army has the highest number of unknowns - 9,055. The Navy has 6,531, the Air Force 444, the Marines one. Overall, 1,366,032 U.S. citizens and 35,662 legal immigrants serve in the U.S. military."

This is shameful information. Too bad we can't put some unemployed people back to work checking these people out and either approving their backgrounds or getting them removed from our military because they may represent a direct threat to the lives of our servicemen and servicewomen. Like everything else these days it appears that recruiters want to keep up their numbers and enlisting non-citizens of undetermined origin would seem to pose loyalty issues. Does the government that requires I-9 forms for each employee not use them for their own employees (i.e, the military)? Someone needs to put a stop to this right now.

[Velveeta]

I do realize that Iran is playing a master game right now. No question that both Iran and North Korea are treading in dangerous waters.

I can't for the life of me explain this uneasy feeling I have about Mansoor. The uneasiness increases every time I see him.

[FairOpinion]

Thanks for pinging me to the Mansoor Ijaz statement -- I missed it.

I believe it's quite likely that Iran is testing the waters.

I think we need to have a regime change in Iran and Syria, before there will be peace in the Middle East.

[jerseygirl]

Much of the recent Iranian news is troubling. Their threat to Qaddafi to "overthrow" him if he leaked their nuke secrets, their defense pact with Syria. If they are at the end of their rule, who knows what they are capable of if they decide to lash out.

[jerseygirl]

Thank you!

[jerseygirl]

Do you think possibly that you are intuitively sensing his distress? (He obviously knows some very chilling things that he is not allowed to disclose.)

[Cindy]

You're welcome.