Apocalypse Now, or Alottanukes Soon

At a time when a tape handed over to the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera television station has received widespread expose for its purported comments by Osama bin Laden in praise of recent terror events around the world, another al-Qaeda message released to the same station has received little coverage.

Al-Jazeera was granted an interview with one Mohammed al-Usuquf, allegedly al-Qaeda's number three. Al-Usuquf is said to be a doctor in physics and to hold a masters degree in international economics. A copy of the interview was sent to the prestigious Arab-language daily Al Quds Al Arabi, edited in London, but it was not printed.

Asia Times Online has obtained a copy of the interview, and reproduces excerpts here, with the caveat that the identity of the man has not yet been confirmed, nor has his membership within al- Qaeda.

Al-Usuquf says that al-Qaeda's Kuwaiti spokesman, Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, and bin Laden himself, suggested that he grant the interview. Bin Laden, he says, is "alive and healthy, along with his commanders Mohammed Atef, Khalid Shaik Mohammed and Mullah Omar".

Al-Usuquf starts by criticizing Washington's disrespect of the Kyoto Protocol on climatic change, the International Criminal Court and the Palestinian cause, as well as the "financial greed" engendering speculative gains over Third World countries. He also criticizes the manner in which America wastes wealth, like US$80 billion a year on gambling. "They [have] lost the notion of spirituality and only live in sin."

For this reason, America must be destroyed, and al-Usuquf insists that "aircraft carriers, nuclear submarines and spy satellites will be worthless in the next war".

Al-Qaeda, according to him, has 5,000 first rank operatives and around 20,000 all over the world. Of all the prisoners in the US, only "20 or 30" are al-Qaeda, and all of them "second-rank". Confirming Asia Times Online information, he swears that there are no first- rank prisoners in Guantanamo in Cuba. Al-Usuquf says, "We have more than 500 first-rank and 800 second-rank [operatives] inside the US." "First rank" are considered ones that have lived in the US for more than 10 years, most of them married with children. "They have an idea about the plans, and they are just waiting for a call." "Second-rank" operatives arrived in the past five years and "have no idea about the plans". They are all willing to die.

Al-Usuquf insists that September 11 "was just the beginning. It was a way to call the world's attention to what's going to happen." He then details a plan to destroy the US by "attacking the heart of what they consider the most important thing in the world: money".

"The American economy is an economy of false appearances," says al-Usuquf. "There's no real economic weight. American GNP is something around $10 trillion, but only 1 percent comes from agriculture, and only 24 percent from industry. So 75 percent of its GNP comes from services, and most of it is financial speculation. For someone who understands economics, and apparently America's Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill does not, or cannot, the US as a whole behaves like an immense dot.com, and dollars are its stocks. The value of stocks from a given company is directly proportional to its profitability. When a company only provides services, but does not produce goods, the value of its stocks depends on its credibility. What I'm saying is if US credibility is affected, its stocks - the US dollar - will fall at tremendous speed, and the whole American economy will collapse."

Al-Usuquf is absolutely positive, "because, in a smaller scale, this is exactly what big financial conglomerates do with Third World countries to collect profits in one month that no Swiss bank would guarantee in four to five years". Al-Usuquf says that al-Qaeda could do the same by "provoking a deficit of $50 to 70 trillion, the equivalent to five to seven years of the GNP of the US". How? By "destroying America's seven largest cities and some other measures". The means? "Atomic bombs." Al-Usuquf's most startling revelation is that the bombs "won't be launched, they are already there". "Seven nuclear heads have already been positioned on American soil, before September 11, and they are ready to be detonated. Before September 11, American security was a fiasco, and even later, if we needed, we could position the bombs there. They arrived through seaports, as normal cargo. A nuclear head is not bigger than a fridge, so it can easily be camouflaged as one. Thousands of containers arrive at a seaport every day, and even with very efficient security, it's impossible to check and examine each one of them."

Al-Usuquf says that the bombs were bought on the black market: five from the former USSR and two from Pakistan. The five Russian heads "are from T-3 missiles, also known as RD-107, and their power is around 100 kilotons each, that is five times the Hiroshima bomb. The Pakistani ones are less powerful, something around 10 kilotons each."

Each of the Russian bombs would have cost around $200 million. Al-Qaeda was able to raise the money "because we have many sponsors. Many countries sponsor us, and also some very rich people." And not all of these are Arab countries. "Some European countries as well are also interested in the fall of the US." As to the "rich people", they are "people who are also tired of seeing the US bleeding the rest of the world."

And Iraq's Saddam Hussein, says Al-Usuquf, is not one of these people, "but just a collaborator, represented by Abdul Tawab Hawaish, his vice prime minister and responsible for Iraq's arms program".

Al-Usuquf says that the bombs cannot be detected by US authorities. "Even if they are old, they were modernized and are very well hidden. Even if they were located, they have autodetonation mechanisms in case something or someone gets close. Even an electromagnetic pulse is not capable of deactivating them." The bombs allegedly cannot be detected because "they are enveloped in thick layers of lead". They could be detonated "by various methods - cellphone call, radio frequency, seismic shock or by their regressive clock".

Al-Usuquf details the whole plan. "First, one head would be detonated, which would cause the deaths of 800,000 to 1 million people and a chaos never seen before. During this chaos, two or three planes, which are now disassembled inside barns near empty roads in the US countryside, would take off in suicide missions to pulverize another two or three big American cities with chemicals. Once the disease was identified, all seaports and airports would be quarantined. Land borders would also be closed. No plane, boat or car would enter or leave the US. This would be total chaos." The first target would be the city "that would offer the best conditions, for example bright sky and winds of eight or more miles an hour blowing towards the center of the country, so radioactive dust can contaminate the largest possible area".

This attack would not knock out the US, recognizes al-Usuquf, "But the process would be initiated. As with the World Trade Center, it would be just a question of time for the whole economic structure to be turned to dust. If the objectives are reached with one bomb and diseases, probably we will save the lives of other people, but it's risky, and probably six more bombs will be detonated, one a week, and more attacks with chemical weapons will be launched." According to estimates made by al-Usuquf "and Ayman al- Zawahiri", al-Qaeda's number 2, about 15 million people would die, victims of the bombs and the radiation. Among those contaminated by diseases, "25 percent will die, a figure around more than 5 million, plus many others due to the chaos and disorder".

Al-Usuquf does not fear an American military response. "Even if five or 10 cities are chosen at random to be destroyed, it will still be a small price to pay. The problem is that the economic despair will be so great that even if it saves [money] by not using weapons, American liquidity will be near zero, and the US will make more money selling a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier to Turkey or Italy for $5 billion, because they will urgently need to recapitalize. But it will be too late. Moreover, what will remain of an American soldier's morale to fight knowing that his whole family died and his country ceased to exist? To fight for what?"

The world economy would not collapse, says al-Usuquf, although "in the beginning, it will be very difficult. But without the US the world will soon rise in a more just and fraternal manner. Nothing can stop the plan."

And whatever America does, "it's too late". When will the attack begin? "I can't tell."

"Moreover, what will remain of an American soldier's morale to fight knowing that his whole family died and his country ceased to exist? To fight for what?" "

Shows what they don't know about Americans.

the suitcase bombs that use tritium would fail if the tritium is not renewed

Correction, they would only vaporize half the city without the tritium, if indeed they could get such a device. Much more likely they might come up with a primitive fission device at best, but that's little consolation to the target city. The distinction between a few KT and a larger boom would be lost on the nearby residents, I'm afraid.

Actually we have enough nukes to respond in a way to change the landscape in the Middle East forever by our selves.

Apparently hidden in the UN get tough with Iraq resolution was an authorization for any of our allies to start military action agains Iraq/Saddam if they felt that it was necessary to protect their country against attack by WMD within minutes of any attack on the UK.

Word is leaking out that Tony Blair has informed Saddam that if WMDs are used against the UK people, the UK will remove Iraq from the face of the earth with massive nuclear retaliation.

Are you trying to say a sound security investment might be a one-way ticket to Bagdad? If so, I'll take that under advisement. Tick, tick, tick...

Okay. I'm game. Grin.

"We have more than 500 first-rank and 800 second-rank [operatives] inside the US." "First rank" are considered ones that have lived in the US for more than 10 years, most of them married with children. "They have an idea about the plans, and they are just waiting for a call." "Second-rank" operatives arrived in the past five years and "have no idea about the plans". They are all willing to die.

There is an Arab guy who moved into our neighborhood in the summer of 2001. He drives a taxi, and other than leaving for or coming back from his work, we almost never see him. His yard is full of weeds, and he keeps them cut down enough so that the local city hall doesn't bother him. He won't talk to anyone, and all of the blinds in his house (every window has blinds) are kept closed 24/7. Sometimes I wonder....

Sounds like the terrorists have been sending away for Lyndon LaRouche audio tapes!

In general, their weakest point is their pseudo-sophisticated world-view. The think they see us as we really are, but they really see us through a very thick and distorted lens made up of their native form of political correctness, plus the distortion of seeing us through CNN.

Pay attention to what George W. Bush said: He said we still "have a bright future." I think he knows how bad it could get, and I think we knows we will pull through. George H.W. Bush has said his son will face the greatest challenges since Lincoln. I think we will see large-scale casualties in the U.S. (though probably from bioterror). And I think we will emerge strong.

"Apparently hidden in the UN get tough with Iraq resolution was an authorization for any of our allies to start military action agains Iraq/Saddam if they felt that it was necessary to protect their country against attack by WMD within minutes of any attack on the UK."

Geez...I'd forgotten that but, you are correct. It's in there...and now I know why and what it means. Thanks.

The simplest way to get around both the permissive action links (i.e. "trigger locks") and the initiator shelf-life issues is to scavenge the HEU from one or more bombs and build a gun-type bomb. One would HOPE that our intelligence could tell if such an effort were under way, but if it was done with government help in Iraq or Iran, such an effort could have been hidden.

So, here's a question. Why the attack in Bali and attempted attack in the Gulf on French ship not too long ago? Why waste time on such small potatoes? Unless, small time independent cells are pulling them off. But, wouldn't it be wiser to halt small attacks and wait for the big, final attack?
Good question! The potatoes get even smaller if you believe the LAX shooter and the bus slasher were also Islamist terror. The best answer I can come up with is that it is the nature of the distributed organization: not everyone can blow up a city, or topple the WTC, or blow up a ship, or shoot a bunch of random people, etc., nor is the money source consistent, so their operatives do what is within their capabilities and their budgets.

On the one hand, you are right: Why wait to pop a nuke? On the other hand, if you can discern a pattern to why bomb here or there on a large scale or small scale, let me know - I don't see it.

I was not even aware of it until a friend who keeps track of stuff like that brought it up.

Then on Wednesday I heard a conservative on the radio bring up this reality that the US is not the only country that can say, "We caught you in a lie or an attempt to harm our people. So here it comes Saddam!"

Then he went into the threats that the UK has received daily since Tony was the first to saddle up with President Bush in their planned steps to set Saddam up via the UN!

I'm not sure I believe his claim about the nuclear weapons, but his analysis here is quite discerning - and troublesome.

The alleged interviewee is very good. Maybe he's even Al Qaeda or wants to be (noticed) recruited by them. This is his public audition.

What he really is, is the Islamic Jihad equivalent of a Hollywood script writer. The script is intelligent, jazzed up and worrisome. Will make a great movie.

"Then he went into the threats that the UK has received daily since Tony was the first to saddle up with President Bush in their planned steps to set Saddam up via the UN!"

Yup. I read 2-3 Brit papers each day. Tony says threats are coming in almost daily.

I've heard that Saudi engineers in the field, for example, can't or won't do the basic maintenance required to keep things in working order, then they blame the U.S. equipment.

Here's another boast that caught my eye:

The bombs allegedly cannot be detected because "they are enveloped in thick layers of lead". They could be detonated "by various methods - cellphone call, radio frequency, seismic shock or by their regressive clock".

I do believe this is a direct contradiction -- a thick covering of lead is going to stop radio waves much better than it will stop the radiation.

I have seen it reported that there is a joint U.S./U.K. Trident deployment specifically to wipe Iraq off the Earth if WMDs are used. It would not even take half the missiles on a single Trident.

Would we actually do it? In response to a nuke or large-scale bioterror attack, I think the answer is yes, because we sure do not want Iran or North Korea to get the idea we would take a punch like that without delivering unacceptable consequences, even if it means millions dead in Iraq. In response to the anthrax letters? Well, that's where it gets wierd, doesn't it.

The cruel part of this equation is: Are your children going to be part of the 100-500K dead Americans that it will take to trigger such a response?

Is there an alternative? I think the answer to that is yes, but it means coming out and saying that Islam is a virulent and dangerous cult - not a legitimate religion. And it means a sustained worldwide program to roll-back Islam until it is as marginalized and impotent as a small cult.

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