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To: All
It's about time for another Threat Matrix Summary attempt:

DOMESTIC/MILITARY INTERESTS:
1) Specific internet jihadi threats to the USS Kitty Hawk were made, but the date mentioned (3/30) blessedly passed without incident.

2) There continues to be concern involving oil refineries/gas distribution in the Texas coastal areas, especially since Homeland Security specifically mentioned that these were considered to be targets of interest. (The FBI issued a statement that refineries may be targeted before the November elections.) Astute FReepers are keeping track of the incidents back to and including the surveillance and subsequent shooting of the BASF guard in Freeport, up to the current explosions at the BP refinery in Texas City.

3) A tanker truck blast on I-95 in Bridgeport,Connecticut which shut down traffic in both directions for several days and forced the delay/rerouting of thousands followed a SPECIFIC THREAT to I-95 which was made public on the day the "accident" occurred. REPEAT: I-95 WAS SPECIFICALLY THREATENED and security in the area was being stepped up (combination of local, state, Coast Guard, and Homeland Security) when a tanker crash and resulting explosion collapsed a bridge and forced the closure of I-95 in the Bridgeport area.

3a) In other truck crash news, a Russian semi driver in Salt Lake City is being investigated after he was found more than a mile back from his crashed truck. He was seriously injured and may have been thrown from the truck.

3b) In other weird CT news, a radioactive cannister usually found aboard Sikorsky helicopters was found in a man's yard and is under investigation as to how it got there.

4) There have been 4 military aircraft crashes in the past few days, at a cost of approximately $150 million, but blessedly, no loss of life.

4a) An F-14D Tomcat crashed off the coast of San Diego on 3/29 , with the 2 pilots ejecting safely.

4b) Also on Monday, an F/A-18 Hornet crashed in rural Rhea County, TN, with the pilot ejecting safely, suffering a broken foot and other minor injuries.

4c) On Friday, 3/26, a Hornet crashed and burned during takeoff from Raleigh/Durham airport. Pilot safely ejected.

4d) On Weds. 3/24, a Beaufort-based Hornet crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Savannah. Pilot safely ejected/rescued.

5) Bomb threats to several Northwest Airlines planes/flights prompted searches of planes in Detroit, Miami, LA, and Memphis. Searches did not turn up anything and the threats were not deemed credible. (Hmmm...but they were credible enough at the time to cause groundings/delays/searches...)

6) Rail lines, both commercial and industrial, have become an increased concern, especially after the Madrid attacks. Astute Freepers are keeping up with the myriad derailments throughout the country.

6a) 3 Amtrak passenger train enroute to NY were delayed/searched after receiving specific threats.

6b) A small explosion aboard a Manhattan subway Monday morning is under investigation. There were no injuries.

7) News of our porous borders continues to be reported on a daily basis. FBI and Homeland Security monitoring of airline passenger lists is for naught when terrorists can waltz across our borders like the rest of the illegal aliens who continue to flood our country. AND IF WE DON'T GET ANGRY AND VOCAL ABOUT THIS, WE WILL BE ATTACKED BY THE EVIL WITHIN!!! (Sorry, I just want to know WHY Vicente Sly-as-a-Fox has so much control over OUR country!)

7a) Border Patrol agents continue to come under attack from illegals & "coyotes." 2 agents were seriously hurt recently when attempting to apprehend a group of suspected illegals who had just crossed over in AZ.

7b) Also in AZ, a convoy of 6 trucks carrying 165 illegals was apprehended near Tucson, with another 6 trucks escaping. The NATIONALITIES of those apprehended was not disclosed.

7c) Latest updates say the number of terrorist cells that are probably already in place in Canada is staggering.

8) FReepers are chronicalling "interesting" stories regarding unexplained illnesses and outbreaks.

8a) Passengers aboard a Detroit to Cedar Rapids flight were detained due to a rash reported by one of the flight attendants. Turns out, the vector was a passenger from New Delhi, and the disease is measles. Authorities were still trying to locate all of the passengers from the earlier Northwest flight leg from Amsterdam to Detroit.

8b) Several schools across the country (in PA and MO, and I can't recall the others) have had outbreaks of unexplained illnesses. Possibly food related...

INTERNATIONAL INTERESTS:
1) The Israeli assassination of Hamas founder Yassin prompted many threats against Israel and the US. The new Hamas leader backed off his original threats against the US.

2) UK authorities apprehended 8 Pakistani immigrants/Islamic terrorists suspected of al-Qaeda ties and seized bomb-making materials. A huge threat thwarted.

3) Philippine officials also averted large terrorist attacks when they seized 36 kilos of TNT and operatives in a cell of Abu Sayyaf. Philippine elections are scheduled for May 10.

4) 4 days of continuing violence in Uzbekistan. Of note: they are considered to be a US ally in the war on terror, and they have upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for Dec. Are we beginning to see a pattern here?

5) Israel thwarted an attack from sea by 3 scuba divers. This following our mysterious scuba diver deaths/sitings in the US and Homeland Security warnings against possible attacks from sea.

6) China/North Korea and the whole area requires close monitoring due to the recent Taiwan elections, a renewed sense of Taiwanese nationalism, and China's continuing threats to seize control at all cost if they threaten independence.

7) The US can ill-afford to forget the continuing Communist threat posed by Russia, Cuba, and a large number of South American countries with pro-Castro leanings.

8) Today saw an increase in attacks against US troops and soft targets in and around Fallujah, Iraq.

9) We cannot over look the continuing threat of Iran, in light of renewed allegations concerning their nuclear "power plants"/weapons development.

Whew... that's about all I can come up with at the moment. Sorry for the rant, and please feel free to add/correct...
4,777 posted on 03/31/2004 3:52:01 PM PST by liberallyconservative
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To: liberallyconservative
Thank you Liberally Conservative.
4,810 posted on 03/31/2004 5:30:44 PM PST by Cindy
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To: liberallyconservative
Thanks again for your great summaries.
4,871 posted on 03/31/2004 9:51:50 PM PST by Oorang (The person who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it)
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To: liberallyconservative
Excellent and thank you!
4,895 posted on 03/31/2004 11:34:56 PM PST by JustPiper (The Middle Eastern states aren't nations, they're quarrels with borders)
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