Threat Matrix: December 2008

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[nwctwx]

The Age of 'Celebrity Terrorism'

Quite apart from the scores murdered and the hundreds injured, what the Mumbai terrorists really wanted was an exaggerated - and preferably extreme - reaction on the part of governments, the media and public opinion.

In these terms, the attackers received as much attention as they could possibly have hoped for, and the Mumbai outrage can only be described as a very significant terrorist success.

The attack received saturation coverage in the world's media from the outset. Read More

	Mumbai Terrorist Attack May Affect U.S. Foreign Policy
	Nuke, Bioterror Attack Called Likely
	Zawahri Hails Executed Bali Bombers

Threat Matrix:
December 2008

November 2008

Threat Matrix Index

Theat Matrix Handbook

Theat Matrix 'BOLO'

Invaluable Tips

Preparedness

[Velveeta]

Media Narratives Feed Terrorist Fantasies

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122818128240470999.html?mod=rss_opinion_main

[Velveeta]

US warned India ‘twice’ about sea attack: Report

Washington: United States intelligence agencies had warned India “twice” about a potential maritime attack on Mumbai at least a month before audacious Terror strikes that has left about 200 people dead and scores injured, media reports said.

~snip~

Since last Friday, US intelligence agencies have been tracking the phones and SIM cards recovered by Indian authorities from the terrorists involved in Mumbai attacks leading to a “treasure trove” of leads in Pakistan and several possible connections to the US, officials told the TV network.

Officials said one of the cell phone SIM cards may have been purchased in the US but would not provide any more details because of the ongoing nature of the investigation, ‘ABCNews’ said.

[Velveeta]

link for above article
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/us-warned-india-twice-about-sea-attack-report/393184/

[FocusNexus]

“US warned India ‘twice’ about sea attack: Report”

Thanks for the informative articles.

Unfortunately, it looks like India was living in a pre-9-11 world, didn’t think it can happen to them.

It seems the police didn’t take action even after some fisherman saw the terrorists and called them to report it.

---

Mumbai massacre: Cops ignored reports on gunmen two hours before shootings

http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/news/newsfeed/2008/11/30/2-hour-terror-warning-ignored-78057-20935835/

“THE terrorists who brought carnage to Mumbai were spotted a full two hours before they reached their targets.

Police failed to act on reports from fishermen that heavily armed men had beached on Sassoon Dock in a fast boat.”

---

In Just Minutes, Mumbai Was Under
Siege

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/30/AR2008113002218.html?hpid=topnews

“It was just after dinner, about 9 p.m., when the fishermen noticed four strangers come ashore on an inflatable raft. Moments later, another four pulled up to the boat launch in a speedboat. Only two got out of the boat. They were young, muscular men, with backpacks and bulky duffel bags slung across their shoulders.

At least one of the fishermen was instantly suspicious and asked the strangers what they were doing. “One of them turned around and said in heavily accented Hindi: ‘Don’t hassle me. I’m in a terrible mood.’ We got nervous and just left them alone,” said a 25-year-old fisherman who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.

The strangers flagged down two taxis and sped off toward the Oberoi Trident hotel in Nariman Point.”

[Smokin' Joe]

LOL! great stuff!

[ChowChowFace]

Bump

[piasa]

Speaking of buying things in the US...

I don't know if it means anything or not but it might... a gentleman at the post office recently was mailing out a lot of packages. On discussing the economy with others in line he said while most of the stuff he's been putting on Ebay hasn't done all that well, gas masks are selling like crazy.

Have either of you noticed an upswing in interest in gas masks lately?

[WestCoastGal]

That is so shocking! It’s unbelievable that everyone ignored the warnings which were pretty explicit.

It seems that we all learn things the hard way with these jihadists.

[WestCoastGal]

"It suggests the Obama administration bolster efforts to counter and prepare for germ warfare by terrorists"

I highly doubt 0 will use any of his spread the wealth money for this. In other words, we are in BIG trouble!! God help our country.

[WestCoastGal]

Gujarat, Dec 02: Even as Pakistan’s alleged involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks is creating a lot of heat and dust between the two countries, the Coast Guard on Tuesday intercepted another Pak trawler 7 nautical miles off the Gujarat coast just a few days after the vessel carrying terrorists from Pakistan landed on the Mumbai coast.

The vessel was intercepted by the Coast Guard at around 1.30 pm near Korai Creek in the vicinity of Sir Creek, the disputed narrow strip of water between India and Pakistan. The vessel named Al Rafeequi had 7 Pakistani nationals aged between 14 and 25 years.

What made the vessel suspicious was its following the same route that the terrorists had followed before launching offensive over Mumbai. It was difficult to believe it to be a fishing ship as Koria creek is not a fishing zone and it is more frequently used as a transit point by Coast Guards and the BSF.

Moreover ever since the terror attack on Mumbai, the Pak fishing boats, that earlier so frequently ventured into our territory are actually steering clear of the Indian waters.

All the inmates of the trawler have been taken by the Coast Guards to Jakhau for interrogation.

http://www.zeenews.com/nation/2008-12-03/487862news.html

[WestCoastGal]

We made videos of targeted places in Mumbai: Kasab

Zeenews Bureau

Mumbai, Dec 02: Azamal Amir Kasab, the terrorist who was caught alive by security forces, on Tuesday made some more startling disclosures regarding his group’s deadly terror strikes in Mumbai.

According to reports, the 21-year-old terrorist, who hails from Pakistan’s Faridkot, told the investigating agencies that they had divided themselves in two groups and each group was allotted different work.

Elaborating further, Kasab told interrogators that one group shot video of important targets in Mumbai and the other conducted reccee of those places as many as four times.

Based on the information collected through these methods, his associates then prepared their blueprint for attacks, Kasab revealed.

The terrorist, who had earlier confessed during interrogation that they had planned to blow up the historic Taj Mahal Hotel, further disclosed that the famous Leelawati Hospital was their next target.

He also revealed that as many as 17 militants left Karachi for India in one plane and out of which seven went missing after the security forces’ crackdown on terrorists.

Although he refused to divulge details about the missing terrorists, it is now believed that they all might have fled to Pakistan.

Kasab disclosed that they planned to hold foreign nationals and NRIs as hostage so as to compel authorities to allow other militants entering the territory an easy passage.

http://www.zeenews.com/nation/2008-12-02/487848news.html

[Diogenesis]

(India) Military chiefs urge raid inside Pakistan

"India's military chiefs were exerting strong pressure on the country's political leaders to give permission to attack the headquarters, an 80ha site at Muridke, close to the Punjab capital of Lahore, just across the border from India."

Indian Coast Guards seize suspicious Pak trawler off Gujarat coast

[PGalt]

Thanks for the ping, Ian.

Surviving attacker sold to terrorists by father...(here)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/3542181/Mumbai-attacks-surviving-attacker-sold-to-terrorists-by-father.html

Thanks to chelvaonline at twitter for the link

[lilylangtree]

Funny vid. Enjoyed it.

[Freedom2specul8]

Thank you for all the pings..I’ve been offline for a while, but have lurked ...much appreciated

[KylaStarr]

Thank you Ian : )

[lewisglad]

Moscow races to finish Iran’s Bushehr reactor by mid-2009
Exclusive Report

December 2, 2008, 10:47 PM

Iranian and Moscow sources report that Atomstroiexport, the Russian firm under contract to build and activate Iran’s nuclear reactor at Bushehr, is offering nuclear engineers and technicians top salaries to leave for Iran at short notice. The Kremlin has promised Tehran to have the reactor up and running by mid-2009. Some 1,600 experts are already at work on the site; the project is short of another 500 to meet this deadline.

An Atomstroiexport spokesman explained this week that the main technology for the station has already been installed “so the construction work is getting under way.” Our Iranian sources report that this is the first time Russian officials have admitted that the Bushehr reactor is close to completion.

Sergei Kiriyenko, director of the Russian company, visited Tehran on Nov. 27 to tie up the final stage of the reactor’s construction. Kiriyenko, former Russian prime minister and personal emissary of the incumbent prime minister Vladimir Putin, again assured the Iranians that the reactor would be ready to go within a few months.

Our sources add that the Bushehr plant will make it possible for Iran to produce plutonium for nuclear weapons. Its completion will provide Iran with an alternative weapons fuel option in addition to the enriched uranium already accumulated for its first nuclear bomb. US and Israel intelligence had believed the plutonium track lagged behind the uranium process. However, now that Moscow has embarked on a crash program to finish the Bushehr project, this no longer holds true.
http://www.debka.com/headline.php?hid=5754

[Unrepentant VN Vet]

Thanks for the update, and my apologies for pouting in the corner all month.

...or whatever you want to call being too pi$$ed to post.

[fanfan]

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/view/60771/Terror-cops-fear-Mumbai-attack-in-UK/

TERROR COPS FEAR 'MUMBAI ATTACK' IN UK

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!