Counter Terrorism Official: Al-Qaeda Planning 'Grand Finale' Attack on U.S. for Ramadan

NEW YORK--PRNewswire--Following the deadly attacks against British targets in Turkey last week, the "chatter" -- loose talk of threats among Islamic extremists, picked up by U.S. eavesdroppers-was spiking upwards again.

The traditional holiday of Ramadan, propitious in terrorist minds for great and violent events, was coming to an end. "You have rapid-fire, back-to-back significant Al Qaeda attacks," one counter-terrorism official tells Newsweek in the December 1 issue (on newsstands Monday, November 24). "It's starting to look like this could be the buildup to a grand finale on U.S. soil."

More than two years after 9/11, Al Qaeda continues to hit "soft targets," mostly in the Islamic world: Turkey, Morocco, Tunisia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Yemen, Kenya, Chechnya, Saudi Arabia.

But -- so far -- not London or Paris or New York or Washington, report Assistant Managing Editor Evan Thomas and Investigative Correspondent Mark Hosenball, leaving many to wonder if Al Qaeda, with its very long view of history, is biding its time, working up slowly toward another "spectacular."

For all the spy satellites and high-tech listening devices that can home in on the terrorists' chatter, and despite enormous increases in the "black budget" spent on intelligence -- gathering in the war on terror, the true threat to the American homeland remains murky.

Knowledgeable officials tell Newsweek that they have no idea who was behind the deadliest bombings in Iraq since last summer-the suicide attacks in August on the Jordanian Embassy and the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad, the bombing that killed a prominent Shiite ayatollah in the holy city of Najaf and the recent attacks on Italian forces in Nasiriya and simultaneous wave of car bombings in Baghdad. There are no clear culprits.

Much of what the CIA knows about Al Qaeda and other Islamic extremists comes from other intelligence services.

The CIA has a pipeline, lubricated by large amounts of cash, to the secret police in various Middle Eastern countries. Still, the war in Iraq has not helped foster these special relationships.

The security services of Middle Eastern despots are not enthusiastic about promises of democratic change coming from President George W. Bush. After 9/11, Syrian intelligence began working with the CIA against a common enemy, the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood, which wanted to both overthrow the Assad regime and help Al Qaeda attack the United States.

http://www.instapundit.com/archives/012718.php

CAR BOMBS COMING TO AMERICA? Here's a troubling post. Of course, we've had them before, but I hope that people are still paying attention to the possibility that we might have them again.

UPDATE: Here is a website, about which I don't know a lot, suggesting that some attack along these lines is imminent: "Information and intelligence found by analysts strongly suggests an increased risk of an attack or series of simultaneous or consecutive attacks occurring through the end of this week, designed to strike at the busiest time of our shopping and travel season."

Is it true? Beats me. But if the terrorists don't pull of a major strike in the U.S. pretty soon, they're going to be rather obviously a spent force, which I think means that if they can do something, they'll do it soon.

http://www.wnd.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=35801
WAR ON TERROR
Feds to cops: Prepare
for al-Qaida car bombs
Memorandum advises taking high-threat measures for end of Ramadan

Posted: November 24, 2003
5:40 p.m. Eastern

By Paul Sperry
© 2003 WorldNetDaily.com

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has advised federal agencies to initiate emergency counterterrorism measures to prevent possible al-Qaida car bombings planned during the last days of the Muslim holiday Ramadan, according to an internal department memo obtained by WorldNetDaily.

Citing al-Qaida's "increasingly sophisticated" car-bombing tactics, it recommends security guards tow all vehicles parked illegally in and around government facilities, if their owners cannot be identified, and inspect the undercarriage and other areas of vehicles entering sensitive areas, among other high-threat protective measures.

Al-Qaida could also target "liquid natural gas, chemical or petrochemical sites near major population centers using multiple vehicle-born improvised explosive devices similar to those recently seen in the attacks in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Istanbul, Turkey," warns the internal department advisory titled, "Continued al-Qaida Threats Abroad and in the Homeland."

Marked "For Official Use Only," the five-page memo was distributed Friday to federal departments and agencies, as well as state security managers and first responders.

"This advisory is intended to raise the security awareness of the recipients based on recent terrorist attacks overseas and information suggesting al-Qaida continues to plan attacks against U.S. targets," the memo says.

It notes there has been at least one major terrorist attack resulting in substantial casualties each week over the past several weeks, and that the attacks have coincided with Ramadan.

"These terrorist bombings, coupled with public proclamations regarding al-Qaida's intentions to target Western interests, heighten our concern that a threat against the U.S. homeland and U.S. interests abroad continues," the document states.

The Homeland Security memo warns that al-Qaida might launch attacks "near the end of Ramadan (Nov. 24-27)," which happens to coincide this year with the Thanksgiving holiday.

The government is closed on Thursday, Nov. 27, for Thanksgiving.

But millions of Americans will be traveling throughout the holiday week, and Homeland Security warns in its memo that "we cannot discount multiple attacks involving the use of general-aviation aircraft."

The department's current terror threat level stands at yellow, or elevated, indicating there is only a significant risk of terrorist attacks. Publicly, it has recommended Americans continue with plans for work or leisure.

Behind the scenes, however, it has directed federal and state law enforcement, as well as security personnel, to initiate protective measures under its highest threat level – red – a condition when there is an imminent risk of terrorist attacks.

For instance, "Measure R.2" of the department's internal Threat Level Red recommendations advises government agencies to, among other things: "Identify the owners of all vehicles already parked at state facilities. In those cases where the owner or presence of a vehicle cannot be explained (owner is not present and has no obvious agency affiliation), inspect the vehicle for dangerous items and take steps to remove the vehicle from the vicinity."

Homeland Security officials insist they have no specific threat. Indeed, the department memo states: "We have no tactical information identifying timing, targets, tactics or locations for these operations."

However, it goes on to say that "recent information" and attacks reflect "al-Qaida's desire to repeat a mass casualty attack and/or strike major political and symbolic and economic targets" in America.

The document expresses concern over al-Qaida's "increasingly refined capability and sophisticated tactic" in carrying out car-bomb attacks. Among examples, it cites the terror group's new "ramming tactic to gain access to the target" and the use of "innocuous-looking vehicles," such as "a food catering truck which was detonated by a suicide bomber as it rammed the British consulate."

It recommends U.S. security personnel take additional protective measures to thwart car-bomb attacks, including:

"Consider adjusting buffer zone further [sic] from target."

"Increase the number of visible security personnel wherever possible."

"Rearrange exterior vehicle barriers, traffic cones and road blocks to alter traffic patterns near facilities and monitored by alert security forces."

"Institute/increase vehicle, foot and roving security patrols varying in size, timing and routes."

"Limit the number of access points and strictly enforce access control procedures."

"Deploy explosive-detection devices and explosive-detection canine teams."

"Review surveillance tapes (if available) for indicators of suspicious activity."

http://debka.com/
Al Qaeda will turn to kidnapping Americans to ransom terrorists in US, Saudi and Yemeni custody. Monday, Bin Laden announced threatened countdown for “biggest operation yet inside America”.

http://www.hagmannpi.com/terror.htm

http://www.hagmannpi.com/terror.htm#USWarning

21 November 2003-- Advisory from the Northeast Intelligence Network: Based on newly obtained data and information collected from a variety of sources (Internet and human intelligence) within the last 72 hours, the terror threat to the United States has increased. Although the exact timing with regard to the execution of planned terror operations cannot be pinned down with any reasonable or responsible degree of precision, we have been seeing references to planned operations extending through the Christmas and New year holidays, with specific references to a time period from 21-28 November 2003. How valid are these threats? We can only speculate based on a careful analysis of the data found, but consider the weight of the evidence to be substantial enough to offer this advisory. We have identified various threats from the air and against seaports, nuclear facilities and harbors, with continued interest in financial and symbolic targets. Cities of interest continue to include New York, Washington, DC, and all coastal cities. A full report containing sources and reference citations is being compiled at this time.

Updated: 22 November 2003--More than 12 hours after the above was posted, and a full 13 days after our initial alert regarding cargo planes, the US government has warned of an increased risk of terror attacks on Americans at home and overseas, with a particular warning that al-Qaeda could try to hijack cargo jets and crash them into targets. Terrorist bombings overseas and an increased volume of threats against US interests at home and in foreign countries led the Homeland Security Department and FBI to issue the public warning. It said that "al-Qaeda's continued interest in aviation, including using cargo jets" to attack targets is of particular concern. The warning added that "increased vigilance here at home is prudent and may be key to deterring or disrupting terrorist attacks".

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