Heightened Alert (e-ails cited: NY, DC and "beaches" targets)

ABC News ^ | May 20, 2003 | ABC News

[FairOpinion]

Maybe there is more to those Arabic web posting/e-mails, than we first thought.

Beaches? What are they going to do with beaches? Release some chem/bio agents??? I read elsewhere that the FBI alert included some statement that "radiological, biological or chemical weapons can't be discounted". There are lots of nice beaches all along CA...

[John H K]

Maybe there is more to those Arabic web posting/e-mails, than we first thought.

Did you read the article? My impression from it is that there's LESS to those e-mails than we first thought. As the article mentions, according to one official their credibility is seriously in doubt.

[FairOpinion]

Here is another one:

===

Terrorists Could Attack Pittsburgh
http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/2217893/detail.html

'Soft Tagets' Like Pittsburgh Could Present An Even Higher Risk Of Attack

POSTED: 12:02 a.m. EDT May 21, 2003
UPDATED: 12:16 a.m. EDT May 21, 2003

PITTSBURGH -- The United States was already concerned that last week's suicide bombings in Saudi Arabia and Morocco could be a prelude to something here. However, ABC News has learned that a series of threatening messages on the Internet played a major role in the decision to raise the terror alert from yellow to orange.

Authorities said one message warns of "a possible devastating attack in the next 48 hours" and urged all Muslims to leave all cities, especially Boston, New York, and the commercial coastline. A separate message targets Washington, New York and the nation's beaches.

However, the FBI warns that Pittsburgh is not exempt from terrorist attacks. In fact, the special agent in charge of this region warns that "sof targets" such as Pittsburgh could be even more at risk.


More police are on patrol and the FBI has increased its command center staff. But authorities said the most important person in the Orange Alert equation may be citizens.

When dozens of emergency agencies and water suppliers scheduled a terrorist drill for Tuesday, they had no idea it would happen the same time the terror alert was elevated to Orange.

Their scenario: a toxin is introduced into the water supply.

"They are ready, there is certainly always improvements that can be made, but this is a good exercise to point out where those areas need to be strengthened," Department Of Environmental Protection spokeswoman Betsy Mallison said.

Mallison said it is not just the FBI, local police and others in the drill who need to be vigilant, though. The men and women who jog around places like the Highland Park Reservoir every day also should be observant.

"If they see any suspicious activity around any business or any type of structure, a bridge or tunnel, the water supply, anything that looks unusual, people taking pictures and so forth, call their local law enforcement agency," EMA Director Bob Full said.

"Everybody knows that New York and Washington are usually the targets and they've been hardened, so it's possible in middle America, Pittsburgh or some other community could now be the subject of their attack because of it being a little bit softer and not thinking it could happen here," Special Agent In Charge Kenneth McCabe said.

The rivers are another reason Pittsburgh could be in the scope of terrorists.

"We are one of the biggest inland commercial waterways in the U.S., they know that we're watching the coastal waterways in Newark, Boston, L.A., so could they possibly be planning something here? We're trying to find that out," McCabe said.

The Orange Alert will mean more thorough security screenings for airline travelers.

The FAA, Airport Authority and county police are deciding whether the current orange alert warrants the random spot-checks of vehicles on airport property that has been conducted in the past.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

However, one government official said intelligence analysts have serious doubts about the credibility of the source of those messages.

That's to be expected. It's not like the govt. is going to give away the game plan just because some dickweed leaked a memo to ABC for a few bucks.

[FairOpinion]

So they say, but as a wise person once said: "Never mind what they say, watch what they do" and what they did, was raise the alert level to high.

Obviously it wouldn't be "just" based on some e-mails, but the article specifically said that the e-mails were a contributing factor:

"The Bush administration raised the domestic threat level to orange, or "high," today, a decision made in part because of a series of threatening messages found on the Internet, ABCNEWS has learned. "

[FairOpinion]

You really just don't know. These are so complex -- maybe the leak and raising the alert was to send the message to the terrorists that we are onto them, and thereby deter the attack, because they don't know exactly how much we know.

I think I read something along those lines a while ago (prior to this latest elevation of the terror alert).

[CyberAnt]

FOX is saying NY, DC, and Boston.

[FairOpinion]

"FOX is saying NY, DC, and Boston. "
--

That's what I heard first also. That's why I was surprised to hear the threat against "the commercial coastline" and/or "beaches". (It's obviously not the same).

This article in this thread mentions two sources with the variations.

====
"An FBI bulletin obtained by ABCNEWS points to two recent e-mails intercepted by U.S. intelligence. One message, according to the bulletin, warns of "a possible devastating attack in the next 48 hours and urged all Muslims to leave all cities, especially Boston, New York and the commercial coastline."

A separate message targets Washington and again points to possible attacks against New York and the nation's beaches."

Note, it says to leave "ALL cities", especially..., in other words any cities can be targets.

[cgk]

I also heard mention of "Beaches" on KABC radio here in L.A. while driving. I thought, too, that was strange. It was mentioned this way "Muslims are warned to stay away from NY and Boston, the central coastline as well as Washington and beaches."

[cgk]

Sorry. "central coastline" should be "commercial coastline".

[FairOpinion]

They also mentioned on FoxNews, but not in these articles that there was a timeline for it: they were advised to get out by tomorrow, Wed. morning.

[Aliska]

It is highly probable that the intelligence chain is being yanked. Most terrorists will have learned not to communicate via email and keep their plans very secretive imo. But if they don't put out the warning and something goes down, there will be h*** to pay.

[CyberAnt]

They're targeting beaches because of the Memorial Day holiday. If they can make people stay home, it does hurt commerce.

Or ... they targeting beaches because they expect crowds.

[JustPiper]

Beaches? What are they going to do with beaches? Release some chem/bio agents??? I read elsewhere that the FBI alert included some statement that "radiological, biological or chemical weapons can't be discounted". There are lots of nice beaches all along CA...

My thoughts also. Maybe they figure easy access to our shores by coing up on a private beach? Because what else can they kill as they want, but sealife? Not to minimize that but that is too soft a target for terrorists.

[JustPiper]

When dozens of emergency agencies and water suppliers scheduled a terrorist drill for Tuesday, they had no idea it would happen the same time the terror alert was elevated to Orange.

And here in Chicago we had the bio drill, Lake Michigan and our beach coastline is huge! And then the dirty bomb in Seattle, off the coast also.

[JustPiper]

FOX is saying NY, DC, and Boston. I heard NY and DC on MSNBC

[JustPiper]

Ping!

[L`enn]

First thing that comes to mind is a suicide truck bomb at a crowded beach a la Israel style.

[JustPiper]

A Chicago Ping!