Threat Matrix: Daily Terror Threat - Thread Ten

Yahoo News ^ | 6-10-04 | AP

[JustPiper]

Picture credit: TheCabal

"I will never cower before any master nor bend to any threat"

LINK TO THREAD NINE

U.S. Charges Australian Linked to al-Qaida

WASHINGTON - An Australian held at the Navy's prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, will face a military tribunal for allegedly training and fighting alongside members of al-Qaida in Afghanistan (news - web sites), the Pentagon (news - web sites) announced Thursday.

We are the "Stotters" who make ourselves aware of the enemy who wishes to do us harm

[Donna Lee Nardo]

Hi silentwatcher. Thanks for posting that. Some of it really rings true, unfortunately. I have seen similar sentiment shared by terrorists supporters over at It's Happening for 2 years now, especially the part about the jihadis having to hold off on attacks due to tighted security. In fact, in the same period, there have been posts on Arabic boards to believers telling them to be patient...the hits will come when the time is right.

[nwctwx]

I've never seen or heard of a meteorite being described quite this way. It's a bit unnerving.

I will admit I have been following all these reports recently, because I have an interest in the field rather than because I believe it portends something bigger. There have been a lot of interesting reports recently, but similar to the mid-west tornado reports, I wonder if there are just more people spread over larger areas allowing for more sightings.

A 'house sized' meteor would do a lot of damage. If this story was 100% factual, I would think there would be other reports from the area indicating downed forest/a large crater/etc... The fact that the article does not allude to finding anything of consequence, makes me believe there was no ‘house-sized’ meteor.

The item most comparable in size from recent history was a meteor which exploded over Siberia in 1908. It was a considerably larger (but probably the closest recent-history example), and had devastating affects over a sizeable area (largely uninhabited forest).

Here are a few links to that event, keep in mind that the Siberian 'object' was probably about 2 to 4 times as big as a house, so it would have definitely caused a good deal more damage than a house-sized object. I believe it gives a 'relative' idea though, so it is worth comparing the two.

1908 Siberia Explosion - Reconstructing from Eyewitness Accounts
Tunguska : The Cosmic Mystery of the Century

[Donna Lee Nardo]

Sadly, everything you said is true, Oorang. We are so pc and it will destroy us soon most likely. Even post-911 and we are still so stupidly pc. We really must be the laughing stock of all our nation's enemies, internal and external.

[Quix]

My impression was that the Aussie house sized thing crashed into the sea just off the coast.

I suppose if it was far enough off and the person's house was on a cliff or some such, the resulting wave would not have been overly devastating?

I suppose it depends more on what size it WAS vs what size it APPEARED TO BE.

[steve86]

One has to wonder how many significant meteor events have occurred over the entire southern hemisphere -- Australia and New Zealand are a tiny bit of land area compared to the ocean there.

I wonder if South America is experiencing an increased rate. Often sky-related news does make it to the U.S. but it is hard to partial out the astronomical events from the E.T. reports (I am not entirely discounting some of the latter).

Meteor reports from most of southern Africa (other than South Africa) probably would not make it to our news except for a really exceptional event. It might be worth monitoring South Africa news to see if anything is being reported.

[steve86]

Maybe we can have most (not all) of our meteor discussions in the evening/night (U.S.). Is this a compromise the others can live with?

[Donna Lee Nardo]

Yes, I recall that. I remember reports saying that it was an aviation radio -- I thought it was a scanner type radio but I may well be wrong. Reports said it would allow someone to monitor pilot communications, etc. Would that be GPS-related also? My memory is failing me right now because I am sleepy. I will try to find a related article to post.

[Donna Lee Nardo]

Here is an old piece about the Egyptian with the aviation radio before he was deemed innocent and released (aren't they all?):

***

CNN SATURDAY MORNING NEWS
FBI Yet to Determine if Higazy Used Radio to Guide 9/11 Terrorists
Aired January 12, 2002 - 08:22 ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: An Egyptian man held as a material witness in the World Trade Center attacks has now been charged. Abdallah Higazy is charged with lying to the FBI about a handheld aviation radio. Investigators say the radio was found in Higazy's room in a hotel across from the Trade Towers after the attacks.

CNN's Deborah Feyerick reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DEBORAH FEYERICK, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): To find their target, officials say the September 11 hijackers used guidance systems. But did they also have a man on the ground? Prosecutors say Abdallah Higazy was on the 51st floor of the Millennium Hilton Hotel, across from the Trade Center, when the planes hit.

Higazy, like hundreds of others, evacuated, leaving behind his passport, a Koran and, prosecutors say, a pilot radio, a handheld device like this one. Experts say it has a 150 mile range and could possibly be used by someone on the ground to talk to a plane mid- flight.

LEONARD HARRIS, COMMERCIAL PILOT: It's absolutely feasible. He had the capability with a very high frequency radio of the aviation frequencies, 760 channels. He had the capability of communicating with an airliner.

FEYERICK: Higazy has not been charged with terrorism, but with making false statements to FBI agents about the radio. Prosecutors saying Higazy denied, then admitted, owning it, giving three different reasons why the radio was in his hotel room safe. Higazy's lawyer says it's not so.

ROBERT DUNN, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: He denies and has denied and continues to deny having ownership or anything to do whatsoever with the item in question.

FEYERICK: Higazy arrived in New York August 27, traveling on a student visa with a scholarship to Brooklyn's Polytechnic University, studying computer engineering. Senior law officials do not dispute his lawyer's claim that Higazy did not choose his room, that had only a partial view of the towers. The school put him up at the hotel across from the World Trade Center for 30 days until he could find an apartment.

DUNN: It was not his choice to be there. He was given an itinerary in a packet that was provided by that entity and it included his stay for 30 days at this hotel.

FEYERICK: Higazy served mandatory military service in the Egyptian Air Force. The FBI agent who questioned him says one of Higazy's jobs was to repair air to ground pilot radios. Higazy told the agent he had some expertise in communications and communications devices. According to his lawyer, Higazy studied in the United States for years, saying his father worked for the Egyptian embassy in Washington, D.C., and also possibly for the United Nations.

(on camera): One prosecutor says Higazy could possibly prove to be an important part of the September 11 investigation. But the judge warned that this could also turn out not to be a terrorism case after all. Higazy is in jail, bail denied.

Deborah Feyerick, CNN, New York.

[Selene]

The man has told investigators that Al Qaeda is planning more attacks in the United States. He has also revealed a scheme to smuggle terrorists across the Mexican border.

Hitch a ride inside the mexican trucks coming over the border. Get a California drivers license. Use it to get on a plane. Use the license to open a bank account, rent an apartment, rent a truck. Not much scheming necessary.

[Cindy]

NOTE: THE FOLLOWING TEXT IS AN EXACT QUOTE:
==

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

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


This information is current as of today, Wed Jun 16 2004 22:07:42 GMT-0700.



INDONESIA





June 16, 2004


This Travel Warning updates security threat information for Indonesia and reminds American citizens of the ongoing terrorist threat in Indonesia. The Department of State continues to recommend that Americans defer all non-essential travel to Indonesia. This supersedes the March 19, 2004 Travel Warning for Indonesia.


The Department urges Americans who choose to travel to Indonesia despite this Travel Warning to observe vigilant personal security precautions; to remain aware of the continued potential for terrorist attacks against Americans, U.S.- or other Western interests in Indonesia; and to register with U.S. Embassy Jakarta, U.S. Consulate General Surabaya or the U.S. Consular Agent in Bali. Registration facilitates the U.S. Mission’s contact with Americans in emergency situations. Americans in Indonesia should maintain a low profile, vary daily routines, avoid crowds and demonstrations, and keep abreast of current Indonesian events.


The U.S. Mission in Indonesia restricts U.S. government employees’ travel to certain areas of the country and, at times, denies them permission to travel to Indonesia. For the latest security information, contact a U.S. Mission consular office. The U.S. Mission can occasionally suspend service to the public, or close, because of security concerns; in these situations, it will continue to provide emergency services to American citizens.



Indonesia will hold a presidential election on July 5, 2004, and a possible presidential runoff election on September 20, 2004. Election-related violence is possible. Americans should avoid demonstrations and large gatherings, which could turn violent or cause unexpected traffic disruptions. The Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) and other similar terrorist groups might use these elections as opportune occasions to conduct attacks.


The potential remains for violence and terrorist actions against U.S. citizens and interests throughout the country. The JI has cells in several Southeast Asian countries, including Indonesia, and connections with al-Qaeda. Terrorist bombings killed or injured American citizens at a major international hotel in Jakarta in August 2003 and at Denpasar, Bali in October 2002. The U.S. government continues to receive information that JI and other extremist groups might be planning additional attacks against U.S. and other Western interests in Indonesia. Since security has increased at official U.S. facilities, terrorists could seek "softer" targets, including but not limited to where Americans and other Westerners live, congregate, shop or visit, including hotels, clubs, restaurants, shopping centers, identifiably Western businesses, housing compounds, transportation systems, places of worship, schools, or public recreation events.


Sectarian, ethnic, communal and separatist violence continue to threaten personal safety and security in several areas. Over the past three years, domestically targeted bombings have struck religious, political, and business targets. In 2003, the Jakarta international airport, an open-air concert in Aceh, and other Indonesian government facilities were bombed.


Americans should avoid travel to Aceh. Indonesia restricts foreigners’ travel to that province; one foreigner was killed and another wounded in Aceh by security forces in the past year. Although Indonesia replaced martial law in Aceh with a state of civil emergency on May 19, 2004, Aceh’s security situation remains highly uncertain.


Americans considering travel to the provinces of Papua and West Timor should exercise extreme caution because of sectarian, ethnic, communal and separatist strife. Papua’s on-going separatist conflict has the potential to become violent. In August 2002, two Americans were killed in Papua under as yet unresolved circumstances.


Americans should avoid travel to Maluku, in particular the capital city of Ambon. Since April 25, 2004, sectarian violence has killed at least 40 and injured more than 220 people.


Americans should avoid travel to Central, South and Southeast Sulawesi; those considering travel to North Sulawesi should exercise extreme caution. Violence in Poso and in neighboring areas of Central Sulawesi during October-November 2003 produced 19 fatalities. Central Sulawesi’s general security situation remains unstable. A specific, credible terrorist threat to Western interests in areas of Central, Southern and Southwestern Sulawesi in May 2004 led many Westerners to evacuate those areas.


The Philippine-based terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group poses an ongoing kidnapping risk/threat in areas near Malaysia and the Philippines.


Americans can obtain information on travel and security in Indonesia from the Department of State by calling 1-888-407-4747 within the United States; or 1-317-472-2328 from overseas. Americans also can call the Embassy in Jakarta at (62)(21) 3435-9000, the Consulate General in Surabaya at (62) (31) 568-2287, and the Consular Agent in Bali at (62) (361) 233-605. American citizens should read the Department of State's Consular Information Sheet for Indonesia and latest Worldwide Caution Public Announcement, both available at http://travel.state.gov.



Return to Consular Information Sheets and Travel Warnings Page

[MamaDearest]

I agree with you and Oorang 110%. Our nation's PC behavior is causing other nations to lose respect for us. It's kind of like Monopoly, except we don't know which House or Hotels contain terrorists, what "Chance" they take by sneaking in via Canada and Mexico if they aren't already here, What sabotage they do to our Railroads and Utilities, and when the "Go" word will be given. We are vulnerable to air and sea attack (per posts today) and sitting here waiting for them to make the next move.

The creep who kidnapped Paul Johnson was reportedly (on radio report) released early from prison for memorizing the Koran. Doesn't this kidnapper have a family that could be kidnapped and killed the same way he threatens to do? They say they give their lives for jihad, but I believe if we reversed the behavior on them, they would be a bit stunned to see our tolerance level at zero. PC behavior be damned.

[Cindy]

On The Net...

http://www.ansarnet.ws/vb/
http://www.ansarnet.ws/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/al_irhab/messages
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/al_irhab/

[JustPiper]

If one or two people disagree with your stance Bear, consider that small and most of us feel, whether we feel the same way or not, that everyone's opinions/news articles/theories count on the WOT

[JustPiper]

We need to look at our local sites, Muslim Centers/Mosques, Emerson says they are out there but they won't be bragged about

[JustPiper]

Always a liberal university

[JustPiper]

I know and it is almost like they are the majority of everything on our planet

[JustPiper]

Now this I believe wholeheartedly

[JustPiper]

I sure did not know this, anymore on this?!

[JustPiper]

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[JustPiper]

Adding it to my nuke folder, yes I'm finally organizing all on this laptop and a few months of TM has hundreds of stories and posts