Other Groups, with Al Qaeda, Said to Threaten U.S. [Hizbollah, Islamic Jihad]

Yahoo News - Reuters ^ | Mon May 20,10:44 AM ET | Niala Boodhoo

[TomGuy]

Other Groups, with Al Qaeda, Said to Threaten U.S.

Mon May 20,10:44 AM ET
By Niala Boodhoo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Islamic groups like Hizbollah and Egypt's Islamic Jihad could be planning to attack the United States and may be more able to do so than the al Qaeda network of Osama bin Laden (news - web sites), the Senate Intelligence Committee chairman said on Monday.

"Our enemy is not al Qaeda alone," Sen. Bob Graham said on NBC's "Today" show, referring to the movement believed behind the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States that killed more than 3,000 people.

"There are several international terrorist groups which have abilities, in some cases greater abilities than al Qaeda and a similar desire to attack the United States."

"Groups like Hizbollah, the Egyptian Islamic Jihad" were two organizations with the capability and desire to attack the United States, said the Florida Democrat.

Neither group has been linked directly to activities on U.S. soil, and such an attack would represent a major change in their tactics.

Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites) on Sunday said a new attack on the United States was "almost certain" as U.S. intelligence officials picked up signals that a fresh al Qaeda strike could be in the works.

The FBI (news - web sites) also warned of a possible plot by al Qaeda network to detonate bombs in U.S. apartment buildings.

Graham said in a separate CNN interview that he was "almost certain" another attack would take place within three to five years.

He said he was especially concerned about security at the nation's seaports and mentioned a recent instance of 25 "extremists" who had entered the United States.

"(They) jumped on ships outside the United States, hid in the container cargoes until they got to the United States and then disembarked and they've been lost in the American population," he said.

Defense Department spokeswoman Victoria Clarke stressed that despite major successes against al Qaeda in Afghanistan (news - web sites), where a U.S.-led military campaign has destroyed the group's main camps, it and other groups remained a threat.

"We have always said this is about more than one person, one network and certainly is about more than Afghanistan," Clarke told a news briefing.

Lebanon's Hizbollah, largely seen as a resistance group to Israeli occupation, has traditionally carried out suicide and other attacks against targets in Israel and Lebanon. The Shi'ite Muslim group is backed by Iran.

Egypt's al-Jihad, which has links with al-Qaeda, is the country's second-largest Islamic militant group. The United States has blamed the group for bombing the Egyptian Embassy in Islamabad in 1995 and planning to attack the U.S. embassy in Albania in 1998.

A 1999 report for the CIA (news - web sites) that envisioned bin Laden's network might attack the United States by crash-landing an aircraft into the Pentagon (news - web sites), the CIA or the White House also named Lebanon's Hizbollah as a possible group that could carry out an attack on the United States.

[jrlc]

The only response from Islam or the PLO are the talking-heads sent forward to the Liberal Press to spew more hate against Christians, Jews, America and Israel.

[machman]

Martel's victory has been in vain.

[1Old Pro]

The real question is: Why isn't the government being pro-active rather than re-active? More terrorist attacks on American soil, and the quiet American might not remain so quiet.

Americans have short memories. We'll need another major catastrophe to get people mad enough to support a massive military overthrow of terrorist states such as Iraq.

[Mamzelle]

Actually, the smarter of the terrorist groups generated whole textbooks on how to use the political correctness ploy. When captured, immediately claim police brutality and religious oppression (no barbecued camel on demand)...claim that innocent seeker of "American Dream" being victimized by racism.

They can't keep it up, though, all it takes is a little prod and they start spitting hate of Jews and telling absurd conspirtorial stories of supernatural Jewish control of America....wait a minute--this is beginning to sound like my son's history professor!!

[VOA]

wait a minute--this is beginning to sound like my son's history professor!!

Or about 100% of the "Moderate Muslims" who call into talk radio...

[rageaholic]

We have created an age of hypertolerance that has permitted, among other things, an Islamic invasion and fear of doing the right thing like profiling at airports. Hopefully the legacy of 9/11 will be a return to moral clarity of the 1940s when it was taken for granted that America is the greatest nation on earth, westerners are superior to the third world.

[iceskater]

As the list of incompetence rises my faith in the Government to prevent future attacks deminishes--when they are the ones saying "not if, but when," "inevitable." Although FDR was a bit before my time, I have difficulty imagining him in one of his famous Fireside Chats telling the American people, "sorry about Pearl Harbor, but more, potentially much more devastating, Japanese attacks on American soil are inevitable--it's not a matter of if, but when."

Your comments have certainly raised some concerns for me. The talk seems quite defeatist - "not if, but when." Being realistic is one thing, consigning oneself to defeat before another shot is fired is another thing altogether. Perhaps we have lost this war already? I hope not. But the fear of offending seems to be more important than stopping "the inevitable."

[goodnesswins]

And, I'll up the ante more....could it be the borders were opened during the 92 and 96 elections (by the Dems) for more sinister reasons.....???? Divisiveness creates mayhem and a pseudo-need by some....for gov't help.

[goodnesswins]

Sheesh....my previous post.....I'm starting to need TINFOIL!

[pawdoggie]

The real question is: Why isn't the government being pro-active rather than re-active? You're assuming facts not in evidence, i.e. that the Feds are not being proactive in the war on terror. Of course, they are! Forgive them if they don't tell you everything they're up to, our enemies would like to have that information as well. IMHO, while this "inevitability" talk is part CYA, it is also an attempt to scare the General Public "straight" out of its collective apathy, and make them just a little more vigilant.

[jackliberty]

that is an interesting story, killing someone who lampooned mohammed. Please give the chapter and verse reference in the koran.

Don't think you'll find this in the Holy Qur'an. If it's in there, I didn't take note of it.

However, Paul Fregosi in Jihad (p44) does mention Mohammad ordering the killing of 3 poets who mocked him; Asma bint Marwan, Abu Afak and Kab. So, possibly, the killings are mentioned in the hadith.