Al-Qaeda Claims Responsibility

3-11-04 | AP

[technomage]

AP News Alert

03/11 2:29p CST CAIRO, Egypt (AP)

A London-based Arabic newspaper says it has received claim of responsibility for the Madrid train bombings issued in the name of al-Qaida.

[atomicpossum]

Excerpts From The Geniuses On Democratic Underground:

How long before they say it was done by Bush, Cheney and the CIA to save his 'floundering' campaign?

[Lorianne]

9/11/01 -9/10/02 = 365
9/11/02 -9/10/03 = 365
9/11/03 -9/31/04 = 20
10-03 = 31
11-03 = 30
12-03 = 31
1-04 = 31
2-04 = 29
3/01/04 -3/11/04 = 11

Subtract 2, one for 9/11/01 and one for today 3/11/04.

It has been 911 days since 9/11/01.

[Poohbah]

How long before they say it was done by Bush, Cheney and the CIA to save his 'floundering' campaign?

Jeez, you getting advance copies of Kerry's press releases?

[Lorianne]

What is the name of that website? (I figured out it longhand).

[highlander_UW]

Kerry says threat of terrorism is exaggerated
January 30, 2004

Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts said during last night's Democratic presidential debate that the threat of terrorism has been exaggerated.
"I think there has been an exaggeration," Mr. Kerry said when asked whether President Bush has overstated the threat of terrorism. "They are misleading all Americans in a profound way."

Source: http://www.washtimes.com/national/20040129-115023-8966r.htm

[cwb]

And these frickin' idiots support a guy who calls terrorism an exaggeration...and who would apologize for our actions. What a bunch of pathetic nuts.

[PureSolace]

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (Reuters) - A letter purporting to come from Osama bin Laden's militant Islamist al Qaeda network said a big attack on the United States was in the final stages of preparations, a London-based Arabic newspaper said Thursday.

"We bring the good news to Muslims of the world that the expected 'Winds of Black Death' strike against America is now in its final stage ... 90 percent (ready) and God willing near," the letter said.

The letter, signed by the Abu Hafs al-Masri Brigades, which said it is part of al Qaeda, was sent to the London-based al-Quds al-Arabi newspaper. A copy of the letter was faxed to Reuters in Dubai.

What could the Winds of Black Death be? Bio Terror? Dirty Bomb? Blowing up a Volcano?

[technomage]

Still More Intelligent Excerpts From Posts At DU:

"just WHERE is the EVIDENCE that Al-Qaeda even exists? Huh? Oh yeah, the government told us so... Oh yeah, they claim to have all the evidence but can't release it because of "national security". These are the SAME PEOPLE that have LIED to us about WMDs and other idiocies. These are the SAME PEOPLE that are HIDING the flag draped coffins returning from the ME. Look beyond..."

"President Crooked could say that Al Qaida had no part in the bombings, but that would leave all the responsibility to homegrown terrorism. Better to leave the question of Al Qaida out there. It took all of one day after WTC to point the finger at Al Qaida but they will never point the finger away from Al Qaida. It is better for the crooked administration to keep Americans thinking and living in fear. But more than likely this is a Basque action. They have been bombing for years. Homegrown terrorism. It's there but blame the Boogey Man also".

"And I remain unconvinced that this is even AQ; it seems to me that it benefits this administration to keep everyone scared out of their minds by claiming Muslims are behind every death on earth".

"Getting that old familiar crawling of the skin feeling. At 3:00 p.m., several stories came blasting across the news. In Madrid they are now reporting finding van that has a bunch of detonators in it and a Koran tape. Thus, they are now looking at the bombings as possible bin Laden boys rather than Basque faction. But, get this, the van was located from a "tip" and the tape is the kind of Koran readings you can buy in any store.

The French have joined in and now gone to a high terrorist alert. Now, tell me, who the hell benefits from making it sound like the Evil doers are on the march and we could get hit at any moment, too??? In fact, was the orginal bombings done by any of these groups and when the Spanish just didn't get it and blamed it on the Basque, they had to be pointed in a desired direction??

Then came the arrest of US spy just in to the newsrooms. They arrested a woman who was a aide to two Democratic (emphasize Democratic) congresspeople in the past (Mosley-Braun--as in presidential candidate) one of them. She was seen being taken away yelling that she is an anti-war activist!! Let see: a spying Dem, anti-war unpatriotic Democrat working for Sadaam---can't trust those stinkin' Dems you know to fight terror.

Finally, even though they've been talking about Kerry's off mike remarks today, they suddenly have burst forth as if they just discovered that this just shows the terrible real character of Kerry. Apparently, they weren't pumping it hard enough so it was juiced up for the evening crowd as they come home. And, just coincidentally, tonight Bush launches his ads against Kerry. Dear God I smell something.......this isn't just coincidental".

And my favorite so far: "We can win with facts. We can't win with innuendo. Please, please, stick to the facts".

[Steve_Seattle]

Is that a real Bush campaign poster, or did you make it up yourself (or find it on the Internet)? Maybe Kerry's quote about the terrorist threat being "exaggerated" should be on there somewhere.

[atomicpossum]

How long before they say it was done by Bush, Cheney and the CIA to save his 'floundering' campaign?

Jeez, you getting advance copies of Kerry's press releases?

You don't have to smell much manure to know what it's gonna smell like tomorrow.

[ApplegateRanch]

Al Qaeda doesn't normally claim responsiblity,

They probably don't want the Basques to undeservedly bask in their "glory".

[King Black Robe]

WBD -- maybe it's symbolic. Do you know what the message was pre 9/11? Maybe it's a crop duster thing. Who knows.

[txhurl]

Did you notice Tenet looking more morose than usual on TV yesterday?

[King Black Robe]

Weird, though maybe just a coincidence. Could be a reference to something in the Quran I guess.

[highlander_UW]

"Bush is partly to blame. If he didn't drop the ball on Osama and change his focus to the war in Iraq instead... then we would have had Osama and more of Al Queda by now".

"Bush is partly responsible for what happened in Spain today. His personal war distracted us from the enemy that actually was actually killing people. Al Queda".

Of course not that long ago they were complaining how all the Al Qaeda were gathering in Iraq to attack American troops. Guess they must have changed their minds.

Of course, consistancy, wisdom and truth have never gotten in the way of the dims at DU in the past, why should now be any different?

Half of them claim Bush has Osama in captivity just waiting to spring his capture before the election.

[highlander_UW]

Then came the arrest of US spy just in to the newsrooms. They arrested a woman who was a aide to two Democratic (emphasize Democratic) congresspeople in the past (Mosley-Braun--as in presidential candidate) one of them. She was seen being taken away yelling that she is an anti-war activist!! Let see: a spying Dem, anti-war unpatriotic Democrat working for Sadaam---can't trust those stinkin' Dems you know to fight terror.

What is funny is, this one is most certainally intended to be sarcasm, but since it's entirely accurate it fails...but the author doesn't even realize it!

[duffer]

I have a Spanish friend and if you think we were angry you should listen to him. He was in the intelligence, he said the city is closed and military is in control.

Apparently they in Spain do not play the by the kings rules and he said death will become those who did this. I can assure the PM of Spain has withdrawn his support of JFK.

[TomGuy]

FoxNews email posted by Momaw Nadon

CAIRO, Egypt — The Arabic newspaper Al-Quds al-Arabi said Thursday it had received a claim of responsibility for the Madrid train bombings issued in the name of Al Qaeda.

The five-page e-mail claim, signed by the shadowy Brigade of Abu Hafs al-Masri, was received at the paper's London offices. It said the brigade's "death squad" had penetrated "one of the pillars of the crusade alliance, Spain," and carried out what it called Operation Death Trains.

"This is part of settling old accounts with Spain, the crusader, and America's ally in its war against Islam," the claim said.

Referring to Spain's Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar, the statement asked: "Aznar, where is America? Who will protect you, Britain, Japan, Italy and others from us?"

The newspaper faxed the claim to The Associated Press office in Cairo.

The statement warned the United States that a major strike is approaching.

"We announce the good news for the Muslims in the world that the strike of the black wind of death, the expected strike against America, is now at its final stage — 90 percent ready — and it is coming soon, by God's will," the claim said.

Asked about the claim of responsibility, White House spokesman Sean McCormack said "we've seen the news reports and we're going to determine what the facts are."

The message also referred to last year's attack on Italian paramilitary police serving in the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq.

"When we attacked the Italian troops in Nasiriyah and sent you and America's agents an ultimatum to withdraw from the anti-Islam alliance, you did not understand the the message. Now we have made it clear and hope that this time you will understand," the statement said.

"We, at the Abu Hafs brigades, have not felt sad for the so-called civilians," the statement in an apparent reference to the hundreds of casualties in Thursday's attacks in Madrid.

"Is it OK for you to kill our children, women, old people and youth in Afghanistan, Iraq, Palestine and Kashmir? And is it forbidden to us to kill yours?" the claim asked.

The statement said another Al Qaeda squad, Jund al-Quds or Soldiers of Jerusalem, had carried out Tuesday night's attack on a Masonic lodge in Istanbul, Turkey.

"All the Masons would have been killed but there was a technical fault. So because God wished it, only three were killed," the statement said.

In the attack, two suicide bombers opened fire in the lodge's dining hall, killing a waiter and wounding five other people. The attackers then detonated rudimentary explosives. One assailant died in the blast while the other was severely wounded.

[kaktuskid]

Where's El Cid when you need him!