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Haganah.net
ATTACK IMMINENT. TARGET ITALY?

We're detecting discussion/postings in the Qaida-linked forums suggesting that a signal has just been given for an attack, and that the target *may be* Italy. Interested parties should contact me directly for more info.

This is not a drill.

UPDATE 09:23 CDT (GMT -5):

For some time now Internet Haganah, in cooperation with another counter-terrorism organization that specializes in monitoring discussions on Arabic-language forums known to be popular with Al Qaida operatives, has been actively involved in examining such forums for signs of 'command and control', i.e. that the forums may from time to time be used to pass along orders to field operatives.

One active participant in these forums is widely recognized as a source of credible information that originates with people in the leadership circles of various Al Qaida franchises and affiliates. This individual is not known to post information that is off-topic or old. This individual is suspected of ties to acts of Islamic terrorism going back over a decade. This individual is suspected of having previously given "the signal" for terrorist attacks to occur.

Early this morning this individual posted an old speech from bin Laden on a Jihadist forum. This is not normal behavior for this person. He added the comment:

a day we shall never forget

This is also not normal behavior, nor was it apropos to what he had posted, and in light of the suspicions regarding the man's role in "triggering" previous attacks, we take these comments and behaviors as a bad sign.

The context in which this statement was made also does not bode well.

It is well known that Osama bin Laden issued an ultimatum to Europe that they must make peace with Al Qaida. Today is the deadline. Among the more mature participants in the hardcore Jihadist forums there has been much discussion recently of this deadline and its seriousness, and reminders have been posted in the last week to the effect that time is running out for Europe.

In addition, bin Laden has singled out Italy in particular for criticism, and the fact that Italy has refused to cave in to pressure to remove its forces from Iraq has certainly not won Italy any friends among Jihadists. Then there is the matter of Rome and the Vatican, which is seen as the capital of what Islamists view as an anti-Muslim Crusade. It is also not unusual to find Jihadists discussing a desire to conquer Italy in the name of Islam.

Finally, on another forum popular with Al Qaida types, Jihadists believed to be in Italy have been observed very recently speaking about their expectations of an operation to occur imminently. These Jihadists are of North African ethnicity, which fits the profile of recent Al Qaida operatives in Europe. There has also been an increase in chatter expressing great expectations for an operation in Europe generally.

The sum of all this information leads us to the conclusion that Al Qaida operatives may strike sooner rather than later, and of the possible targets in Europe, Italy would appear to be at the top of the list.

CAVEAT: While the sources cited here are all deemed reasonably credible, it must be noted that "wishful thinking" is a hallmark of the Jihadist mindset, and this might be nothing more than that. However, we feel obliged to err on the side of caution. I apologize for being a little vague about the specifics of our investigation, but this is all I'm able to say right now. Consider yourselves warned.

DISCLAIMER: I really hope we're wrong.
Posted by aaron at July 15, 2004 02:37 AM

In addition, bin Laden has singled out Italy in particular for criticism, and the fact that Italy has refused to cave in to pressure to remove its forces from Iraq has certainly not won Italy any friends among Jihadists. Then there is the matter of Rome and the Vatican, which is seen as the capital of what Islamists view as an anti-Muslim Crusade. It is also not unusual to find Jihadists discussing a desire to conquer Italy in the name of Islam. Finally, on another forum popular with Al Qaida types, Jihadists believed to be in Italy have been observed very recently speaking about their expectations of an operation to occur imminently. These Jihadists are of North African ethnicity, which fits the profile of recent Al Qaida operatives in Europe. There has also been an increase in chatter expressing great expectations for an operation in Europe generally.

This fits Summary items #1 & 2. Noting that today is the 15th, anytime after today could be fair game. Post from Haganah.net suggests sooner.

Your post from Haganah.net is quite significant. It is a VERY credible site.

The start of the post follows, but I suggest reading the whole thing and making up your own minds.

ATTACK IMMINENT. TARGET ITALY?

We're detecting discussion/postings in the Qaida-linked forums suggesting that a signal has just been given for an attack, and that the target *may be* Italy. Interested parties should contact me directly for more info.

This is not a drill.

It has the look and feel of "real" to me. Here's my take (speculation only).

If it starts with Italy, then the target sequence we have heard means the next up is London. Then the U.S.

A TM poster yesterday connected the dots in a way I had not thought of before: "Cave of Darkness" could easily mean a night with no moon. Saturday, July 17, has no moon.

Given the moon god worshipers' fixation on the moon, that would make sense. Operationally it could make sense too. Lots of things are easier under cover of darkness.

Not just things on the ground. Airplanes, balloons, or ultra-lights, flying without lights, would be very hard to spot on a moonless night (anthrax dispersal?...).

I have always expected any bio attack to PRECEDE the spectacular attack we are being warned about. That is because our ability to recognize we had suffered a serious bio attack would be hindered if we had just been hit with a spectacular attack elsewhere, and our response would be further slowed by the spectacular attack itself. A nuclear attack, even if with "weak" suitcase nukes, would certainly qualify as a sufficient distraction.

If smallpox were spread at the same time...

I don't know if they can do all this, but the warnings we have been getting certainly indicate our leaders think they might. We have a lot of good people trying to head off whatever these evil people have planned. Good hunting.

The island of Malta, which is in the Mediterranean Sea, is not far from Sicily, Italy. It is also a freight transshipment point

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/mt.html

There is also a cave of darkness there:
"These people settled on the island and sheltered in the many caves which exist there. The earliest inhabited cave is called 'Ghar-Dalam', the cave of darkness, where remains of these people and their artefacts give us an insight into their way of life. They cultivated the land, growing wheat and barley and practised animal husbandry."

http://www.maltamigration.com/about/malta.shtml

Just throwing out info. Not saying it means anything (been looking for Cave of Darkness clues).