Posted on 10/28/2004 7:03:38 AM PDT by stopillegalimmigration
Edited on 10/28/2004 8:05:05 AM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
Breaking
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XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX THU OCT 28, 2004 10:44:01 ET XXXXX
CIA, FBI AUTHENTICATE NEW QAEDA TERROR TAPE; ABCNEWS EXECUTIVES CONSIDER POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS OF AIRING
**Exclusive**
The CIA and FBI late Wednesday authenticated a disturbing new al Qaeda videotape which warns the next terror attack will dwarf 9/11.
"The streets will run with blood," and "America will mourn in silence" because they will be unable to count the number of the dead, a man claims on the video.
Further claims on the video: America has brought this on itself for electing George Bush who has made war on Islam by destroying the Taliban and making war on Al Qaeda.
ABCNEWS obtained the tape from a source in Waziristan, Pakistan over the weekend. The network has withheld airing it, initially citing concerns over its authenticity.
One senior federal official alleged ABCNEWS is now holding back from broadcasting any portion of the video out of fear it will be seen as a political move by the network during election week.
One ABC source, who demanded anonymity, said Thursday morning, the network was struggling to find a correct journalistic "balance."
"This is not something you just throw out there while people are voting," the ABC source explained.
A second ABC source told DRUDGE: "We continue to report this story aggressively."
MORE
The terrorist's face is concealed by a headdress, and he speaks in an American accent, making it difficult to identify the individual.
The tape appears to be from al-Qaeda's media liaison organization. It has a banner crediting the Sahab Production Committee. The speaker refers to Bin Ladin and Zawahiri as "our leaders" and praises the 11 September attacks.
Intelligence officials believe:
Videotape message likely produced in late summer '04 due to references to current events such as the 9/11 Commission.
Individual is college educated, either American born or raised in the U.S.
The U.S. is actively seeking to identify the individual. Adam Gadhan - aka Adam Pearlman of Southern California - remains the chief candidate but another still unknown individual may be possible.
US intelligence officials say the danger is that if this individual is an American citizen, he will be immersed in the culture and customs and have the ability to travel in America freely and unnoticed.
Developing...
LOL! Exactly
Did ABC give the tape to the CIA before or after it was made known that ABC was in possession of a terror threat?
Good question...the answer, so far as I know, is uncertain. Anyone else know?
Keep in mind ABC that says it was concerned on impact on elections is the same ABC that used communist vietcong to attempt to discredit decorated swiftboat vets and ran story last night on cheney, haliburton, and iraq.
How do we make this good for Kerry.
Lefties will accuse W of fear-mongering. Vid needs to be released.
I'm sorry, but even without their videotape the alert level should be orange at a minimum.
The experience of Spain should teach us that election time is a danger time. It is. Everyone should be watching for something more important than union goons outside the polling places.
I don't think Al Qaeda cares one whit for our reasonings on why they will or will not strike before the election.
This videotape only adds to the importance of being realistic at the end of the campaign.
Wasn't Spain hit 3 days before their election?
The issue is NOT political advantage....the issue is the lives of people.
Simple, go from Yellow to Red alert nationwide from now till the election.. No going through orange/elevated, go straight to red/severe, and do that till after every last vote is counted and in... it may be something of an inconveninence, but given what happened in Spain (the Conservative government was up 12 percent before the Madrid bombing, then after the bombing the Socialists won by 12%, a 24% move in the vote counts. They were scared into voting for the socialists, and Americans may I fear, if g_d forbid such a thing happened, vote for Kerry out of fear. It'd be better that they vote for Bush out of fear... a red alert could have the same impact the daisy girl/h-bomb had for Johnson against Goldwater.
Initially I felt the same way you (apparently) do. Moreover, I also considered the possibility that Kerry's people might "spin" the tape as proof that "George Bush made us less safe" (as I am still sure they will, if the tapes airs). But the Drudge headline indicates that the government is not asking "ABC not to air the tape, and if ABC is truly weighing political consequences", it's not even debatable that they're talking about the potential negative effects on the Kerry campaign.
Right On
I wouldn't doubt that.
Journalistic balance?? Why don't they ever consider that standard with the other stories the network airs?? This hypocrisy is making me sick!! It's so obvious ABC doesn't want to hurt sKerry so they are trying to find a way to spin the story so it doesn't hurt him.
Don't worry...Drudge will get his hands on it.
The entire nation stands with New York. Harm One of us, harm all of us. Anger One, feel the wrath of all.
ABC gave it to the CIA on Monday. Drudge broke the story yesterday.
Adding to that thought.
Hawks hunt terrorists...
Doves get hunted....
Someone on foxnews said if they wanted to scare the beejeesus out of us, they'd have a familiar terrorist face giving the warning and not some unknown.
According to the WAPO, another news organization has been offered the tape as well. The source obviously wants to get it out.
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