| This thread has been locked, it will not receive new replies. |
|
Locked on 05/17/2004 4:51:20 PM PDT by Admin Moderator, reason:
at poster’s request |
Posted on 04/26/2004 3:35:38 PM PDT by JustPiper
Edited on 07/12/2004 4:14:45 PM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
"I will never cower before any master nor bend to any threat"
Two Chinese diplomats, away from their Los Angeles consulate improperly, recently sped their vehicle past a Los Alamos National Laboratory guard post near classified facilities in what U.S. officials think was an intelligence mission, The Washington Times has learned.
(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...
RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat calls on his people to "terrorize your enemy."
Unbelievable input Ma! These guys are thinking my thoughts! And chilling on the chair isn't it? I hope they join us here!
Chunks of cement fall from bridge in Chicago
May 15, 2004 — There were traffic troubles at a busy spot in Chicago overnight. Chunks of cement started falling from the Lake Shore Drive Bridge at Belmont.
Police and fire crews were at the scene. They directed traffic around the area. Workers were seen knocking some of the loose cement to the ground.
It's unclear if any repairs are planned or if the area will be closed to traffic.
http://abclocal.go.com/wls/news/051504_ap_ns_bridge.html
STRATFOR INTELLIGENCE BRIEF
Summary
A leading militant commander in Saudi Arabia has praised the May 1 attacks in the Red Sea port city of Yanbu. Details about the attack suggest that jihadism might be becoming a grassroots phenomenon. If so, the likelihood for and frequency of attacks against Western and government facilities in the kingdom and elsewhere will rise exponentially.
Analysis
Abdel Aziz al-Muqrin, Saudi Arabia's top jihadist leader, issued a statement May 6 praising the four Islamists who killed five Western employees of oil contracting company ABB Lummus in the Saudi city of Yanbu. Al-Mqurin urged other Saudis to follow their example and carefully plan, prepare and execute similar attacks.
Stratfor indicated last week that many independent jihadist groups had surfaced since the Sept. 11 attacks. The attack in Yanbu indicates that the phenomenon might be entering a new phase in which individuals acting alone or in small groups carry out attacks.
If true, the multitude of individuals influenced by al Qaeda and taking cues from other established groups will multiply, and Yanbu-style attacks are likely to become much more frequent.
The widespread belief has been that the loss of Afghanistan as a training ground put a dent into planning, preparation and execution of operations -- particularly by novices. A successful operation entails avoiding detection, engaging in surveillance and training in weapons and explosives.
It appears that those at the helm of the Islamist militant movement had contingency plans prepared in the event they lost Afghanistan. Examining the behavior of the non-Afghan fighters during the U.S. military campaign in fall 2001, there did not appear to be much of an actual al Qaeda presence. Those who stood their ground and fought the Americans were either Taliban or non-Afghans foot soldiers. The veterans of al Qaeda training camps relocated into other states before and during the war.
There have been reports that hundreds of al Qaeda operatives made their way to other countries once they reached the Pakistani port city of Karachi. Those 600 or so in custody at the detention facility at Guantanamo, Cuba, appear to be mostly Taliban and al Qaeda rank and file, who are at best foot soldiers and the occasional seasoned operative. There are a handful of high-profile al Qaeda members -- such as Abu Zubaydah, Khalid Sheikh Muhammad and Ramzi bin al Shibh -- who have been nabbed and are in detention at Bagram Air Base, Diego Garcia or other undisclosed locations.
Jihadist communiques from the Arabian Peninsula and statements from the Saudi and Yemeni governments show that many on their wanted lists are veterans of the Afghan camps. These men safely arrived at their destinations and might have started their own groups. They also appear to have improvised tactics by avoiding formal groups and staying away from training in the traditional manner.
Despite the loss of the operational hub, the phenomenon of jihadism is flourishing. In the interest of continued proliferation, highly trained veterans are trying to disseminate their tactical knowledge and experience through unorthodox means. The al Bataar newsletter, released weekly from the Arabian Peninsula, is one such outlet.
The authors of this publication have tried to simplify training for the uninitiated so that they gradually develop the knowledge, skills and abilities they would have acquired in Afghanistan. Al Bataar offers crash courses on the particulars of planning a successful operation, training and methods of maintaining secrecy.
Stratfor sources say that some of the attackers had been employed inside the company for as many as seven years. They say one of the assailants during the shootout walked by a Philippine employee and said, "You are not what we are looking for," indicating they were targeting Westerners. Another source says two militants managed to escape from the scene.
Even a cursory examination of the Yanbu attack demonstrates that it does not take a lot of training, ability or experience to pull off such an operation. From the language used by al-Muqrin in his statement praising the attackers, Yanbu was the work of volunteers uaffiliated with any group. Three of them were employed at ABB Lummus -- further reinforcing the notion that the ideology of jihadism is being taken up by average Saudis, not just social misfits.
The movement away from formal organizations by making training lessons available in the public domain has allowed the jihadist movement to sustain itself and tap into the grassroots of society. This bodes ill for the security of foreign companies in the kingdom -- and the future of the Saudi monarchy.
Date: 2004-05-15 Source: STRATFOR (www.stratfor.com) Location: Saudi Arabia
City worker injured in fire
A city worker was severely injured when a fire broke out as a tanker was being loaded with fuel Friday at the city's Department of Fleet Management, 1685 N. Throop. The fire started about 2p.m. The driver of the truck tried to put out the fire and called 911, officials said. The worker suffered burns to about 18 percent of his body. He was transported to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center where he was in critical condition. Four others on the scene suffered smoke inhalation, officials said.
http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-metro15.html
15 May 2004
U.S. 'Part of the Battleground' In Terror War
By Gerry J. Gilmore
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON: While American forces are fighting overseas, it's likely that terrorists are planning another attack on the United States, a senior military officer noted here today.
"We are at war in this country," Army Lt. Gen. Edward G. Anderson III noted to attendees at the annual Technet information technology conference. Anderson is the deputy commander of U.S. Northern Command and vice commander of the U.S. element of North American Aerospace Defense Command.
NORTHCOM, with headquarters at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., is tasked to deter, prevent and defeat threats to the United States and its territories, while NORAD watches for threats from the skies.
The United States, the general said, "is part of the battleground" in the global war against terrorism. He emphasized that terrorists "are absolutely dedicated to doing harm to the people of this nation, in this nation - I guarantee it."
The terrorists are well financed, adaptive -- and patient, Anderson pointed out.
"They will wait as long as they have to," the general said, "until they can find a vulnerability to do what it is that they want to do." Consequently, Anderson said, it's paramount not to underestimate terrorists' capabilities. "We must, must make sure that we do not let our guard down" and become complacent, he emphasized.
The consequences of underestimating terrorists "would be tragic," Anderson said. The terrorists' intent, the general said, "is for an event bigger than we saw on 9/11 and using
-- if possible -- weapons of mass destruction."
http://www.emergency.com/ennday.htm
Here is an interesting summary; just general info.
A list of international terrorist organizations considered by the U.S. State Department to be active during the last five years.
Spain's ex-prime minister warns of threats during U.S. election
(05-15) 19:09 PDT ORANGE, Calif. (AP) --
Terrorists will try to affect the outcome of the U.S. presidential election as they did in Spain with the Madrid train attacks, the former Spanish prime minister warned Saturday.
Jose Maria Aznar, on his first U.S. visit since voters ousted his conservative party days after the March 11 train bombings, did not say where terrorists would likely strike, nor did he specify what outcome they would desire in the election, but he described the attempt as a certainty.
"It's important to realize that the terrorists will do all they can to disrupt the upcoming U.S. election," Aznar said on the second day of a visit to California. "They are going to do everything in their power to have the United States fail."
The former prime minister, who is scheduled to meet with President Bush in Washington on Tuesday, made the remarks during a visit to Chapman University to receive the school's Global Citizen Medal at a gala dinner.
Aznar was one of the Bush administration's staunchest allies during the invasion to oust Saddam Hussein, despite widespread opposition among the Spanish public.
Aznar's Popular Party lost general elections to the Socialists three days after the Madrid train bombings, which killed 191 people. Spanish authorities blame the attack on Islamic extremists, possibly linked to al-Qaida.
The new government promptly withdrew the 1,300 troops Spain had in Iraq, fulfilling a campaign promise.
"The results of the elections in Spain would have been different if not for what happened on March 11," Aznar said at Chapman, a small university about 35 miles southeast of Los Angeles.
The former prime minister said his support of the Iraq war in the face of public opposition was difficult but necessary to defeat terrorism.
"I did what I had to do," he said.
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/05/15/national2209EDT0643.DTL
I am now wrapped up reading the 37 pages of the Nick Berg video possibly being fake article that is on Jill's site. I feel like our information is similar to a ping pong match. It's difficult to separate the facts from the frenzy.
Question is, when did it begin and why didn't we notice it?
Thank you LG2. NEIN has a message today concerning AQ's plans for more kidnappings and assasinations. No telling what's in store from here on. There's a great FR thread giving "averages" about our troops and it's worth a read.
You know I got as far as the chair being the same and it's not so I quit reading. I don't see the point of trying to find a conspiracy with this thing. For what other purpose was he killed other than to terrorize us and scare people out of Iraq that are trying to rebuild it?
I know there's truth in what you say. And many prophetic voices have predicted severe discipline for the USA. I've felt all along that was far more likely.
Still, I don'at know that any of us have the whole mind of God clearly in focus on this score.
AND, BROKENNESS, REPENTENCE, FASTING ETC. CAN CERTAINLY CHANGE GOD'S HAND ON THIS SCORE--all the more so if He is truly calling us to intercede accordingly.
My opinion: the Supreme Court isn't very supreme anymore.
No, I didn't know that. So now we are aware that pigs and dogs stress them out. These animals should be used to our advantage. We know they certainly wouldn't want to touch them. Unfortunately we probably can't look at them cross-eyed anymore without it getting on 60 Minutes or being the featured story on all TV news channels.
Great idea Cal!
NOR VERY HONORABLE AT ALL!
stoolies of the puppet masters evidently.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.